


Legend of the Heavenly Dragons - Original: Revised

by Tohka_Yatogami



Category: Highschool DxD (Anime)
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-03
Updated: 2018-06-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:33:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 46
Words: 489,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23094892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tohka_Yatogami/pseuds/Tohka_Yatogami
Summary: (Imported work from fanfiction.net)Life isn't a straight path, and we never get to choose how ours begins, but we have the choice of where it goes. However, sometimes it takes a light to guide us through the darkness. This is the story of how one fateful meaning not only brings a girl love, but begins an adventure to save the world.
Comments: 14
Kudos: 6





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is part of my unfinished works, being the first of two reboots, which you can find on FFN as "Legend of the Heavenly Dragons"
> 
> In this particular case, it's the "revised" version of it, which removes the many crossover characters I used to fill the peerages of many characters, both canon or OCs of mine.
> 
> A lot of the formatting and such I use isn't kept in the present day, as I've since learned to rely on it less, and it became too complex for me.

**Alright, time for my first (and hopefully not my only) story. Before I begin, there's something I promised to do. You see, this story idea was only possible because of another fanfic I've read since it began last year, and before I even considered it, I wanted to make sure the author was OK with me using how he represented a character in his story, along with certain ideas linked to said representation in a similar way.**

**So, I want to recommend a fellow author, and one of the few who helped me get back into the writing game through the sheer amazement of the stories... "AzureStoryTeller!" He only has 6 stories right now, but all of them are amazing, my favorite being the one that inspired this fanfic and the one I asked if he was alright with me using a similar idea to: "The Will to Endure and Protect"**

**I recommend all of his stories!**

**To anyone who's read "The Will to Endure and Protect", this first chapter might seem similar to certain parts of his story, but that's because he said he didn't mind if I used any of his ideas related to the story's version of female Vali, so I have his approval. I promise that by Chapter 2, this story will take its own direction, as they don't meet Akeno in their childhood like in his story.**

**The few examples of differences I can reveal here are that Valiana is my female Vali's full name, Azazel isn't her adoptive father for a reason that'll be revealed in the chapter (though she does consider him as her Uncle), and this is just an Issei/Vali story, meaning there's no harem. However, the biggest difference between our stories?**

**Vali is the protagonist, while Issei is the deuteragonist!**

**Due to the fact that I'm a huge fan of AU fanfics, I really wanted to go with an idea no one else has done, and I've never seen an Issei/Fem!Vali where she's the main character. While the idea itself might be unexpected, I hope anyone who reads this at least gives this story a chance, because I've got a good feeling about how it'll go from here.**

**I will admit this now, I'm a bit nervous and worried about how I might do with this story, but either way... I'm gonna do my best, so it's time to begin!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

 **[]** \- Ddraig Talking

 **«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

 **「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

 **【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

 **⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

**_Season 1, Raynare Arc: Chapter 1 – Prologue_ **

_Long ago, 2000 years to be exact... the world was consumed in a great battle, one that Humanity somehow remained oblivious too. A group of four races known as the Christian Pantheon suddenly began a large-scale conflict, fighting for dominance of not only their faction, but the entire world itself. Before anyone knew it, all of the supernatural world was dragged into the fight, and with it... began the dreaded Great War, changing the world forever._

_Originally, the war was between the Angels of Heaven, the children of God, better known as Elohim. The Fallen Angels of Paradise, those God had banished for falling to sin. The Demons of the Underworld, who chose to leave Heaven of their own choice. Then finally, there were the Devils, led by Heaven's greatest traitor... Lucifer, and the one who indirectly began this very legend._

_No one remembers who began the war, or struck the first blow, but most people accept what lead to it... division. Long ago, the Fallen Angels, Demons, and the Devils didn't exist, there were just Angels. However, that all changed the day when Lucifer began disagreeing with the actions taken by God._

_As the First Angel, his virtue was Justice, which he felt God was not giving to the world, and put his foot down to make him change it. Unfortunately, God would not let his voice sway him, and told Lucifer to be ashamed of his pride. Hearing that... it was the last straw for the original Angel._

_Wanting to show him just how dangerous the very "Pride" he spoke of was, and open his eyes to reality, Lucifer did what no Angel had ever dared before, and chose to rebel against God by heading into a prison deep under the Garden of Eden. While there, he rescued the future love of his life, the first human woman: Lilith, who God had imprisoned for the simple fact she didn't love Adam like he wanted her to._

_When Lucifer's name had finally surfaced again, Humanity had since given him the title of Satan, and created a race that were the complete opposite of the Angels... the first Devils. His feelings towards the lack of justice in the world caused his light to transform into a powerful darkness that made him God's equal._

_The Devils' existence created discord within Heaven's ranks, dividing the Angels into thirds based on their views. One third still trusted God, but the other two either believed they could change their mind like Lucifer attempted, or that they should just abandon Heaven to create their own home like Lucifer had achieved. In the end, each group did what they wanted... that was when the Christian Pantheon was divided into four, and lost its title as the strongest faction._

_In the end, the Angels who tried to convince God did minor sins to prove Lucifer wasn't wrong. However, he only viewed them as tainted, and chose to instead punish them in the same manner he did to Adam and Eve, but worse. Throwing them into the Garden of Eden, or Paradise as they knew it, their halos were taken, and their wings dyed pitch black, making them the first of the Fallen Angels._

_For the Angels who just left Heaven, they did the same thing as Lucifer, shattering their halos, and removing their holy light. Since they didn't have Lucifer's hate, and because they couldn't completely purge it like Lucifer did, some of them began growing horns from the shards of their halos, while growing strange wings._

_They went to Lucifer, thinking they had also become Devils, but he claimed they were something else due to the small bit of holy light they couldn't remove, and instead named them as the first Demons. While refusing to let them live with the Devils, he was at least kind enough to grant them an area of land to make their own, which would become the Underworld._

_After that, everything between the four factions stayed ultimately neutral... until the Great War finally began, pulling everyone in. It wasn't long until various species, and even other mythological pantheons, had to choose a side to ensure their survival._

_However, there was one race that stayed neutral through the entire conflict, being the only ones who refused to choose a side... the Dragons. Powerful beings born of pure energy, having two deities of their own, and even having the honor of existing before God. There were various reasons existed for why they refused to fight for anyone, such as the freedom to live how they pleased, and their ability to revive from their souls if killed, among many more._

_Despite that the Dragons had chosen not to get involved in the war, this wouldn't stay the same for long... or rather, exceptions would eventually come. This became the case fairly late into the war, as two powerful and legendary Dragons would eventually find themselves joining the battlefield._

_The First Dragon was a red dragon known as the Welsh Dragon, or the Red Dragon of Domination, Ddraig. He was a fire drake born in Wales that had become known for his raging flames. The Second Dragon was a white dragon known as the Vanishing Dragon, or the White Dragon of Supremacy, Albion. She was a light drake born in England that had become known for her ethereal light._

_Since the day they were born, their respective elements were so powerful that no one could match them, as they could even destroy their fellow Dragons, who could normally resurrect themselves after death. Having been annoyed by the stress of his reality, Ddraig attacked Albion out of frustration, only to learn she was immune to his flames!_

_Learning they were immune to the other's power, they finally found a reason to live for the first time in their lives, and stopped using their respective powers. Ddraig began develop abilities based on his overwhelming force, while Albion began using her tactical skills to counter his brute power. This began a cycle of the two adapting to one another, until eventually... they fell in love._

_By the time of their arrival on the battlefield, their power had grown to the point that they had managed to surpass both God and Lucifer in strength. With their most recent fight threatening the war, everyone formed a truce to try and stop them... it wasn't a surprise when Ddraig and Albion were not happy with their interference, and they both retaliated._

_Despite the united forces, they weren't strong enough to match the two Dragons, but they were eventually stopped when God, who sealed their souls inside legendary treasures he created for Humanity, who would inherit their powers. The damage from trying to stop them made the Great War's remaining time short, and soon... it ended with no winner, with nothing gained but overwhelming losses._

_Many species were pushed near the brink of extinction, the Christian Pantheon included, while other races and pantheons had been wiped out entirely, only remembered by the legends passed down to Humanity. Time wasn't any kinder, as more eventually died out, while others found either temporary or permanent solutions to their problems._

_As generations past, those who inherited Ddraig and Albion's powers did not stop their battle. Their hosts, better known as the Sekiryuutei and Hakuryuukou respectively, acted as intermediaries to fight in their stead, eventually turning the friendly rivalry into a cursed conflict. As the world slowly recovered, these battles continued, all because they are fated to fight... and yet, what if someone could break this endless cycle?_

_This is the story of how two of their hosts managed to break that cycle, and create their own destinies!_

* * *

Out in a park area, a small crimson-red haired boy with green eyes was playing catch with a golden-orange haired boy with violet eyes and a small ponytail. The latter was preparing to throw the ball, winding up his pitch, and then...

*WHOOSH*

The crimson-haired boy caught it, only to fall on his back from the force. He giggled before getting back on his feet.

"You're really strong, Rin!" The boy giggled.

Hearing his praise, the boy called Rin giggled at him... which sounded more like girl's laugh.

"Come on Issei, again!" Rin called to him.

"OK!" Issei replied, preparing to toss it again.

*BEEP*

Issei's hand stopped, dropping the ball to the ground. Both he and Rin turned to see a car drive by, the window lowering to revealing a young woman with golden-blonde hair, and a beauty that was almost heavenly.

"Come on sweetie, time to go!" Rin's mother sang.

Rin's face fell, realizing that this was it, with Issei also giving a sad look. Despite how young he was, he was already aware of what was happening... that his best and only friend was leaving, possibly forever.

"So, this is it... you're going to England now?" Issei asked sadly.

"Yeah, I'm sorry Issei..." Rin nodded, tearing up.

The two exchanged one last hug, holding it for a whole minute. After that, they both let go, leaving Rin to cry as she headed over to the car.

Once inside, her mother turned to her, rubbing her head.

"Don't cry my little Irina, this isn't goodbye forever. One day, you'll see Issei again, I know it." Her mother smiled.

The car soon drove off, with Issei watching it until it finally escaped his view... taking away his only friend away to somewhere that he couldn't follow. Picking up his ball, he slowly trudged to a nearby bench, where his parents had been sitting.

"Dear, do you think Issei will be able to find another friend? Irina was all he had." Mrs. Hyoudou wondered, already noticing how sad their son was.

"I... honestly don't know." Mr. Hyoudou answered her.

Why was it Issei didn't have any other friends? Truth be told, neither of his parents knew. Ever since they could remember, whenever Issei had tried to get near others, they just walked away. The worst of it? It wasn't just other children, even adults would walk away, and neither of them knew why.

Irina, and her parents, had been the only exceptions they had met in recent years, and now... they were gone. It worried them how their son might grow up if this continued. No one could live life alone, but they wouldn't be able to give Issei the feeling he desired; he needed a friend, someone his age that could properly understand him beyond his parents.

However, none of them knew that the following week... that would all change.

* * *

While Mrs. Hyoudou was vacuuming the living room, she saw the sight of a moving truck outside, surprising her when it stopped by the house that used to belong to Irina's family.

"Oh my, I didn't know the new neighbors would get here so fast." She remarked, putting a hand near her mouth.

"Dear!" She called upstairs.

Not expecting the call, Mr. Hyoudou leaned down form upstairs.

"What is it?" He asked.

"The new neighbors just showed up! go get Issei, we should introduce ourselves real quick." His wife answered.

"Alright, be right there." He replied.

Looking to find Issei, Mrs. Hyoudou positioned the vacuum in place before heading outside, seeing a man with black/blonde hair, a short beard on just his chin, and wearing a business suit by the moving truck.

"Excuse me." Mrs. Hyoudou greeted.

Hearing his voice, the man turned to see her, and then the rest of her family as Mr. Hyoudou came outside with Issei.

"Ah, you must be the new neighbors." The man realized.

He held out his hand for a handshake, which Issei's father chose to accept, shaking his head.

"Nice to meet you, my name's Austin Amano." He greeted.

"And I'm Seiji Hyoudou. This lovely lady here is my wife, Hana; while this little angel is our son, Issei." Seiji introduced, motioning to his family in response.

Hana smiled, while Issei just slowly waved at him, still feeling somber from Irina's recent departure. Austin looked surprised when he noticed Issei, one of which was just by seeing him, but it was the second one that he paid more attention.

"Oh, you have a son? Wish I had known that before I got here." Austin gave an awkward chuckle, rubbing the back of his head.

"Is... that a problem?" Hana asked, raising her eyebrow slightly.

"No, not at all. It's just that... how should I explain this? While I'm fine with it, there's someone else that might not be." Austin explained, scratching his head slightly.

The sound of a small rustle is heard, making the Hyoudou family turn to see the sight of a child's hand holding onto a large box. The one hiding briefly peeked out, but quickly hid again, though that brief moment was enough for Issei's parents to realize the child was a girl.

"Oh, is that your little girl?" Hana smiled happily.

"No, it isn't." Austin said sadly.

Both parents looked at him, confused by what he meant.

"I'm just this young one's legal guardian. She's... been through some horrible things, and they really scarred her. I'm watching over her until I can find some relatives, or a family willing to take her in." Austin explained.

They both gasped, and Hana motioned him to whisper the story.

"Truth is, I'm not completely sure. Can I ask you both to act like I didn't tell you any of this?" Austin answered, making his request.

"Sure thing, our lips are sealed." Seiji agreed.

With that out of the way, Austin walked over to where the girl was, and she whimpered a little.

"Calm down, it's OK... they don't know anything about it. They aren't going to hurt you." He reassured her.

Eventually, he lightly nudged her into view, revealing the girl under his care. She was the same age as Issei, with silvery-white hair, and gentle blue eyes that looked a bit lifeless, wearing a small black and white dress. She purposely looked away, feeling too vulnerable and afraid to give them direct eye contact, much less nearby.

When Austin had said she had been scarred... he wasn't kidding, it made Issei's parents gave a sad look towards her.

"Come on, introduce yourself to them?" Austin asked her.

"I-it's... it's nice to meet you. My... my name is, Valiana... b-but you can... call me, Vali." Vali introduced herself, her tone quiet and shaken.

At that moment, Issei suddenly felt something from her, and walked up to her.

That was the moment a surprise came to all three adults, Vali slowly turned her head, looking towards Issei without understanding why she did it. They got a good look at each other, before finally...

"Hi there, my name's Issei." Issei smiled, getting really close.

All three adults gave a worried looked, unsure how Vali might react... until Vali's eyes lost their lifeless look, and she actually began getting closer to Issei. Austin was surprised by this, as it was the first time she didn't look afraid.

"Issei..." Vali softly said, looking at him directly.

After blinking a bit, she smiled lightly. For the strangest reason, she didn't feel any discomfort bearing near this boy, even though they had only just met. Not just that, but Issei realized she wasn't avoiding him, just like Irina didn't.

"Do you wanna go play together?" Issei asked, hoping she'd say yes.

"S-sure." Vali replied, smiling lightly.

With that, Issei pulled Vali towards his backyard, surprising the three adults over what just happened. Issei couldn't explain it, but... there was just something about Vali that made him want to be close to her. The same was true for Vali, as something about Issei made her feel safe around him.

Issei had finally found a new friend, while Vali had finally opened up to someone.

* * *

As the next few weeks went by, Issei and Vali had become great friends. While Vali was still a strong introvert, Issei's parents had let Austin know that she was always happy when she came over. Likewise, while Issei was definitely more extroverted due to Irina's influence, Austin mentioned his visits were helping Issei as well, probably as a result of him actually being aware Vali was a girl.

However, whenever Issei came over, both of them noticed that Austin kept looking at him, as if trying to figure something out. Because they were both only six-year old's, they ignored it, thinking it was probably just an adult thing... only it wasn't.

"I'm gonna get you!" Issei giggled, chasing Vali.

Austin watched them as the two played tag in his back yard, smiling a bit as he saw how much happier Vali looked now. He hoped that it wouldn't be much longer before she could stop thinking about the past as much.

"You can't get me!" Vali laughed, even though Issei was faster.

"I'm right behind you!" Issei warned, giving a playful smirk.

Vali gave a playful "Eek!" as Issei neared her. While at first, it seemed like he'd just tag her... reality chose to be cruel at that particular moment. A sudden itch came to Vali's nose, and only a moment after she had?

*ACHOO*

Vali released a big sneeze, causing a white gauntlet to form on her left hand that surprising Austin. Vali panicked upon seeing it, and quickly made it disappear, hoping Issei didn't notice.

The good news? Issei had been so close to her, the brief flash made him rub his eyes, and kept him from seeing it. Vali was about to sigh in relief... until for a brief moment, she saw a green flash on the back of Issei's right palm.

'No way, those two are-' Austin's eyes shook in disbelief at the coincidence.

'That glow, that's...' Vali thought in horror.

In just a few seconds, she was suddenly consumed with fear, instantly realizing what this meant. Issei Hyoudou, the only friend she had ever known... he was the rival she would one day have to destroy.

"Watch where you sneeze Vali." Issei said, finally opening his eyes... to see Vali's terrified expression.

"Vali, are you OK? What's wrong?" Issei asked worriedly.

At that moment, various memories Vali had been trying to ignore the last few weeks resurfaced, and she screamed loudly. Issei's eyes widened as she fell to the ground, curling up as she began having a panic attack, continuing her screams as she forgot where she was.

"VALI!"

Issei saw Austin rush outside, and looked at him worriedly as he picked Vali up.

"Mr. Amano, tell me she'll be OK?" Issei asked, starting to tear up in fear.

"Don't worry, just go back home, tell your parents about what happened. They'll know what to tell you. I'll call them once things are OK, then you can come back to check on her." Austin quickly explained.

Issei nodded, rushing back home since he wasn't sure what else to do, while Austin tried shaking Vali back into reality, but with no luck. Her expression had begun twisting into one of extreme fear, and her breathing became unsteady.

"No... I don't want this, make it stop! I don't wanna fight Issei, he's my friend! Don't make me kill him!" Vali screamed.

'Wait, what did she just say!?' Austin mentally gasped.

That line was the last straw, making Austin's eyes focus as he realized he had to stop her breakdown, and he had to do it now! With a heavy heart, he slapped her across the face, making Vali's eyes widen. Gasp for air, she finally began to calm down, realizing that she was still in Kuoh Town, and not her former home.

"I'm sorry I had to hit you, are you OK?" Austin breathed, feeling horrible he just had to slap her when she didn't deserve it.

"I... I..." Vali soon broke down, and began crying into his chest.

He rubbed her back, shushing her a little.

"It's OK, it's OK. Just take a deep breathe... and calm down." Austin said softly.

She did that, slowly breathing until the maelstrom of her mind finally ceased. As she did, Austin realized the elephant in the room... her Sacred Gear; he knew what it was, and what she just said told him everything he needed to realize what caused her breakdown.

He was too far away to see it, but Vali must have been able to realize Issei also had Sacred Gear, the one opposite to hers... a pair with a dark, and violent history.

"Vali, I... I know I've let you avoid telling me all this time, but I think I need to know now. Where did you come from, know what you did, know why I found you... alone like I had. I saw your Sacred Gear, your story can't hide forever, so please trust me with it." Austin asked, holding her shoulders.

"I... I can't do it... I'm..." Vali sniffled, looking away.

Going silent, Austin knew what he had to do, and stood up, getting Vali's attention as he made sure no one saw him.

"Then I'm going to show you my secret. Hopefully once I do, you'll trust me with yours." He stated.

Vali stared at him, only to gasp as what looked like twelve crow wings sprouted out of her back, making her eyes shake. She knew those wings well, the wings... of a Fallen Angel, and having twelve meant he was one of the leaders.

"My real name is Azazel, the leader of the Fallen Angels." Azazel revealed himself.

"G-Grigori's... leader." Vali gasped, trembling slightly.

He folded his wings back in, brushing some of the feathers that fell off with his feet, leaving Azazel to look at her.

"Vali, if I wanted to hurt you by now, I would have... please, just trust me this one time. It doesn't matter what you are, because you're a child, and no one should judge you based on that." Azazel pleaded.

At that moment, Vali breathed in, sniffling a bit as she nodded her head.

"I... I've done horrible things, my hands... are dirty."

Vali's voice was shaking as she began looking at her hands, briefly seeing the sight of blood all over them.

"All my life, I've only had my mommy. She was all I had... I wanted to keep her safe, and... grandpa and daddy made me do it! He... he said that I had to hurt or kill people who are my enemies. The Sekiryuutei and Hakuryuukou are... enemies, a-and... g-grandpa says... enemies can't be friends, they have to fight until one is dead. W-when I... finally said no to him, he... he killed my mommy and daddy, and I ran away!"

Azazel was aghast, she only had one loving parent, and she was forced to bear all these sins... just for her sake? Just who was her grandfather? Whoever it was, Azazel had a good feeling that he'd need to use every bit of willpower to not go find the bastard, then kill him in the most horrible way possible.

"Vali... who was your grandpa? Why did he make you do such awful things?" Azazel sweated, wondering if Vali would even answer this question.

"G-grandpa's name is... R... Riz... Rizevim." Vali answered softly.

At that moment, everything went so quiet to Azazel, enough that he was sure if he had spread out his wings again... he'd hear one of his feathers hit the ground. He only knew of one person with that name, Rizevim Livan Lucifer... the disowned son of Lucifer and Lilith, and one of the few Devils strong enough to be named a Super Devil.

If he was really her grandfather, then that meant Vali was...

"Vali, you're... a Lucifer!?" Azazel gasped.

Vali went quiet, and soon revealed a set of twelve Devil wings, confirming her Half-Human, Half-Devil heritage to the world. It now completely clear to Azazel why Vali was so traumatized, she probably didn't even know how lucky she was to have gotten away from him.

Rizevim was such a horrible person because of what he believed Devils should be, it had been no surprise when his own parents disowned him. Unfortunately, no one knew he had been alive, which was a worry in itself. However, the bigger issue was the scars he left in Vali were deep, and now... he knew she _needed_ Issei, so he had to let her know this changed nothing. Sending Issei's parents a text, he let them know to send him back over.

"Vali... you don't have to listen to what he told you, because he has no say over you anymore. If you don't want to fight, then you don't have to. If you don't want to make enemies, then make them your friends. You may be the Hakuryuukou, but you don't have to fight the Sekiryuutei if you truly don't want to... his chains no longer bind you, so live your life how YOU chose to live it."

Vali's eyes widen, shining briefly as tears begin to form.

"You've got me too, Vali."

Vali turned, suddenly seeing Issei walk back into view, rubbing his arm a bit.

"Issei?" Vali said in surprise.

"I can't understand everything you've been through, but... I know what it's like to feel alone. Before I met you, I only had one friend, because... other kids, their parents, and other adults all avoided me. It felt like they saw me as a monster, that I wasn't wanted. I found one friend, but eventually, he moved away a week before I met you. I don't know what you've been through, but... I want to be your friend, forever if it's possible." Issei revealed, tearing up a bit.

At that moment, Vali started crying again, hugging Issei tightly. He smiled as he hugged her back, crying out his own tears, leaving Azazel to sniffle as he turned away to give them their moment.

"Vali, I promise that I'll protect you, no matter what!" Issei promised.

Hearing that claim, Azazel smiled brightly, feeling a certain thought come to his mind... that if they could end the war between their Dragons, it could finally change the future of the four factions.

'I'm gonna put my bets on it, I've seen enough of wars already.' Azazel thought.

* * *

A few years went by until it was four years since Issei and Vali first met, and their friendship only grew stronger during this time. Issei was already showing signs of becoming a handsome young man, and while there was a brief period his parents worried he'd become a pervert due to Azazel's influence, Vali ended up preventing that... although he was still a boy, causing him to develop a fetish for large breasts.

Luckily, he promised his parents he would keep it internalized, while Azazel promised he'd stop.

In the case of Vali, she was already showing signs of becoming a beautiful young lady, although she was embarrassed over the fact she had grown amazingly huge breasts for her age... which was likely why Issei didn't go down the path of a pervert, as he didn't want to upset her. Because of Issei's promise, and Azazel's words to her; while she was still a shy introvert, she had become more open and friendly. Although nightmares still plagued her, necessitating nights where she slept with Issei.

However, in the most recent month, Issei noticed she hadn't been herself, something the both of them noticed. He tried to learn what was wrong, but she never told him because she wasn't sure what it was either... until today, where she made a big decision.

'Don't back down Vali, you... you need to do this.' Vali told herself, lightly tapping her cheeks to brush away her doubts.

Vali used a magic circle to head into Paradise, and enter the headquarters of Grigori. While that would normally be bad due to her being Half-Devil, Azazel had already let everyone know about her aside from her heritage, which only the people he trusted most were aware of. While going through the halls, she ran into a woman with long purple hair, and a large bust by even a Fallen Angel's standards.

This woman just happened to be one of Grigori's top three; its Chief Secretary, Azazel's wife, and her unofficial Aunt: Penemue Amano. Seeing Vali's presence, she turned to her.

"Vali? This is a surprise, what are you doing here?" Penemue smiled, looking at her unofficial niece.

"I need to see Uncle Azazel about something, can you..." Vali asked.

"Sure, I was already heading there myself." Penemue agreed.

Leading her to Azazel's office, he saw the door open, seeing his wife had brought Vali with her.

"Oh, Vali! This is a surprise." Azazel greeted.

However, he soon noticed her eyes had a saddened look, which made him worry this visit was a bit more... serious.

"Do you need something?" He asked.

"I... want to leave for training!" Vali exclaimed.

The married couple's eyes widened, with Penemue dropping her papers from the shock.

"Uh... I'm not saying I won't let you, but... is there any reason for this?" Azazel asked, trying to recollect himself.

"Issei told me all those years ago that he'd protect me, but then recently I realized something. If he's protecting me... then who's going to protect him?" Vali explained, a longing look in her eyes,

That one look? It told them everything. What Vali wanted was to protect him, just like he promised for her.

Unlike her, Issei was an ordinary human, despite the power sleeping within him. In all honestly, Vali's heritage as a Lucifer, even if she was Half-Human, meant she was technically the stronger of the two. There would only be so much he could do, and neither of them believed she'd make Issei give up his humanity to get around that issue.

"Hmm... well, I do have a few people who owe me some favors, so I guess I can have you train with them." Azazel agreed.

"Honey, if it's alright with you, I'll go with her." Penemue offered.

"You sure?" Azazel asked.

"Of course, I haven't had much to do here as of recently, and our girls could use some more time with their dad." Penemue remarked.

Azazel thought on it for a bit, and then shrugged his shoulders.

"Alright, but take Baraqiel with you too. I think he needs some time away from Japan due to what happened with his family..." Azazel trailed off, his wife knowing he still felt responsible for what happened.

Not to mention, if anyone could help keep Vali safe if any problems came up, it would be him and Penemue.

"I understand, and if you don't mind... I'd like to tell Issei about this." Vali smiled, making her last request.

"Of course." Azazel replied.

* * *

Issei groaned, slamming his head on his desk as he faced a mortal enemy... his homework.

"My god, my head... something distract me, please!' Issei begged.

"Issei!" Vali shouted.

His eyes widened, shocked that wish had actually come true, and opened up his window. Vali was looking at him from the ground, a bit worried.

"Issei, can you come down for a moment? I... need to tell you something important." Vali asked him quietly.

It barely took even a minute for Issei to close the window, rush downstairs, and then meet Vali in his front year. Based on her expression, he had a good feeling that this was about how she was acting the last few days.

"I'm here, so what's wrong?" Issei asked.

Taking a deep breath, the young Lucifer Devil steeled herself, and said what she had told Azazel earlier.

"Issei... I'm going to be on a trip around the world with Aunt Penemue, and it'll probably last for a few years. I'm sorry, but... we're not gonna see each other for a while." Vali revealed, bracing herself for his reaction.

Issei's eyes widened upon hearing that, and they had every reason to... this situation was almost like the day Irina had revealed she was moving away, and there was a chance they may never see each other again. Sure, Vali had actually said she would come back, but...

Just like before, the only friend he had was about to go out of his reach, and he was going to be alone. Vali saw his body shake, and quickly grabbed his shoulders.

"I-Issei, please don't break down, please!" Vali begged, shaking him lightly.

"Y-y-you're going away, but why?" Issei asked.

He had promised to protect her, a promise he hadn't broken over the last four years. It was no surprise he was upset right now, because how was he supposed to keep such a promise if she was too far away for him to protect?

"Because... if you're protecting me, then who's gonna protect you?" Vali answered loudly.

Issei's eyes widened in surprise upon hearing that.

"If you're going to protect me, then I want to be able to do the same! I don't wanna see you hurt, and feel like I could have done something... I would never forgive myself, and that's why I need to do this!" Vali cried.

Issei's eyes widened at those words, and he felt something briefly fly through his heart.

He had never expected to hear that from Vali, who had always seemed so fragile since he first met her. She wanted to protect him, just like he wanted to protect her, and she felt in order to do that... she had to leave, no, she felt she _had_ to become stronger, all for his sake.

What right did he have to stop her from doing that?

"So, you're really sure about this? Well, if that's the case..." He took a deep breath.

Vali suddenly felt Issei hug her, making her blush slightly.

"Then... I won't stop you, but I have one condition you have to promise me. You WILL come back, got that?" Issei begged, crying a bit

"Issei... thank you, I promise I'll come back!" Vali began crying as well, hugging him back.

Both of them kept hugging each other, shedding every tear they could before Vali finally left on her training journey.

* * *

Penemue drove a car up to Azazel's house with Baraqiel in the backseat, ready take Vali to the first location of her training journey. Vali looked at Issei one last time, giving him one last hug.

"She's here, time to go..." Vali sniffled.

"Good luck out there." Issei wished for her.

Releasing the hug, Vali walked backwards before getting in the car, which soon began driving off. Before she fully left his view, she stuck her head out the window

"Issei, promise you'll wait for me!" Vali exclaimed with all her might.

Issei nodded at that, giving her a thumb's up.

With that last act... that was it, Issei found himself alone again, but this time? This time, he wasn't just going to sulk in his sorrows. Vali intended to come back, and after hearing her reasons, he decided that it was his turn to grow stronger for her sake.

'I'll get stronger... just like she will!' He promised himself.

Heading back home, he saw his parents sitting on the couch, and walked towards them. This immediately got their attention as they noticed his expression.

"Issei, is something wrong?" Hana asked.

"Mom, dad... I have a favor I need to ask the both of you." Issei asked.

This got their attention, and both of them began listening.

"What is it?" Seiji asked.

Taking a deep breath, he found his resolve, and looked them straight in the eye.

"I... I want to learn martial arts!" He shouted.

Both of them showed surprise at that, not expecting that to be the favor he needed.

"Uh... we're not against it, but why?" Seiji asked.

"Because... I have a promise to keep." Issei answered.

And with that answer, both of them showed no further hesitation towards their son's request.

* * *

Seven years passed by, showing Issei as he stood inside the walls of Kuoh Academy, a former all-girls private school. Even now, Vali had yet to return to Kuoh Town, having only kept in touch with him through letters, texts, or phone calls.

Now 17, Issei had become quite the handsome young man, standing at 5'10 to 5'11 in height with a muscular, toned build. He was even considered one of the more popular boys in the academy. Despite that, he didn't have that many girls gunning for him was because while he was among the fabled "Princes of Kuoh", most girls seemed to pay more attention to the top prince: Kiba Yuuto, which he was a bit thankful for.

"Hey there, Issei!" A female voice shouted.

"Hmm?" He blinked.

Issei turned to see a pair of girls waving at him while they passed by, and he waved back. The two girls were Katase Fujiki and Murayama Akemi, the captains of the school's Kendo Club, and his cousins from his father and mother's sides respectively.

They were actually the reason he was attending Kuoh Academy in the first place, as after asking his parents for lessons in martial arts, he briefly took a few kendo classes, feeling some kind of connection with using a sword. That's where he met the two, and before he even knew it? The three became pretty close, and he decided to enroll with them at this school.

'I still can't believe that's how I got here, and that people stopped avoiding me.' Issei chuckled.

Strangely enough, around the same time he met his two cousins, while making friends still seemed to be a bit hard for him, people had started to at least acknowledge his presence, rather than walking away. When he asked Murayama about it, she said she didn't have anything to do with it, and Katase said the same.

"Ow... my face!"

"I swear, they keep getting stronger!"

Hearing those two voices, Issei groaned a bit, face palming as he realized what happened. There was another duo in Kuoh Academy he was familiar with, and friends with, one he that he dealt with on a regular basis.

"Why don't they ever learn?" He sighed, walking over to the old school building.

Once he got there, he saw the two he was talking about, who also happened to be the only guy friends he had at the moment. The first of the two had short hair that was almost a buzz cut, while the second had average length brown hair, and wore glasses. For reasons that Issei already knew, they were covered with bruises.

"You peeped on the kendo club again, didn't you?" Issei questioned, although he already knew the answer.

"We're young men, and we have sexual needs!" Matsuda declared, who was the short-haired one.

"And our girlfriends are hot!" Motohama exclaimed with pride, being the one with glasses.

Issei sighed at that response, shaking his head a bit.

These two just happened to be the boyfriends of his cousins, with Murayama dating Motohama, while Katase was dating Matsuda, and had a tendency to peep on them, which... led to the rest of the club attacking him. The only reason they didn't break up with the two? Because they didn't go past peeping, and the kendo club gave them enough punishment on their own.

"I'd like to call you out on your logic, but I've never had a girlfriend." Issei remarked, knowing he had no grounds to retort with.

At that moment, he heard a window open up, making the trio look up as they say a familiar crimson-haired beauty. She was the student tanked number one among the Princesses of Kuoh, Rias Gremory, and the president of the Occult Research Club. Issei could have sworn for a moment that she was looking straight at him, or at least looked like she was, making him blink.

"Whoa! Dude, we just got a private glance to the school idol!" Matsuda whispered with a blush.

"Bust 99, Waist 58, Hips 90." Motohama quietly stated, using his special ability to instantly know girl's three sizes just by a mere glance.

Within the old school building, Rias sat down one of the club's couches as her best friend, Akeno Himejima, stood beside it. As Rias currently thought of what move to make next in their game of Chess...

"Akeno, that boy in the middle is the one we've been monitoring lately, correct? What do you know about him?" Rias asked.

"Let me see... if I remember right, I believe he's in Class 2-B, and his name is Issei Hyoudou." Akeno recalled.

Rias hummed a bit at that.

"Is that it?" Rias inquired.

"Well, Koneko thinks he might have a Sacred Gear, but we haven't been able to prove anything just yet. Although, there doesn't seem to be any one else seems to be making a move on him, not even Sona." Akeno answered.

"I see, guess we'll have to keep an eye on him a little longer." Rias sighed.

At that moment, she moved her Pawn near Akeno's King.

"That's check, and mate." Rias declared.

She got up as Akeno looked at the board in surprise, unable to believe that Rias saw through her trap. The Gremory heiress began removing her clothes, then walked into the shower, and getting lost in thought over what about Issei had gotten her attention.

'Such a strong dormant power, what kind of Sacred Gear does he possess? More than that, why did it feel like I sensed the trace of a Devil on him?' She wondered.

Rias was fairly sure Sona's group were the only other Devils in Kuoh Town.

'Whatever it is, I need to see if he'll be interested in joining my peerage... or at least make sure no one kills him for it.' She thought, starting the water.

Needless to say, her thoughts would act as a premonition of things to come.

* * *

The sun began to set as Issei began walking home, going across a highway bridge. Taking a moment, Issei stopped on the side rail, yawning as he looked at the sunset. He recalled the day when Vali had left, the sun had been setting at the time they said their goodbyes. It made the sight of it a bittersweet memory, yet also a symbol to her promise of returning.

'I wonder... at this very moment, is Vali seeing the same sunset as me?' Issei thought longingly.

As he kept staring, he was left unaware of a guest that stopped by him. At first, she wasn't sure if she should interrupt him, but once she noticed him start to leave...

"W-wait!" She called out.

He stopped at that, turning around to see who called him. It was a girl with long black hair, soft purple eyes, and soft, yet nervous expression on her face. She wore a red school uniform, with a P emblem on her left side, one that he wasn't familiar with.

'Who is this, and what school is she from? Well, regardless of that, she does look pretty cute.' Issei thought, while noticing her eyes looked familiar.

"Excuse me, you're Issei Hyoudou from Kuoh Academy, right? Or am I wrong?" She asked softly.

Issei broke out of his thoughts, he answered her.

"Yeah, I am... is there something I can help you with?" Issei responded.

She nodded slightly, right as the wind blew past her.

"S-sort of. My name is Yuuma, and I was just wondering... are you seeing anyone right now?" Yuuma asked, making Issei silently gasp.

'Red flag, that's totally a red flag!' Issei knew where this was going, but let her finish in case he was wrong.

Clearing his throat, he looked straight at her.

"Uh... no, I'm single right now." Issei answered honestly, repeating what he mentioned to his guy friends earlier.

"Oh, that's wonderful." Yuuma smiled, blushing a bit.

"It is?" Issei asked.

Yuuma took a moment to realize what she implied, and she swung her arms out hysterically.

"N-no wait, that didn't come out right! I... I uh..." Yuuma panicked.

She took a moment to breathe.

"It's just... since you're single, do you... think you'd like to go out with me?" Yuuma asked in a bashful manner.

And with that, Issei imagined a red flag being raised beside him.

"I-I'm sorry if this seems sudden, it's just that... I've been watching you for a while, and you seem so... gentle, a-and I..." At that point, Issei was surprised that Yuuma's blush hadn't turned her cheeks red just get.

'Oh, my god... is she really gonna say it?' Issei thought, his eyes actually shaking a bit.

"The thing is..." Yuuma whimpered.

At that moment, she slapped her cheeks, mustering all her strength as she just let it out with all the strength she had.

"Would you be willing to go on a date with me!?" She screamed loudly, shocking Issei with her bold declaration.

"Wha... I..." Issei blinked a few times.

Issei stared for a moment, and soon his mental landscape showed him losing all his color and falling into a non-existent void.

'Oh god, this is real!" Issei's mind screamed.

* * *

Around an hour later, by the time the sun had switched places with the moon, Issei had finally walked into his neighborhood. His mind was still in shock over what had just happened on the bridge. While he didn't know her at all, a girl had just asked him out on a date!

He wasn't sure how serious she was, or if she actually wanted to be his girlfriend, but the Yuuma may as well have become a tomato in her attempt to confess to him.

"When I finally went on my first date, I always expected to be the one who'd ask the girl, not the other way around." Issei said to himself, still feeling overwhelmed.

He sighed a bit, looking up to the sky.

'In the end, I ended up saying yes to be a gentleman, so there's no turning back now.'

Even now, he still couldn't figure out why Yuuma's eyes seemed familiar to him. He knew he never met her before, it was just her eyes seemed like a pair he had seen on someone else, yet he couldn't remember who it was.

He decided to sleep on it, as he finally arrived at the door to his house, but right as he attempted to open the door...

"Issei!"

His hand suddenly paused, his eyes shaking as he let out a gasp. Despite the fact that seven years of puberty had influenced it, and only heard it through his phone in that same length of time, he could never mistake that voice.

Slowly turning around, the sight of a blur tackling him to the ground was seen, and once one they collided... Issei was able to get a good look at it.

 **「** **Ao Haru Ride: Kanashimi no Yoru** **」**

It was a teenage girl around his age, being fairly close to his height, around 5'8 to 5'9 based on his best estimate; with gentle blue eyes that radiated a kind and soft nature. She had long, silvery-white hair that reached below her hips, being tied with a blue scrunchy, and shined like the moonlight of a clear night sky. Long locks of her hair framed the sides of her face, reaching down to her massively huge breasts, which were larger than Akeno's by a huge margin, and weakly spiraled, making her look like a princess.

For her current attire, she was wearing a large, loose black and white T-Shirt with short-sleeves that fully showed off her incredibly voluptuous figure, which surpassed both Rias and Akeno's in every possible manner, without having to hug it. The sleeves of her t-shirt were especially baggy, letting her arms move without restraint. Next was a pair of light blue jean shorts which barely covered her legs, a bright red jacket wrapped around her waistline, and short pink socks alongside black/white-colored sneakers.

"It's been so long, Issei... longer than I've ever wanted to bear!" She said, smiling as tears formed in her eyes.

Even though she had changed beyond all his expectations since they last saw each other, changing from a cute young girl, into this beautiful young lady that could win over the heart of any man? Issei instantly knew who this girl was.

"Valiana... I don't believe it, is that really you." Issei breathed, being so happy that he used her full name.

"Yes, it's me Issei. It's really me! I'm finally back!" Vali said, sniffling as she cried tears of joy.

Issei got up, and soon hugged her close, as if he never wanted to let her go. Both of them let out the seven years of tears they held at that moment, because at this very moment, their long-awaited reunion had finally come.

"Welcome home, Vali." Issei smiled happily.

* * *

**And with that, the prologue chapter is finally out of the way. I hope I got the right timing to end things by choosing to have Vali come back at the end of this chapter, rather than waiting for her to reappear in the next one. It felt right to me, but I'm still unsure if I should have done something else... well, I already went with it, so I should probably trust my own judgment.**

**To anyone wondering what my Female Vali looks like, use the sole Vol 17 illustration of Mio Takamiya from Date A Live as a reference.**

**Now, the first thing I'll explain is in this story is Issei will become a Devil, but not under Rias. I have something else in mind to replace Issei in her peerage, as she and Vali will be end up as friends and close rivals. Also, while there will be many couples throughout the story, the only girl that Issei will be with is Vali, since this story's main theme focuses on their relationship.**

**For my choice of making Devils and Demons a separate species? It partially comes from Testament of New Sister Devil, which gave me ideas on how to make them different, while also feeling that since Fallen Angels seem to be darker versions of Angels, it would make sense to make Devil-like beings who have some light to them, so I decided to use Demons for that role.**

**I still have a lot to plan for when it comes to this story, so it may be a while before Chapter 2 is made, and the story will update like seasons in an anime, meaning there will be two arcs in every season. At the very least, this chapter helps me form the basis to start this story, so I hope everyone enjoys it. I'll do my best to start Chapter 2 as soon as I can.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

**A/N: Issei's parents and Matsuda use their appearances from the manga in this story.**

* * *

**Bust Size of New Female Characters** **:**

**Valiana "Vali" Lucifer - 110 cm**

**Yuuma Amano - 106 cm**

**Rias Gremory - 99 cm**

**Akeno Himejima - 102 cm**

**Penemue Amano - 105 cm**

**Hana Hyoudou - 85 cm**

**Murayama Akemi - 93 cm**

**Katase Fujiki - 91 cm**

* * *

**Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter** **:**

**None**

* * *

**Pairings List** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Best Friends  
Ddraig/Albion - Married**


	2. Chapter 2

**Before we begin, I just want to thank everyone for the amazing reception I got from the first chapter, especially AzureStoryTeller's review. His review helped quell all the doubts I had, and when I compared the faves and follows I got compared to other DxD stories posted on the same day... I was honestly shocked by how well this story did in comparison. Not to mention the views I got in just the first day? It nearly beat the record of my currently most viewed story.**

**I honestly made sure that for this story's first chapter, I went full throttle, and gave all of my effort to create. Needless to say, I'm very happy with the result I got, and now I'm not afraid to give it my all in my fanfics! I know I'll displease some people, and I may make some mistakes, but in the end, what I care about isn't how many views I get, how many faves or follows, or even the number reviews. The one thing I care about when I write a fanfic... is that the people reading it are enjoying what I've written, and that's what you all did, so thank you ^v^**

**Most of all, if I ever tell you guys that it might take me a long time get something ready for any of my stories... you might not wanna take those claims too seriously. I said it might be a few days before this chapter would be ready, yet it only took me one to complete the layout for Season 1 of this story, and then make this chapter. Either Season 1 is the easiest part of Highschool DxD to write, or I severely underestimated myself when it came to my writing skills ^^;**

**With all of that out of the way, let's begin the second chapter.**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

 **[]** \- Ddraig Talking

 **«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

 **「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

 **【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

 **⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

**Now, before we actually start-start this chapter, I'm going to introduce a tradition that I'll be doing before each one begins, the Concept Talk. Here, I'll share with you a concept in the story like a bit of lore. This will help by talking about something introduced in this story, but hasn't been touched upon, and go into detail about it.**

**For the very first Concept Talk, I'm going to talk about something I'm sure some people in the Prologue have wondering about, the Demons.**

**Demons**

**One of the Four Factions that make up the Christian Pantheon, and one of the two that used to be Angels before their choices lead to losing their forms as such. The leader, and Queen of the Demons is known as Cassiel, who's supported by the Demon Lords: Leliel, Remiel, Vasiariah, Haniel, Camael, and Moroni, who were the first Angels to side with her views.**

**Unlike the Fallen Angels, who believed they could use minor sinning to convince God to finally listen to Lucifer's words, the Demons refused to think he would budge, and simply chose to leave Heaven of their own choice. Once they did, they shattered their halos, and then expelled the holy light that God have gifted them, transforming their wings into something more reptilian, while the halo shards gave some a pair of horns.**

**As they weren't initially sure what they were, they went to see Lucifer, who told them that they were not Devils, also christening their species under the name of Demon. This is believed to be how the two species would be confused as the same by Human legends. As Lucifer didn't want them living in Hell, he let them have an area of land that would eventually become the Underworld.**

**Once they began forming their civilization, the future Demon Lords made Cassiel their leader, although it took some convincing due to her having been quite melancholic since Lucifer had left Heaven, and his reaction when asking to live in Hell. Luckily, she eventually decided she _had_ to be the one to lead the Demons, and did just that.**

**When the Great War ended, the Demons pulled out immediately after the Fallen Angels did, making them the second faction to accept the war's end.**

* * *

**_Season 1, Raynare Arc: Chapter 2 – My Best Friend's a Devil?_ **

If you had asked Issei how his day had been, this is how he would define it: **"The best freaking day of my life!"**

He woke up normally as he always had, went through his usual routine at school, and then while on his way home, he had an unexpected development in a girl asking him out on a date. However, that's not what made his day so great. It was something else entirely that had achieved that...

After being absent from Kuoh Town for the last seven years... Vali, his best friend, had finally returned! He was still hugging her, hoping to never let go, but he knew he would have to. The problem was how he could do it without feeling rude about it.

"Issei, what are you doing out-" Hana asked, opening the door as heard a commotion.

The moment her eyes caught the sight of the young woman before her, she screamed loudly, instantly realizing what was going on.

"Vali, is that really you!?" She screamed in surprise, and joy.

"Ms. Hyoudou, it's been so long!" Vali smiled, giving the Hyoudou matriarch a brief hug.

Noticing the commotion, Seiji started walking to the door himself.

"Honey, why are you scream-"

He went silent as he saw a familiar face at the door, and then screamed himself, making Issei smile as he shook his head. Apparently, it was the night of the screaming reunion for his family.

"Oh, my god! I don't believe it! You're finally back, Vali!" Seiji shouted excitedly.

"When did you arrive? And I'm so sorry we didn't have a way to prepare a welcome home for you!"

Vali giggled at the questions being thrown her way, realizing that both of Issei's parents were as lively and fun as she remembered the two. It really did make her feel she had come back home.

"I actually just got here, kinda tackled Issei to the ground when he was about to go inside." Vali chuckled as she answered.

Both of Issei's parents stared... then suddenly puffed their cheeks, laughing their hearts out.

"Vali, you haven't changed a bit!" Seiji chuckled.

The Lucifer Heiress blushed at that, then bashfully scratched her cheek.

"Say, do either of you mind if I come in? There's something I need to talk about with you all... and don't worry, it's good news." Vali asked, hoping what she was about to reveal wouldn't a problem for them.

"Of course, you're always welcome in our home." Hana replied with a smile.

She and Seiji both moved out of the way, letting Issei and Vali walk inside.

* * *

In just a few minutes, everyone was talking on the couch, where Vali started talking about her trip around the world on prompt from the Hyoudou couple.

"Let's see... well, after I left to start my training journey, I went to visit Kyoto to learn about Chakra balance as I felt it would help with my balance, and reduce my nightmares. After that, I went to China and did some studying on various fighting styles. Following that, I did a little field training in the snowy regions of Russia... I regretted that when I realized it was much colder than expected."

"After that, I went to the warmer areas in the region of Scandinavia, where we went camping out in the wild. Next up, I learned a bit of how to defend myself against weapons in England, and participated in a few sword duels, which helped out a lot when we got to try a bit of hunting in Greece. Eventually, we ended up in the USA, and I learned to do Parkour. After that, my last stop was... well, you might be surprised at that." Vali tried not to giggle over what she'd say next.

Of course, her current story wasn't exactly true, she had to hide it under what a Human would do. The truth was she trained with Youkai in Kyoto, then learned from Sun Wukong on Mount Meru, followed by a wizard teacher her magic that led to her being dragged on a weird mini-adventure, then trained with the Valkyries in Asgard, learned under the Pendragon Family in Camelot, and then went through... brutal training under Artemis.

The only thing that was technically true was the Parkour thing, albeit they did it on the rooftops of buildings in New York City while making sure no one could see them.

"Wow, you went to a lot of places! It's making me a little jealous." Seiji chuckled.

"So, what was that last stop of yours?" Hana inquired.

"Well, I ended stopping in Hokkaido Prefecture, because... we ended up finding one of my mother's relatives!" Vali revealed, masking that she actually went to Hell.

All three of them went silent, staring at Vali in shock.

"Wait, then does that mean you were-" Issei realized, pointing at her.

"Yeah, it was my mother's sister. Hearing my story, she... decided to adopt me, and Uncle Austin even got her a good deal for a job and home, so she'll be moving into his and Aunt Penemue's old house." Vali revealed, blushing a bit.

As if on cue, Issei covered his ears as Hana screamed, nearly making Seiji fall off the couch.

"W-whoa, calm down Mrs. Hyoudou! I know you're excited about that, but... well, haven't you and Mr. Hyoudou screamed enough for one night? The neighbors have to be trying to get some sleep by now." Vali replied, a bead of sweat on her left cheek.

Hana quickly calmed down, clearing her throat a bit as she walked by Vali.

"Right, my apologies." Hana chuckled embarrassingly.

"It's alright. Besides, it isn't like I just got a family again out of nowhere." Vali smiled.

Both of them looked surprised.

"That's because... you and Mr. Hyoudou have been like a second set of parents to me." Vali said, putting her hand on each of their hands.

Hana smiled at that, while Seiji sniffled a bit.

"Oh, I should probably get to the news I really need to tell you now." Vali realized.

That made everyone stop and look at her in confusion.

"Being adopted wasn't it?" Issei asked.

"Eh... more like it's part one." Vali replied.

Clearing her throat, the Heiress of Lucifer prepared to drop a major bomb on the family.

"Because my new mother's moving into Uncle Austin's home, there's gonna be a moving truck coming to move his stuff. As such, I can't live in there for a while. So, until my mother arrives... I'll be moving in here!" Vali revealed.

They all went quiet again, making her worry.

"I'm sorry, could you run that by us again?" Seiji asked.

"I said I'm moving in here for a while." Vali repeated, sweating a little.

She gulped a bit.

"That's... not a problem, is it?" Vali asked.

"Oh no, and God knows we have the room, it's just..." Hana answered.

"You sure there's not a better short-term situation than moving in with us?" Seiji questioned.

At that moment, Vali held out her wallet, revealing it was completely empty.

"I may have been a little careless on spending money to rush back here. You did notice Aunt Penemue wasn't with me, like when I left... right?" Vali admitted, her embarrassment showing on her cheeks.

Out of respect, no one said a word.

"Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt. Feel free to stay as long as you need." Hana decided.

"No problems here either." Seiji agreed.

Vali smiled, bowing in gratitude.

"Thank you both, so much!" Vali thanked them.

* * *

Since it would be a while before Vali's room could get set up, Issei decided to bring Vali up to his room, which she hadn't seen for the past 11 years.

"You might be surprised when you see my room." Issei implied.

"I don't think it'll be that different than I..." Vali chuckled, right as she walked in.

At that moment she walked in, she gasped as she saw the only, yet very noticeable change, in Issei's room.

There was an entire shelve area full of trophies, namely three golds, four silvers, and fives bronzes, alongside a few recognition plaques. There was even a case of ribbons resting in the dresser's bottom shelf.

"T-this is... Issei, are all of these yours!?" Vali asked in shock.

"Yep. While you were away, I ended up learning some martial arts. I'm a real combat machine now." Issei answered, showing a toothy grin as he flexed his muscles.

"Makes sense, you've always been the one to rush in, just like those heroes that wear spandex." Vali giggled.

Issei chuckled at that.

"Says the girl who did poses with me whenever their shows were on." Issei reminded her.

The Devil Princess felt her face go red, her voice stuttering in horror. She was secretly hoping that Issei had forgotten about that time of their childhood.

"Ooh, looks like I hit a sore spot." Issei realized.

"S-shut up Issei!" Vali blushed.

The crimson-haired teenager chuckled slightly, and handed a picture to Vali.

"Hmm?"

She brought it closer, seeing an image of Issei with his cousins at a Kendo event.

"Who are these two?" She inquired.

"Those are my cousins. The one with peach-colored hair is Katase, who comes from my dad's side, while the one with pig tails is Murayama, who's the same on my mom's side. I tried some Kendo at one point, found out we were related, and from there..." Issei explained.

"So, that means you actually had some people you could spend time with while I was gone." Vali realized.

The silvery-haired Devil sighed in relief.

"I'm relieved... when I left, you having no friends to play with is what terrified me more than anything else." She smiled.

Issei smiled as she handed the picture back to him.

"Guess we both went on our own training journeys; the only difference is you didn't leave Kuoh Town." Vali remarked.

"Yeah, it seems so." Issei replied.

Vali smiled as she remembered the day Issei made his promise to her, and the moment he saw it, he smiled as well... which was when he finally remembered about his date tomorrow. He tapped her shoulder, getting her attention.

"Uh... I should probably tell you this before I forget, but... I'm going on a date tomorrow." Issei revealed nervously, as if expecting something bad.

At that moment, he suddenly felt a chilling aura of anger, making him shudder as he looked at Vali... who was emitting the aura in question, smiling at him while a slight glare shadowed her closed eyes. Issei knew way too well that whenever Vali got angry, rather than looking mad, furious, or etc., she would emit this chilling aura that was filled with her rage, which most people agreed was way worse.

The main reason it was worse? Because rather than frown or scowl, she would _smile_...

'Oh god, I should have known she still had it! And it still burns!' He panicked, still shuddering as he looked at her.

"Really, that's _great_ Issei. I'm **so** full of joy that you brought that up, right as I finally came home no less, I mean it." Vali lied, her aura intensifying with her words.

After a few more seconds passed, the two both got themselves back to previous states, and each of them suddenly turned away from each other.

'Strange, why do I feel so guilty?' Issei thought.

'Weird, why did hearing that make me feel jealous?' Vali wondered.

Clearing his throat, Issei dispelled the oddness they had created, and they both looked at each other again.

"Anyways... what's this girl like? She someone you've been friends with for a while?" Vali asked.

"No, I actually just met her today. The only reason I agreed to the date because I thought it'd be rude, and she ended up screaming just to ask me." Issei answered.

Vali's mouth went flat at that, not sure what to say.

"She's a girl with long black hair up to her waist, has an above average figure, a gifted chest-" Issei explained.

Vali cleared her throat, making him blush.

"Sorry!" He apologized.

The Lucifer Heiress shook her head, but smiled a bit upon realizing that Issei was still the same gentle boy he was when he was 10.

"Her face has a cute, shy, and innocent look to it, seems easily nervous, and she's got purple eyes that I swear I've seen on someone before... oh yeah, and her name's Yuuma." Issei finished.

Vali stiffened as she heard the name.

After a few seconds, Issei waved his hand in her face, trying to get her attention.

"Hello? Vali, you still there?" Issei asked worriedly.

"Eh? Oh, sorry about that Issei, I think sleep's finally catching up to me... night!" Vali quickly replied, with Issei giving an odd look.

In the end, he was tired enough to simply consider her excuse as true, and went to bed himself.

Unknown to him, while Vali went into her room, she didn't go to bed at all. The description of who Issei told her of, and the name in question? She was sure she had met the person he was talking about, but she needed proof, no... she needed to go find her.

"Albion, think you can help me out?" Vali whispered, looking at the back of her left hand.

In response, a blue circle lit up on her hand, blinking with every word a voice spoke.

 **("Of course, what do you need?")** Albion inquired.

"For you to find the energies of a Fallen Angel, one that's my age." Vali answered.

* * *

Walking through the night covered streets of Kuoh Town, a First-Year student of Kuoh Academy was seen walking by herself, licking a Popsicle with a worried expression. Despite being a First Year, she was fairly tall, and had a voluptuous figure that rivaled that of Rias Gremory's.

She had white, shoulder-length hair she styled into twin tails that only went a bit past her shoulders, and were held by a pair of black cat hairclips that positioned themselves in a way that made it seem like she had actual cat ears, and hazel eyes that had a cat-like look to them. To those in Kuoh Academy, she was the School Mascot, or Koneko Toujou.

"How did everything go wrong?" She asked herself.

For the last few weeks, she had been following Issei whenever he left school, only stopping if he went home. Things had seemed to be going the way Rias had predicted... only for things to go completely off course a few hours ago.

It had been simple. Just spy on Issei to make sure nothing hurt him, and if he met anyone her senses found suspicious, she just had to tell Rias once he was finally safe at home. After weeks of nothing, the first sign showed up through a Fallen Angel requesting to have a date with him...

* * *

_"Uh... Issei?" Yuuma asked, suddenly noticing he had frozen up._

_She waved her hand a bit, and luckily, that was enough to make him snap back into reality._

_"What? Oh, go on a date? Uh..." Issei took a few seconds to think about it._

_"T-take your time, I-I can wait." Yuuma replied, sweating a bit._

_Issei took a moment to think about it, and since no one had ever asked him out, combined with the fact she ended up screaming just to ask him..._

_"Sure, we can go on one." Issei decided, not seeing any reason to tell her no._

_Plus, if he ever did get a girlfriend, he needed an idea of what he should and shouldn't do. This was a good opportunity for experience._

_"R-really? Then is... is Sunday afternoon OK?" Yuuma asked._

_"Sure, I don't have any plans." Issei agreed._

_"OK, then... it's a date." Yuuma promised._

_Yuuma soon turned around, heading off to what Issei presumed was her own home, though she nearly tripped as she did._

_"Whoa, careful!" Issei warned._

_"I-I'm OK!" Yuuma replied, having grabbed the railings to break her fail._

_She got back on her feet._

_"I'm really glad you accepted, thank you!" She said with gratitude._

**「** **Highschool DxD: Ayashige na, Fun'iki desu** **」**

_After seeing her leave the bridge area safely, Issei smiled, and continued heading back to his own home._

_While he did, he didn't notice Koneko waiting around the top of the steps, licking her Popsicle as she kept her eyes on him. The trip was the same as usual, nothing else eventful happened, and he soon got back home safely. Just as she was about to go back and report to Rias..._

_"Issei!"_

_"Huh?" Koneko blinked, having not heard it before._

_She turned back around, and saw the moment Vali tackle-hugged Issei to the ground, before hearing the knew each other from their words._

_"Wait... what?" Koneko had never seen this girl, and yet he knew her?_

_In just a few moments, both of his parents came out, both showing the same familiarity with the girl. At that moment, something felt wrong to her, and she tried sensing for any signs of magic._

_There ended up not being any, but what she did sense?_

_"That girl, she's a... Devil..." Koneko gasped._

* * *

Sighing a bit, Koneko just continued her walk back to the Occult Research Club building.

'Well, looks like everything Rias expected just got thrown off the rails' She thought, wondering how to explain this to her.

Eventually, she arrived in the club room, where Rias and Akeno were waiting for her.

"Ah, there you are. How did it go?" Rias asked.

"We... may have a complication." Koneko replied.

This got Rias' attention.

"Complication? What happened?" The Gremory heiress asked worriedly.

"Well, things happened like usual did, you were even right about a Fallen one contacting him, and I thought things would be like we expected once he arrived home. However, the moment I was about to leave, a girl appeared out of nowhere, and it seems his whole family recognized her." Koneko explained.

"Really? Did you notice any magic involved?" Rias asked, surprised at this.

The Gremory Rook shook her head.

"Not a trace, but I did sense something else from that girl... she's also a Devil." Koneko revealed.

Rias' eyes widened at that, with even Akeno showing surprise.

"Another Devil, in my territory? How can that be? I was sure that Sona and her peerage were the only ones besides us..." Rias pondered worriedly, as having an unidentified Devil inside her territory could lead to trouble.

"Were you able to get her name?" She inquired.

Koneko shook her head, leaving Rias a bit stumped.

"Hmm... Issei's currently 17, so maybe this was something from before I was put in charge 5 years ago." Rias wondered.

She looked at Akeno.

"Akeno, can you get me the files that Cleria Belial used to have?" Rias asked.

"At once, Rias." Akeno replied.

She walked over to a cabinet, grabbing some files that she then handed to Rias. Putting on her reading glasses, Rias started reading through the files, and soon saw the image of Vali when she first came to Kuoh.

"Oh, here we are." She began reading it.

"Valiana, surname unknown. Was brought to Kuoh Town by legal guardian to help with recovery. Full past unknown, but heavy signs of traumatic experience..." Rias said aloud, raising an eyebrow as she read it.

Flipping a page, she continued reading.

"Had close relationship with the Hyoudou family's son... ah, here we are. It says that two years before this became my territory, she left with one of her legal guardians to travel abroad for an unspecified amount of time. She must have just returned today." Rias remarked.

She put the files aside, and Akeno looked at her worriedly.

"So, what do we do now? Do we still keep watch over Issei?" The Gremory Queen asked.

"No, while I don't think she'll try anything, keeping this town safe is my job above all else, so I can't put one person above the people." Rias sighed, knowing the consequences she was forced to ignore.

 **「** **Insert Song End** **」**

Looking at the chess board, she looked at the King piece before picking it up.

"For now, let's try to get a peaceful conversation with this Devil, just so both of us knows where the other stands. What happens next will depend on her." Rias decided.

* * *

Sunday Afternoon quickly came, and Issei was currently waiting at a directory sign for his date with Yuuma. He looked around, worried by why she still hadn't shown.

"She should have gotten here by now, shouldn't she?" Issei wondered.

As he was thinking, Yuuma walked by, standing with a guy with blonde hair, who gave her a flier.

"Thank you." She whispered.

The guy nodded, walking off somewhere, while Yuuma walked towards Issei.

"Or... wait, if I remember the movies I've seen, and they're not just stereotypes, then I might just be early. Either that, or she's nervous about how she looks, and she's late due to choosing the right outfit." He theorized.

"I-Issei, hey!" Yuuma called out.

At that moment, Issei turned to see her. Yuuma was currently wearing a short black dress, a light purple jacket over it, and short heeled sandals. Hanging on her left arm was a pink purse, where she put the flier she was just given.

"There you are, glad you got here in one piece." Issei greeted.

"Sorry I kept you waiting, I didn't know what to wear." Yuuma apologized, blushing a bit.

Taking a look at her, Issei decided to compliment her.

"Well, in my opinion? You look great." Issei smiled.

The moment she heard that, Yuuma's face steamed up a little from her resulting blush.

"T-thank you... so, are you ready to start this date?" Yuuma asked.

Issei gave her a brief nod, and they began walking to their first destination.

As they were walking, Yuuma double-checked her purse, making sure the flier still in view. She had to make sure she didn't lose it

'Vali, I hope I don't mess this up...' Yuuma thought worriedly.

* * *

_Vali waited as Albion searching for the person she asked for, and after a bit..._

**_("It's faint, but I'm sensing a Fallen Angel's energy signature near one of the warehouse docks. Shall we go look?")_ ** _Albion suggested._

_"Sure. Thanks for the assist, partner." Vali smiled._

_Opening the window, she jumped out of the window, and masked her presence. Before she hit the ground, she spread out all six pairs of her wings, and flew through the sky._

_After soaring for a few minutes, she managed to find the docks, and quietly landed near a corner. Looking around, she quickly dispelled her Sacred Gear, seeing that no one had noticed her._

_'Alright, so far so good.' She thought._

_She walked around the area, trying to find any signs of someone's presence, and soon noticed an abandoned storage building with a slightly bent gap in the door._

_"Hmm... I guess this is as good a place as any." She mused._

_Crawling on the ground, she got inside the building, soon noticing what ended up being a sleeping bag with Yuuma inside of it. Despite most of her body being covered, specifically her twelve black wings, Vali recognized the girl she was seeing._

**_("Vali, isn't that...")_ ** _Albion whispered._

_"Yeah, I knew I saw her before." Vali quietly confirmed._

_Walking near the sleeping Fallen, the Lucifer heiress shook her awake, making Yuuma's eyes scrunch a bit. She blinked twice as she woke up, and when she did... she screamed in fear, scurrying towards the nearest wall._

_"W-who are you!?" Yuuma stuttered, fearing for her life._

_"Tell me, by chance are you Yuuma Amano, the younger daughter of Azazel?" Vali questioned._

_She covered her head in fear, shaking heavily._

_"I-I'm not telling you anything! If you're gonna use for anything, I'll take my secret to the grave!" Yuuma shouted._

_Vali gave an awkward chuckle, shaking her head._

_"Relax, if you are Uncle Azazel's daughter, then I'm not gonna hurt you." Vali reassured her._

_"Huh?" Yuuma blinked._

_Slowly turning her head, she looked at Vali._

_"Wait, if you called him Uncle, then aren't you..." Yuuma realized._

_Taking a closer look at her face, Yuuma gasped._

_"Y-you're Vali Lucifer, aren't you?" She realized._

_Vali nodded at that._

_"That's right, and I'd like to know... why you suddenly asked my best friend on a date? I don't remember Azazel telling me either you, or your sister were in Kuoh Town." Vali asked._

_"Uh... well, about that..." Yuuma said quietly._

_She got closer to Vali, and whispered something in her ear, making the silver-haired Lucifer's eyes widen. In just a few seconds, Yuuma suddenly shook in fear, with Vali's eyes closing as a familiar aura flared out of her._

_'I'm too young for this! Please, someone help me!' Yuuma begged._

* * *

Yuuma regained her focus before Issei noticed anything, and did a mental fist pump in her head.

'Vali trusts me to make sure Issei survives, I'm not gonna let her down!' Yuuma thought, trying to psyche herself up.

The date began with the two visiting a clothing store, where Yuuma held up shirts to Issei, making some funny facial reactions just for the heck of it. After they finished with the shirts, Yuuma looked around for a bit.

"Hmm... would anything here look good on me?" Yuuma wondered.

"Hey, Yuuma." Issei tapped her back.

She turned around, seeing Issei hold up a bag towards her.

"Here, I got you a gift." Issei revealed.

Taking the bag, Yuuma took out what was inside of it, and blushed in surprise. It was a hot pink scrunchy bracelet, without anything extra.

"I-Issei, I..." She didn't know what to say.

"Just try it on, let's see how it looks." Issei smiled.

Giving a slight blush, she put it on, smiling as she held it into view. Issei gave her a thumb's up, making Yuuma feel happy.

"You're... really sweet." Yuuma said quietly.

* * *

Once they left the store, they stopped in a small diner. Yuuma bought a parfait, while Issei just had a lime frosty with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. As Yuuma took another spoonful of her meal, Issei's eyes suddenly noticed something about her outfit, making him blush slightly.

Because of the slight bouncing of her chest, her outfit was starting to slip, and the sight of her frill, light pink-colored bra could be seen. Another bounce after he noticed, a slight glimpse of her cleavage entered Issei's line of sight.

"Yuuma!" Issei whispered loudly.

"Hmm? Are you alright?" Yuuma whispered back.

He motioned downwards to her chest, warning her about her outfit.

Unfortunately, she misread it as to look at the floor. Her jacket slipped further, and now Issei was getting worried she might accidentally give some boys a show, or worse... possibly unbutton it.

"Yuuma, check your jacket!" He whispered again.

Yuuma blinks at that before looks down, and then sees what Issei was warning her about. Blushing heavily, she quickly ducked a little, pulling her jacket back up, and fixing her bra back into place.

"I was nearly exposed to the public, if you hadn't caught that..." Yuuma breathed, sweating a bit.

"Here, use this." Issei handed her a napkin.

She took it, panting as she wiped off the sweat around her forehead.

* * *

The sun began setting as the two walked through the park, with Yuuma smiling a bit, having had fun despite everything that happened.

"So, was that an acceptable date?" Issei asked.

"Y-yeah, thank you." Yuuma replied shyly.

Seeing the date was nearly over, she looked at purse again... only to gasp as she saw the flier was missing.

'Oh no, I lost it! Where did it go?' She panicked.

At that moment, she remembered the brief wind as they entered the park, realizing it must have blown out near there.

"Something wrong?" Issei asked.

"I think something fell out of my bag near the entrance, can you wait here for here for a moment?" Yuuma asked.

Issei nodded, and she ran towards the entrance to find the flier, leaving Issei by himself.

She'd find out too late that had been a bad idea.

"Finally, I wondered when that little brat would leave the two of us alone." Someone smirked.

Issei flinched once he heard that, motioning his arms into a fighting stance as he tried looking for the owner of the voice. It didn't take him that long, as that very someone suddenly dropped into view, causing him to him fall over.

Looking up, he was surprised to see it a woman that looked like Yuuma as an adult. Her outfit was... well, the best description Issei had for it was a revealing dominatrix outfit that left very little to the imagination. However, he was paying more attention to the twelve crow-like wings on her back.

"Who are you?" Issei asked, sweating a bit.

"You can call me Raynare." She answered.

At that moment, he saw a spear form in her hands, glowing with purple light... but with a dark feeling to it. The sight of her creating it made Issei gasp, making him slightly drop his guard.

"I see you had some fun with my little sister, but unfortunately... you'll have to pay the price of her naivety!" Raynare answered.

Issei gasped at that, suddenly realizing the similarities between the two.

"Now... time to die!" Raynare shouted, diving at him.

Issei caught the spear in his hands, but quickly felt them burn, making him release it... and letting it pierce right through his stomach. The weapon vanished, and he held his wounded area before collapsing forward, a pool of blood forming under him.

"Hmm... I'll admit that I'm impressed, for most people, I would have done more damage." Raynare praised.

"But I digress, with such durability, it proves you were far too great a risk to us. If you want someone to blame, then blame God for giving you the Sacred Gear." Raynare cackled as she flew off, leaving Issei on the ground.

As he laid there, Issei felt himself slipping away.

'Is this it? Am I... really about to freaking die?' Issei thought.

As his eyes began to close, the sight of Vali's smiling face entered his view, and he began to cry.

'Mom... Dad... Vali, I'm... so sorry.' Issei apologized, his eyes closing.

Right at that moment, Yuuma came back and gasped in horror as she saw Issei's current state, realizing what just happened.

"No, Issei!" Yuuma screamed.

"Why... why didn't I have you come with me? If I hadn't left you by yourself, then I could have-" She kneeled down, touching his body as she apologized.

However, as she did... he still sensed some warmth in him.

"Wait, he's still warm... there's still time!" Yuuma realized.

Grabbing the flier, Yuuma called for the heiress of Lucifer, causing it to glow. She dropped it on the ground, and magic circle with the Lucifer Clan's crest appeared, followed by the silver-haired Lucifer. Once she opened her eyes, she gasped at the sight of Issei's dying form.

"Oh god, what happened!?" Vali asked.

"I... I don't know, I'm sorry!" Yuuma cried as she apologized.

Vali put a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't apologize Yuuma, just tell me... any signs that he's still alive?" Vali questioned.

Yuuma stopped crying for a moment, and nodded.

"He's still got some warmth left." Yuuma answered.

"Then there's still time." Vali smiled.

Not wasting any time, she summoned her Evil Pieces

Summoning her Evil Pieces, Vali quickly grabbed her Queen, and placed it near Issei as it gave a faint glow. While it was just barely, her Queen had enough power to reincarnate him.

"To think he's nearly stronger than a Queen Piece... incredible." Vali breathed.

Vali kneeled by Issei, rolling him onto his back to finish the process.

"Don't worry Issei, you won't die... I promise." Vali whispered, placing the Queen on his chest.

**"In the name of Valiana Lucifer, I call to Issei Hyoudou. Hear my command! Return thy soul from the shadows of death to the human realm, and rise once more as my Devil retainer! Wake as my trusty right-hand and empress!"**

Soon the Evil Piece sinks into Issei's body, making it give off a bright red glow as his wound healed. Yuuma gasped as she finally saw how the reincarnation system worked firsthand.

Meanwhile, within Issei's body... the silhouette of a Dragon was seen, right as its green eyes opened.

* * *

***Trip -Innocent of D- begins playing***

**(*heavy metal guitar strums play*)** Four female figures slowly ascend the screen, one of which being Vali with a white tint, while the other three were a purple tinted Kuroka, a green tinted Le Fay, and yellow tinted Asia in color.

 **(*heavy drum slams play*)** Once they all passed, the screen gets flooded with Highschool DxD logos.

 **(*heavy metal guitar solo plays*)** Vali, wearing her casual outfit, was seen from the front before the camera shifted to her backside, revealing the sight of her twelve Devil wings. After that came Issei, wearing his school outfit, who appeared in the same way as the camera turned in the opposite direction, showing his two Devil wings.  
 **(*a few drums play, followed by another guitar solo*)** Both of their Dragons' magic circles overlay, causing the story's logo: **"Legend of the Heavenly Dragons"** to appear from nothing. The logo sparkled a bit, then vanished the same way it appeared.

 **(As I see two worlds connect through intersecting lines, I choose to call out to a faraway sky.)** A young Issei runs before a magic circle appears under him and his older self appears. He looks towards a young Vali, who also became older as the moonlight shined on her body.  
 **(My life is dancing under Heaven's cross, while a shivering soul creeps before eyes!)** An image of an orange tinted Bikou, a green tinted Le fay, a blue tinted Arthur, and a purple tinted Kuroka, all appear in succession. Each with their own respective poses, and translucent, non-tinted silhouettes of their heads appearing alongside them, turning down, left, up, and right respectively.  
 **(I don't want to show you my weakness, but even I... can't hide from my own lies.)** Asia was seen by an artificial pond, looking to the right before smiling as the scene turned. She was soon replaced with a timid looking Yuuma, who had a nervously look, and a silhouette of a smirking Raynare staring at her from behind.  
 **(Time for the wind to blow... then shake off my doubts, as I move beyond the end!)** Issei stands in an open field at night with his eyes closed, then opens them sharply, charging at an army of Rogue Fallen Angels. The silhouette of Ddraig formed behind him, signaling the activation of his Balance Breaker.

 **(*two drum beats before a guitar wail*)** Sona, and Tsubaki appear on the screen, before switching to Saji, and then the remaining members of the Student Council.

 **(Time to release the impulse living deep inside me, and I won't slow down as you build up your will!)** Vali activated her clan ability, causing a massive of darkness to escape her hands as Albion appeared behind her. Followed by the sight of a saddened Koneko on the streets of Kuoh, turning to reveal the silhouette of a guilty looking Kuroka behind her.  
 **(Yet, I promise not to forget the feelings of your heart!)** The Boosted Gear, and Divine Dividing's forms circle each other as they near each other before an image of Vali, Sona, and Rias all appear, posing like they were getting their pictures taken.  
 **(Regardless if I move forward, or start looking back...)** Both Heavenly Dragon wielders collide with Riser as he threw a punch at them, who were both wearing their Scale Mail armor, while flames burst from the Phenex Devil's fist.  
 **(I will always walk with you on the road leading to our future!)** Everyone in both Rias, and Vali's peerages struck a pose in the ORC club's main room.

 **(My... heart's burning strength, will devour through... all your sorrow!)** Issei, and Vali, stand back to back against each other, both of their eyes closed before they open them, and slowly reach up to the sky.  
 **(Now it's time to free the Dragon sleeping inside me!)** They grabbed the air above them, and a flash went off, showing Vali holding Issei as she flew, hugging him close as the two smiled at one another.

 **(*heavy metal guitar solo plays*)** Bikou swung his Ryu Jingu Bang replica around, followed by Kuroka giving a playful purr motion. Asia walked into view seconds after, pulling a panicking Yuuma close before she hugged her, with Le Fay and Arthur close by as they watched the scene. Issei looked up to see Vali from the old school building's second floor window, making her smile before she jumped down to join her friends.

 **(*three drum beats before a guitar wail*)** The song came to an end as one by one, everyone's face appeared in front of a screen matching their color, with Yuuma's being pink, while both Issei and Vali's appeared together, with Issei's being red. The last seconds of the song ended with their screens zooming out into a group shot, with Ddraig and Albion behind their respective hosts.

* * *

Issei suddenly hears his phone alarm go off, making him gasp as he woke up, panting heavily as the memory of being stabbed flashed by in response to it.

"What... the hell?" Issei gasped, soon checking his stomach... which wasn't harmed at all.

"Wait, was all of that just a dream?" Issei wondered, still trying to catch his breath.

Looking at his phone, he checked to see what day it was, and... it said it was Monday, not Sunday. His eyes widened at that, now feeling confused.

"Then, was it... real?" He asked himself.

At that moment, he quickly got up, and knocked on the door to Vali's room, hoping she would have some answers. The moment he did, the door opened up, showing her looking at him, her eyes watering as she did.

"Thank god, you're finally awake..." She sniffled.

She quickly hugged him, making him blink before he hugged her back, rubbing her back to calm her down.

"Vali, what happened, I... can't remember anything." He asked her.

"Issei, last night you... Yuuma called me on your phone, said a robber tried to mug you. When your parents and I arrived, you were passed out!" Vali explained, her voice shaking as she struggled to calm down.

That surprised Issei a bit, though he realized the stabbing feeling was just the shock of waking up.

"I'm sorry for worrying you, but what about Yuuma? Is she OK?" Issei asked.

Vali nodded, breaking off her hug as she started to relax a bit.

"She's fine, all thanks to you." Vali smiled.

"Aw man, glad no one was hurt." Issei sighed.

At that moment, his alarm went off, making his eyes widen.

"Shit, I've gotta hurry or I'll be late! See you after school!" Issei rushed to his room to change.

Unknown to him, Vali gave a slight giggle.

* * *

After Issei got to class, and sat himself down, the teacher walked in with a happy expression.

'Wonder what he's smiling about.' Issei thought.

"Everyone, I have some exciting news. Today... we have a new student joining our class, so please give her a warm welcome." The teacher announced, surprising everyone.

The door opened a moment after he finished, and the new student walked into the room, making Issei's eyes widen as he saw who it was. Wearing the Kuoh Academy uniform for girls, it was none other than... Vali herself!

Upon seeing her beauty, most of the guys all went nuts over her, quickly comparing it with that of the other Princesses of Kuoh.

"Hello everyone, my name's Valiana Lucilee, but you can call me Vali." Vali greeted, giving a bright smile to the class.

At that moment, all of the guys cheered.

"Holy shit, she's hot!" Matsuda exclaimed.

"Bust 110, Waist 57, Hips 91! I've never seen such a girl with such a supermodel body!" Motohama shouted, with Vali blushing at his accuracy.

Issei blinked a few times, soon standing up.

"Vali, you transferred here? Why didn't you say anything!?" He shouted.

That caught everyone's attention, especially a female student wearing glasses, and brown hair tied in side braids. Her name was Kiryuu Aika, and while his two friends were known as the perverted duo, the real pervert of Kuoh Academy?

It was her, enough she was called the Succubus of Kuoh... for reasons Issei felt better off not learning, aside from it had to do with being bisexual.

"Oh, do you somehow know the new transfer student?" Kiryuu questioned.

Issei suddenly sweated a bit as the class stared at him.

"Uh, well..." He tried to answer.

"That's simple, we're childhood friends! Only reason I wasn't here before now is because I've been traveling abroad the last seven years. In fact, I'm staying with his family right now." Vali revealed.

The girls all gasped, suddenly wondering if this is why Issei was never seen with a girlfriend, while all the guys prepared to lynch him... until a certain aura suddenly got everyone's attention. It didn't take long before Vali's unique form of anger reached them.

"Excuse me boys, but..."

At that moment, she opened her eyes, showing they weren't reflecting light. Issei felt himself shiver just from being nearby.

"If I find you did anything to my best friend, I'll make you regret it." Vali warned, cracking her knuckles loud enough that the entire class heard it.

"Yes ma'am!" They all promised, trembling as they sat back down.

Once they had, Vali's anger faded, and her smile returned to normal. The teacher silently gave her the empty seat near Issei's, which she gladly took.

* * *

After as lunch was about to start, Issei saw some of the girls talking with Vali, including a familiar pair she had learned about the day prior.

"Nice to meet you Vali, I'm sure Issei's mentioned us?" Murayama greeted.

"You're his cousins, Murayama and Katase, am I right?" Vali replied.

Looking at the sight, Issei sighed in relief, glad her little show earlier hadn't scared anyone off. Although, maybe that was exactly why the girls seemed to like her, considering the nature of most boys at the school.

'This is great, I think people are really going to like her.' Issei thought, unaware of a bat creature watching them through the window.

At that moment, Vali walked by his desk.

"Hey Issei, wanna eat Lunch together?" Vali asked, making the girls look at him.

"Sure, we haven't done that in forever." Issei agreed.

As they walked out, the girls all began gossiping over something. Once they got outside, they both sat down, and then...

"Oh crap, I forgot to bring my lunch!" Issei panicked.

Suddenly, Vali held a wrapped bento box out to him, making his eyes sparkle as he took it.

"Honestly Issei, you can be so hopeless sometimes." Vali giggled.

Issei chuckled before opening his bento, showing she made some rolled omelets, fried rice, takoyaki, and a fresh tomato salad. Issei took a bite, and his eyes watered from the heavenly taste.

As they were eating, the bat watching them early flew into the ORC's club room, flying onto Rias' finger as she saw it arrive.

"Learn anything?" Rias asked.

Her Familiar said something, and she listened to it, widening her eyes once she finished.

"What? Are you sure that Issei's been turned into a Devil?" Rias asked in surprise.

The bat nodded its head.

"I guess we'll have to meet with them later. Hopefully, we have a new ally instead of a new enemy." Rias decided.

She dispelled her Familiar, then formed a magic circle.

"Koneko, can I ask a favor from you?" She requested.

* * *

Soon classes ended for the day, and Vali looked towards Issei.

"Do you mind heading home without me? I'd like to familiarize myself with the school's layout before I leave." Vali requested.

"Sure thing, I'll see you later." Issei replied.

The two waved goodbye, but as Issei began heading home... something odd happened. As the sun set, dark areas formed... yet his vision didn't worsen, making his eyes widen in surprise.

"What the hell?" His voice shook, starting to feel scared.

Almost immediately after, he heard a young girl's crying, and turned to see one by her mother, with a spilt ice cream cone on the ground.

"How can I hear them from this far away... what's happening to me?" Issei muttered, trying to find an answer.

That's when it hit him... the park fountain! He rushed over, and stared at the water a for a moment. That's when it all came back to him, and he remembered being killed by Raynare.

"My god, that wasn't a dream... it was real, but how?" He gasped in horror.

Suddenly, a strange chill washed over Issei, as if his body was warning him to run away from something. He turned around, only to see a blue spear fly at him, and in his attempt to just back up... Issei jumped like an Olympic gymnast!

"What the... what can't I do at this point?" He asked himself.

"Well, this is unfortunate... me running into you that is."

Issei looked to see a man in a trench coat walking towards him, soon looking up with a smirk.

"Looking for a way out?" He asked.

'What's this guy talking about!?' Issei thought, preparing to run.

Unfortunately, before he could get anywhere, the man unfolded two wings like Raynare's, and blocked off his path.

"Shit!" Issei shouted.

"Let's see... your friends and master are nowhere to be found, you show no signs of disappearing, or any magic circles being deployed. I see, you must be a stray, which means killing you won't be a problem!"

The man created another spear of light, and as Issei tried to run, he threw it at him. Issei turned to see it was moving too fast, and he couldn't get away in time!

"Someone, help me... please!" Issei screamed, thinking this was the end.

Moments before it hit, a sudden blast of magic shot the opposite direction, destroying the spear as it razed the ground. The man gasped in in shock, being knocked onto his butt as the attack stopped by his feet.

"What did you just-"

The strange man was interrupted by a familiar magic circle appearing in front of Issei, showing Vali as she walked into view.

"Vali!?" Issei said in shock.

"Keep your hands off of him! If you even so much as hurt my Queen... I **will** kill you!" Vali warned.

"Ah, I apologize for the misunderstanding, though I'd advise you don't let your servant run loose like this." The man apologized, putting his hat back on.

Flying into the air, the sky ripples as he vanished.

"My name is Dohnaseek, I pray you and I never again cross paths." Dohnaseek warned.

Vali sighed as the Fallen Angel left, and turned to face Issei with a sad, yet guilty look on her face. Issei only stared at her, unable to understand what was going on.

"Vali, what's... going on here?" Issei asked, his mind flooded with questions.

Vali looked down, knowing the day she feared most had finally come... revealing what she really, and who she really was, to Issei.

"It's simple Issei, I'm... not a human girl." Vali answered solemnly.

She unfolded her Devil wings to Issei, making him gasp at the sight of the twelve black appendages on her back. Her body started to shake slightly, retracting them as Issei saw kept starting at her.

"My real name is Vali Lucifer, a Devil... and as of last night, so are you." Vali revealed, making Issei's eyes widen.

"A... Devil?" Issei repeated, his voice shaking.

With that, Vali's eyes started to tear up, and she soon closed them as she looked towards the ground.

"That look... you think I'm a monster now, don't you? " Vali said with a shaky voice, covering her face as she started crying.

She waited there, almost as if waiting for Issei's reaction... until she felt him hugging her.

"I-Issei?" Vali opened her eyes, surprised at what she was seeing.

"I'll admit it. I don't fully understand what's going on, but... you're still my best friend, and that's never going to change. So, don't ever call yourself a monster!" Issei stated, looking her in the eye.

Upon hearing Issei's words, Vali's tears flowed out even faster before she hugged Issei back, sobbing loudly.

"Issei... thank you." Vali sniffled.

"Excuse me?"

The two suddenly stopped, turning to see Koneko looking at the two.

"This might not be the best time, but... would the two of you come with me?"

* * *

**No more life as a Human for Issei, he's finally joined the world of Devils. I hope you enjoyed that little intro I made, you might remember that I said this story has "seasons" last chapter, and that was this story's version of the Season 1 opening. (the lyrics are what I'd use if I were to do an English cover of the song) It won't be a once per chapter thing, as you won't see another one until Season 2.**

**Since Issei's now a Devil under Vali, I should explain how strong he currently is compared to his canon self was at the beginning, and why I chose to give him a Queen Piece. His physical strength is higher than it was Post-Tannin's training, while his magical strength is at least enough to jump through magic circles, and for his Sacred Gear... that's a secret for now ;)**

**In regards to Yuuma/Raynare's situation in this story... surprise! I honestly like how Raynare's presented in her Yuuma alias, and feel she had unused potential, yet she still needed to play her role as a villain. So, I decided to split them up. The fact they're actually siblings will be important to not just this arc, but Yuuma's later development in the story, as she'll be a prominent character in the story like the intro implies.**

**I hope you like this twist, because to my knowledge, I think I'm the first one to use such an idea. Now, since I've gotten the script for the first season all set, you can all expect new chapters as soon as 1 day on my best, and three days at my worst, possibly more if later depending on things like writer's block, real life, and etc. getting in the way.**

**Also, we have my first major change to a character in the story through Koneko, who's now on a level of beauty that rivals her sister's. This one is probably the easiest to explain, as it is somewhat canon through her Shirone mode. I just gave her more grown-up look my own design because this happened naturally, and this is long before she starts using her Nekoshou powers again.**

**For anyone asks, the reason I chose** **"Lucilee" as for Vali's surname as a human is due to** **the meanings behind the names of Lucy, and Lee. The former means "Light", while the latter means "Clearing, or Meadow," which makes the name mean "Clearing/Meadow of Light." Both meanings are foreshadowing, the latter relates to her past, and the former to an event that happens in a later season of the story.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

* * *

**Vali's Peerage** **:**

**King - Valiana Lucifer**   
**Queen - Issei Hyoudou**   
**Bishops - Two Unclaimed Bishops**   
**Knights - Two Unclaimed Knights**   
**Rooks - Two Unclaimed Rooks**   
**Pawns - Eight Unclaimed Pawns**

* * *

**Rias' Peerage** **:**

**King - Rias Gremory**   
**Queen - Akeno Himejima**   
**Bishops - Gasper Vladi (Mutated Piece, Sealed), Unclaimed Bishop**   
**Knights - Kiba Yuuto, Unclaimed Knight**   
**Rooks - Koneko Toujou, Unclaimed Rook**   
**Pawns - Eight Unclaimed Pawns**

* * *

**Bust Size of New Female Characters** **:**

**Koneko/Shirone Toujou - 97 cm**

**Kiryuu Aika - 81 cm**

**Raynare Amano - 101 cm**

* * *

**Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter** **:**

**None**

* * *

**Pairings List** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Best Friends  
Ddraig/Albion - Married**


	3. Chapter 3

**Welcome back everyone! Last chapter we had Issei learn the truth about what Vali is, and the fact she's related to Lucifer, although he's still a bit lost on the whole thing. For now, it's time for him and Vali to meet with Rias directly, finally reveal their standing in Kuoh Town to her, and then Issei will start learn a bit more about what it means to be a Devil, while figuring out how to hide it all from his parents.**

**Although, before I say anything else, I should clarify something that I forgot to mention last chapter about the wings of Vali, Yuuma, and Raynare, as it's related to an important change for the story. By this point, you've noticed all of them have 12 wings, which represents they'd all be extremely powerful in the canon; however, in this story, wing number doesn't represent strength in the same way.**

**Combining with the information above, today's chapter also shows something that came from a theory one of my friends told me about Mutation Pieces, which is that they can be anywhere from 2 to 8 times the original value of the piece that's been mutated.**

**The number of wings an Angel/Devil/Fallen Angel/Demon has in this story is just a sign of heritage. Vali has 12 because she's a Lucifer, while Yuuma and Raynare have 12 because their father has it, regardless of how many Penemue has in canon. This still influences their strength, but more in the sense of the potential tied to their heritage, and that means someone with two wings can be stronger than someone with more.**

**In fact, most people in this story have two wings due to that number being the most common, and therefore why the members of the ORC have strength that doesn't seem to match their overall wing total. I'll even say that 90% of the Four Great Powers only have two wings, and yet they're still the strongest of the Supernatural Factions.**

**So, small story short? Don't pay much attention to wings in this story. I'll share who has how many wings once it becomes important. *thinks* Ah, something else I should mention? There's another reason Vali has the Divine Dividing on her left hand, which is a superstition about anything on the left of a body being linked to the Devil; as such, the Boosted Gear is on Issei's right hand in this story, which also has a reason behind it.**

**Moving on, this chapter is where our favorite nun, Asia, will finally make her first appearance in the story. I can't say much about what will happen with her, but like Yuuma, she'll have a fairly prominent role in the story. You might be surprised with how she'll be important in future chapters, but for now, she and Issei will just have their first meeting.**

**Oh, and most of you managed to figure out who'll be in Vali's peerage, though I don't think my intro song really hid that fact from all of you. *chuckles* I will say right now that they won't be appearing until after the Raynare arc ends, since right now? I feel I should only focus on Vali and Issei, and the friendships they form with Rias' group.**

**Alright, with that all said, let's begin today's chapter.**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

 **[]** \- Ddraig Talking

 **«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

 **「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

 **【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

 **⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

**Paradise, the Garden of Eden**

**Paradise, otherwise known as the Garden of Eden, is the land that the Fallen Angels live in. Originally, it was the home of Adam, Eve, and Lilith, and where God had planned to develop the Human race, and later move them to Earth. Lilith was cast out when she refused to give herself up to Adam, and was imprisoned until Lucifer found her, while Adam and Eve were cast out when they fell to sin.**

**When the Fallen Angels tried to convince God in the same way as Lucifer, only to be cast out of Heaven, the fact they were technically still Angels made them to fall into Paradise. By the time God found this out, he was only able to move the trees holding the Fruits of Knowledge and Life, having lost all other influence over the garden. As a result of this, it gained the nickname of "Heaven's Shadow."**

**Before Grigori formed, another prototype organization was formed, as Azazel wasn't initially willing to lead out of guilt for leading the entire race to become Fallen in the first place. However, after the eventual cadre helped him out, especially his eventual wife, the organization was founded to lead the Fallen Angels society, a task it still does even today.**

**Despite that it's no longer the Utopia it was meant to be, Paradise is still a great place.**

* * *

**_Season 1, Raynare Arc: Chapter 3 – Dancing with the Devils_ **

"Excuse me?"

The two suddenly stopped, turning to see Koneko looking at the two.

"This might not be the best time, but... would the two of you come with me?" Koneko asked them.

Issei looked at Vali worriedly, and she put a hand on his shoulder.

"Before that, may I know who I'm talking to?" Vali questioned.

"I'm Koneko Toujou, a First-Year at Kuoh Academy. That good enough for you?" Koneko answered.

Vali began to think.

'She definitely feels like a Devil, although a bit different from the ones I'm familiar with... that must mean she's a retainer, and she just wants us to meet with her King.' Vali realized.

With that, she made her decision.

"Alright, we'll come with you." Vali decided.

"Huh? Vali, are you sure?" Issei asked worriedly.

"Don't worry Issei, I'm pretty sure if she wanted to hurt us, she would have done it by now. Even if it ends up being a trap, I know they won't be able to beat me." Vali reassured him.

Koneko showed slight shock at that remark, but decided to ignore it due to the situation.

"Alright, follow me then." Koneko replied.

As she started walking off, Vali followed her, with Issei following the latter's lead.

* * *

After another 15 minutes of walking, Koneko had lead them to the one place Issei hadn't expected, the old school building.

"I can't believe she brought us here of all places." Issei remarked.

"Oh, do you know about this place, Issei?" Vali asked.

He nodded.

"Yeah, whenever my cousin's boyfriends peep on their classmates in the kendo club, and then get beaten up for it..." Issei chuckled a bit.

Vali gave an awkward look at that reply.

"Main point, this is where they come to rest. They never chase them here because the school's idol, Rias Gremory, tends to be here." He explained.

Vali's eyes widened at that name, catching Issei's attention at the sudden reaction.

"Uh... did I say something wrong?" Issei asked.

"Oh no, not at all. It's just that Gremory is one of the main 72 Clans that make up the Devils living in Hell."

"Wait, what!?" Issei exclaimed, making Issei's eye twitch.

Giving an awkward chuckle, the Lucifer heiress looked towards the Rook of Gremory.

"If that's her last name, then I'm guessing she must be the current heiress to the Gremory Household, am I right?" She asked.

Koneko nodded, walking inside without a word.

"Is she normally like that?" Vali asked, looking at Issei.

"Sorry, but I don't know her well enough to answer that, just that she's considered the school's mascot." Issei answered.

Vali raised an eyebrow before shrugging, and the two followed her inside.

Once they were within the old school building's walls, Issei noticed a familiar blonde-haired boy with a birthmark by his eye. He was the most popular boy in the entire school, better known as Kiba Yuuto.

"Ah, hello there. It's a pleasure to meet you both." Kiba greeted, waving towards the duo.

Issei stammered for a bit, and then shook his head to regain his focus.

"Whoa, it was a surprise to see Koneko lead us here, but for Kiba to be here?" Issei said quietly.

"Uh... sorry Issei, I really don't know anyone in this school." Vali apologized, not knowing who Kiba was at all.

Chuckling a little, he turned to his best friend.

"He's basically the male idol counterpart to Rias, the most popular guy in the whole school, Kiba Yuuto." Issei explained.

Vali blinked a bit, looking at him, and then back to Issei. As this happened, Koneko watched the two with mild interest, snacking on a lot of chocolate.

"Ah, you must be our guests."

Both of them turned to see Akeno walk in view, carrying some clothes that she laid out by the shower, which the two only just realized was currently in use.

"She is..." Vali asked.

"That's Akeno Himejima, the second most popular girl in the school, she's also Rias' best friend." Issei answered.

"That must mean she's Rias' Queen." Vali said to herself.

"Her... what?" Issei asked.

"I'll explain later." Vali replied, scratching her cheek.

Issei just shrugged, still feeling a bit lost about the whole Devil thing.

At that same moment, Akeno walked up to Vali, slightly bowing to her.

"It's nice to meet you, I'm Akeno, the Vice-President of the Occult Research Club." Akeno greeted with a kind smile.

"Uh... nice to meet you too." Vali replied, feeling a bit nervous.

Akeno giggled at that.

"There's no need to be worried, everyone here is super nice." Akeno reassured her.

"Well... alright, I guess I'll take your word for it." Vali replied, since the current evidence was supporting her claim.

Said evidence was Kiba and Koneko looked fairly comfortable and happy here, heavily implying they joined Rias willingly.

'I guess the rumors are true, the retainers of the Gremory family are treated like they're family, because none of them seem miserable in the slightest. Glad to know I'm not the only one who feels that's how all retainers should be treated.' She smiled.

At that moment, the shower water stopped running, making Vali look as the change of clothes were grabbed. After mostly drying off, Rias finally came out, still drying her hair.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. I know it's terribly rude, but I ended up being a little worried about this meeting for a while, and I got a little sweatier than I'd like." Rias apologized.

"Oh no, it's fine." Vali replied, slightly pushing her hands out.

Getting a full look at her, Vali was shocked to see how similar she looked to Sirzechs, finally realizing who the sister he always went on about was.

'I know siblings are supposed to resemble each other, but she looks like him as a teenage girl!' She thought.

After finishing with drying her hair, Rias stood in front of her desk, while everyone took a seat on the couch.

"With that out of the way, we'd like to welcome you to the Occult Research Club." Rias formally greeted them.

"I'm the club president, Rias Gremory, but I'm sure you already know what I really am, correct?" She stated, looking towards Vali.

"Yeah, Rias Gremory of the Gremory Clan, a high-ranking Devil household under the 72 Pillars. I'm assuming you must be the current heiress of the clan as well?" Vali responded.

Rias nodded at that, with Issei releasing a breath at her official confirmation.

"Wow, so she really is like you." Issei remarked.

"It's not just her, Issei." Vali replied.

"Huh?" Issei said in confusion.

Vali motioned to the other three in the room, who she could sense were all Devils by their auras.

She did notice that Akeno's, and Koneko's were a bit different from Kiba's, but she didn't pay much mind to it. If their auras were different, then it likely just meant they weren't formerly human before they joined Rias.

"Akeno, Kiba, and Koneko? All of them are Devils in the same manner you became one." Vali replied.

His eyes widened as he looked at them, each of them giving a light nod before they revealed their Devil wings, alongside Rias' own. He noticed that unlike Vali, they only had two, but didn't say anything in case it risked offending them.

"So, I'm guessing these three are your entire peerage?" Vali asked, a term Issei decided to pay attention to.

"Not exactly. I also have two Bishops, but they aren't present for reasons I'm not allowed to talk about." Rias explained, her peerage revealing their wings.

"Fair enough." Vali replied, nodding her head.

She briefly stood up, moving behind the table before she faced Rias.

"As you might know already, I'm Valiana Lucilee, or at least it's my human name." Vali introduced herself.

She motioned to Issei, making him jump slightly.

"While you also already know him, this is my Queen as of yesterday, Issei Hyoudou." She revealed.

'Huh?' He blinked.

Rias nodded, soon taking her turn to speak.

"If you don't mind me asking, what's your true Devil name?" Rias inquired, wondering where she stood among the placement of Devils.

"I... invoke my right to remain silent on that, sorry." Vali replied, looking away from Rias.

Rias and her peerage were a little surprised by that reaction, but she was respectful enough to not push it. Even among the Devils, not everyone had a happy story, and her peerage was a clear example among those who were reincarnated Devils.

Not to mention, she had an issue tied to being the Gremory Clan's Heiress.

"I understand. If you honestly don't want to share it, then I won't force you to." Rias replied.

Vali smiled at her kindness.

"However, what I will ask is the same question you gave to me. Is this your entire peerage?" She inquired.

Vali gave an embarrassed laugh at that, blushing slightly.

"No, I've got four others. See... I sort of was too impatient about hurrying back to see Issei, and I may have just jumped her through a magic circle, accidentally left them behind, forgetting that I didn't tell them how to get here." Vali admitted.

While silent for a minute, Rias suddenly started to giggle, quickly falling into full-blown laughter at her response.

"Go ahead, that was stupid enough to laugh over." Vali chuckled, knowing what she said was kind of funny.

Nodding her head, Rias kept laughing for a bit., After about three minutes, she finally needed to breathe again, making her stop. She used her desk to help her stand back up, taking a deep breath as she looked towards the Lucifer heiress.

"Phew... I don't think I've gotten to laugh like that in forever, so thanks for the small opportunity." Rias giggled, wiping a laughter tear from her right eye.

"Uh... you're welcome, I guess?" Vali replied awkwardly.

At that moment, she cleared her throat a bit.

"Rias, I assure you that I'm not here to cause any trouble. I wasn't even aware this town had become your territory in the time I was away. Truth be told, I didn't even know Kuoh Town was a Devil territory." Vali explained.

"I believe you Vali, but I still had to confirm it from you directly, and make sure you were aware of things." Rias replied.

"I get it, Devil Politics." Vali chuckled, rubbing the back of her head.

Rias smiled, soon moving away from her desk.

"Now that we have that clear, I should tell you there are another group of Devils here, but that won't be important until I have an opportunity for you to meet them." Rias explained.

"Understood. Now, if you don't mind... me and Issei should probably get back home before his parents send out an amber alert." Vali replied, sweating a bit.

Rias nodded at that.

"Right, we can talk more after school tomorrow, or whenever you're free." She decided.

And with that, Issei and Vali headed home.

"So, what do you think about them?" Koneko asked.

"To be honest, I'm not sure. Though I will say that I think we've managed to befriend a powerful duo of Devils." Rias smiled.

While she lost the opportunity to possibly add Issei to her peerage, she had a good feeling their new allies would be ample compensation.

* * *

Eventually, the two returned home, getting the attention of their parents.

"Oh, thank goodness! You two were gone so long, I nearly sent out an amber alert!" Hana said in relief, making Vali's eyes widen.

'Wow, I was right...' Vali thought.

"Sorry about that. A few students at school needed help with something, so we lost track of time, and our phones." Issei apologized, hoping his lie was convincing.

"I'm just glad you two are safe, I'm almost done with Dinner, so why don't you two go wash up real quick?" Hana suggested.

Issei sighed in relief, glad his mom bought his excuse.

"Sure thing, thanks Mrs. Hyoudou." Vali smiled.

"Aw, I thought you told you already, you call me Hana." Hana giggled.

Vali chuckled a bit, rubbing her head.

"I'm still getting used to that." Vali chuckled, scratching her cheek.

An hour later, the two washed up in the bath, followed by Dinner. Now, the two were in Vali's room, where she was finally going to start explaining things to Issei.

"OK, where should I begin?" Vali asked.

"Probably with the whole Devil thing." Issei suggested.

Vali nodded her head, and took a deep breath.

"Well, to summarize it all into a way you can understand? Every mythology, religion, supernatural phenomenon, and myth you've ever heard of... is real." Vali revealed.

"A-all of them? Are you serious!?" Issei shouted in shock.

"Serious, serious. It's all real, and less than 1% of Humanity is even aware of them, much less the fact that many are living right under their noses." Vali answered.

Issei took a deep breath, letting that all sink in.

"In the case of Devils like myself, we represent what's called the Christian Pantheon. Along with us Devils in Hell, there's the Angels of Heaven, the Fallen Angels of Paradise, and the Demons of the Underworld." Vali began by explaining her birth land.

"Wait, so Demons and Devils aren't the same thing?" Issei asked.

"Nope, the Demon race was born when a group of Angels decided to stop serving God, whose real name is Elohim, and then took a new form. The Devils were made from scratch by my great grandfather, the one Humanity knows as Lucifer, when his hatred for God managed to completely replace his holy light with a sacred darkness, turning him into a dark mirror to God." Vali explained.

"Whoa... that's just... whoa!" Issei breathed, surprised at what he had been hearing so far.

Vali nodded at that, soon bringing up a picture of Yuuma.

"Believe it or not, Yuuma here? She's actually a Fallen Angel, as are my Uncle Azazel and Aunt Penemue... who also happen to be her, and unfortunately, Raynare's parents." Vali revealed, making Issei's eyes widen.

"Oh man, I feel so dumb! It's no wonder her eyes looked familiar to me!" Issei groaned at his idiocy.

"And the reason she went on a date with you? She was following a lead that you'd be in danger, which she ended up being right about." Vali added.

"Wait, just a second." Issei asked.

He went back to the moment Raynare attacked him, trying to remember something that could give him a clue to why Raynare attacked him.

_"If you want someone to blame, then blame God for giving you the Sacred Gear." Raynare's voice echoed._

"Vali, that Raynare woman, I heard her mention God... and something Sacred? Do you know what she meant?" Issei asked.

Vali went silent for a moment, looked at him in the eyes.

"I do, and... I've known for the past 11 years." Vali revealed, looking a bit sad.

"Vali, what's wrong?" Issei asked.

The silver-haired Lucifer sighed a bit, looking at Issei.

"Issei, remember that day we were playing tag, and I ended up having the panic attack where you made your promise to me?" Vali reminded him.

"Yeah, I was terrified when you started screaming like... wait, are the two related?" Issei looked at her worriedly.

Vali slightly looked away from him, slightly shaking as she did.

"Vali, I told you after seeing your wings, and I'll say it again. You're still my best friend, no matter what, so don't be afraid to tell me." Issei reassured her.

Vali looked at him, and slightly teared up a bit. Wiping those tears away, she took a deep breath, and managed to find her courage.

"Alright, here goes..." Vali breathed.

"To start, I should tell you this. Do you remember how back when we were kids, everyone kept ignoring you? Acting like you were some kind of living hazard?" Vali asked.

Issei nodded, giving a sad look.

"It's the one thing I can never forget." Issei replied.

Vali rubbed his cheek before continuing.

"Well, there was actually a reason for it, but it wasn't until that fateful game of tag that I finally realized what it was. See, the Sacred Gears are a series of powerful treasures that were created by God, usable only by Humans like you used to be, reincarnated Humans like you are now, or those who are Half-Human like myself-" Vali explained.

"Hold on, did you just say Half-Human? But I thought you said you were a Devil?" Issei interjected.

Vali blushed at that, realizing she forgot to mention that.

"Oops..." She said softly.

Rubbing her head, she turned with an embarrassed blush.

"Sorry about that. Half-breeds with human heritage, and reincarnated beings in any circumstance, tend to refer to themselves as their supernatural heritage/original race. I was so panicked about revealing myself as a Devil, that I forgot to tell you that." Vali apologized.

"Fair enough. If I were in your shoes, I'd probably forget myself." Issei admitted with a slight chuckle.

Clearing his throat, he motioned Vali to continue.

"Anyways, the powers of these Sacred Gears are so overwhelming, many ordinary people get treated differently for it, yet they could live their wholes lives without knowing they were born with one. Worse... those with Sacred Gears are so different, that because Humanity doesn't know of the supernatural, they get treated like pariahs. It's better in this century, but they're what caused events like the Puritan Witch Hunts." Vali continued.

"Whoa... so, you're saying people who instinctively avoiding me because of something I didn't know was inside of me?" He questioned.

"Normally, I'd say yes to that, except... your case was different. There's a special group of Sacred Gears that are stronger than any others, and we each have one of them. It made your own aura so strong, that at your age, your body couldn't properly manage it. That caused you to unknowingly intimidate the people you came into contact it. Luckily, by doing all that training, your body learn to manage it." Vali clarified.

Issei's eyes widened at that, now realizing what Raynare meant.

"So, that's why she called me a risk... because I really am one." Issei realized.

Vali nodded, confirming his thoughts.

"And based on what you said, I'm assuming you know which Sacred Gear is inside me?" Issei asked.

"I do, and..." Vali answered, trailing off slightly.

Issei sighed, realizing what she was about to say.

"It's why you freaked out when we were kids." Issei finished for her.

Vali nodded, and held out her left hand.

"I think the best way I can explain this is to introduce you to my partner." She replied.

"Partner?" He repeated.

"The being sealed within my Sacred Gear." Vali answered.

He looked at her hand, and after a moment... he suddenly saw a blue glow on the back of her hand.

 **("Hello there, Issei Hyoudou.")** Albion greeted.

Issei's eyes shook in surprise.

"Vali, did your hand... just talk to me!?" Issei asked loudly.

"Not my hand Issei, but the one living inside it. Her name is Albion, a powerful Dragon known as the White Dragon Empress." Vali answered.

"An actual Dragon lives inside of you!?" Issei gasped in surprise.

 **("I believe it would be more accurate to say that she's my reincarnation in a sense, but you're not technically incorrect either.")** Albion replied.

"Hmm... meh, I've heard things more unbelievable than that." Issei shrugged.

Vali giggled a bit.

"She's not just any Dragon either, as you may have already noticed by her name. However, it goes even further than that, as she's one of two beings that are known as the Strongest Mortals in the world." Vali revealed.

"Whoa... something with that kind of power actually lives inside of your hand? That's freaking awesome!" Issei said excitedly.

Vali blushed a bit, rubbing her cheek.

"Yeah, the name of my Sacred Gear is Divine Dividing, and this is what it looks like." She replied.

Issei watched as she formed a white gauntlet that exposed her hands, and reached a bit past her wrist. A blue gem was resting on it, which was the source behind the blue glow Albion spoke through.

"Not only that, but it's able to turn to any other kind of armor on my body that's not part of my right arm." Vali continued, transforming it into a pair of wings to show it.

"Whoa... so, what about mine?" He inquired as his eyes sparkled.

At that moment, Vali sighed a bit.

 **("Issei... _that's_ where the problem lies.")** Albion sighed.

"Huh?" Issei blinked.

 **("Recall what Vali said? I'm one of TWO beings that earned the title of the world's strongest mortal. So, tell me Issei... what's the first thought you'd have upon hearing that?")** Albion asked.

"Well, my first thought would be you have someone that matches you. Maybe a rival or enemy that..."

Issei suddenly froze, widening his eyes.

 **("Exactly.")** Albion replied.

Vali took Issei's right hand, and the moment she did... a green light suddenly appeared on top of it, which surprised him.

"The name of your Sacred Gear is the Boosted Gear. It's a red and green-colored version of my Sacred Gear that holds the power of Albion's greatest rival... and her mate. Ddraig, the Red Dragon Emperor." Vali revealed, her body starting to shake.

"Mine's also a Dragon?" Issei said, staring at it in shock.

"Yes, and it's why I'm so scared." Vali confirmed.

Issei looked at her as she held herself, shaking even worse than before. It was so bad that Albion had to continue on her behalf.

 **("Ddraig and I were the greatest rivals, but the best of friends, and then eventually? We became lovers. Unfortunately, after we got sealed in our Sacred Gears, our first hosts ended up starting a vicious cycle that's continued for the past 2000 years. Now, every time our wielders find each other... they're eventually forced into a fight. More often than not, it ends with one or both being brought to their deaths.")** Albion quietly explained.

With that line, Issei's eyes widened as he finally understood her fears.

"My god, you were afraid we might fight each other." He realized.

"Yes... that's exactly what I felt. Meeting you had been like finding a light in the darkness for me, so to realize you were the enemy that I would be forced to defeat because of my Sacred Gear? You have no idea how horrible that felt to me. It was almost like fate was out to make me suffer in a thousand different ways, and I didn't want to fight you under any circumstance." Vali admitted, sniffling a bit.

 **("Ddraig and I have no desire for this eternal conflict, but we can't stop this. We're trapped in here, so our possessors can freely ignore us, and fall to that evil power because of the words coming from those before them. Vali's one of the only two hosts I've ever had actively treat me like a friend, which makes me feel even worse that this is the extent of what I can do.")** Albion replied, a bit of guilt in her voice.

Finally hearing enough, Issei hugged Vali close.

"I swear to you, even if I had to kill myself to stop it, I'd never hurt you... and not just that, I've still got my promise to you. I'll make sure we never fight, I swear of it." Issei vowed once again.

"I... I know you will, and thank you." Vali sniffled, smiling at him.

Once she calmed down, Issei the only obvious question he still had.

"So, is there a way for me to bring my Sacred Gear out?" Issei asked, looking at his right hand.

"Now that you're aware of it, when the right moment presents itself, you'll feel the part of you that's the strongest. Once that happens, Ddraig's power will surely awaken." Vali explained.

"Basically, let it happen naturally?" Issei summarized it.

Vali gave an awkward chuckle, nodding her head.

"Well, since we've got that out of the way, I think you'll wanna know how you didn't die after getting stabbed like you did?" Vali guessed.

"Oh man, nearly forgot about that... though I think I've got a slight idea." Issei remembered, sighing at the end.

The Heiress of Lucifer exhaled a deep breath.

"Alright, listen closely. This is pretty important to some of the things I mentioned when speaking with Rias." Vali requested.

Vali pulled out another flier like the one Yuuma summoned her with, and then a box of white chess pieces, which was lacking a King Piece. Out of those chess pieces, Issei noticed that both her Rooks, a Bishop, a Knight, and the Queen were all a glass red, but the rest were solid white.

"See this flier here? Since I couldn't just follow you during your date with Yuuma, I asked her to hold onto one of these fliers. If something were to wrong, which it did, she could use it to summon me through her thoughts." Vali put the flier down.

After that, she held up the Queen Piece to him.

"That's when I saved you with this, an Evil Piece. While they look like ordinary chess pieces, they allow High-Class Devils to reincarnate others into new Devils, although dying isn't a requirement for this." Vali explained, letting Issei look at it.

"Ooh! So, the reason I'm your Queen is because you used the Queen Piece to save my life?" Issei asked.

"Yeah, it also technically makes you a retainer that serves under me, and associates you to the Lucifer Clan. Although, I don't like defining people like that, so you can just consider yourself as part of my team." Vali verified, rubbing her head with a blush.

Issei chuckled, putting the Queen Piece back with the others.

"So, you can have 14 others like me with the rest of these?" Issei asked.

"Well, yes and no." Vali replied.

"Yes and no?" Issei repeated with confusion.

"You see, there are limits to how the Evil Piece works. Firstly, they can't work on Gods or Buddha, who are immune to their effects. Secondly, each person has their own set value, so depending on the pieces you use, they might need to consume multiple pieces. Finally, the strength of the King, which is me in this case, also influences how many Evil Pieces you'll need." Vali explained.

Vali takes one of each piece out, and then put out yen coins of different values by each, with the Bishop and Knight sharing one coin.

"If we went by a number value, each Pawn is worth a single point. Bishops, and Knights are both worth three points. For Rooks, they're worth five points. Then last, but not last, the Queen piece is worth a whopping nine points." Vali pointed to each piece as she revealed this.

"Oh, I get it. At most, you could have 15 people who each took one piece, but you could also have only 5 who absorb every piece of one type." Issei realized.

"That's right Issei, and you even figured out that mixing pieces doesn't work on your own." Vali confirmed, smiling a bit.

Putting the pieces back, she looked at Issei again.

"There's no King Piece because to gain your Evil Pieces, you go through a registry process through a special monument. As for each piece, they have their own special powers, but aside from the Queen being the best piece, you don't need to know what they are just yet." Vali continued.

"OK, next question. Why did you use your Queen to save me?" Issei asked.

"Well, I wanted to save you so badly, I just grabbed my best piece, I was that willing to waste it for you. In the end, I found out it was barely enough to revive you, which means you almost exceed a nine-point value." Vali explained.

Issei's jaw dropped open in shock at the reveal, unable to believe he could actually be that strong.

"And... if you didn't have enough pieces?" Issei asked worriedly.

"I... don't think you want me to answer that." Vali trailed off, giving a nervous look as she turned away.

He gulped, trying to think about anything else.

"Oh, there is one special kind of Evil Piece, we call this one a Mutation Piece." Vali explained.

"Mutation Piece?" Issei repeated.

"It's a beneficial glitch in the Evil Piece system that sometimes allows a piece to exceed its normal values, so it doesn't have a limit. As such, you could revive almost anyone." Vali revealed.

"Whoa, and are there any restrictions on that?" Issei questioned, already in awe.

Vali hummed a moment, trying to recall what Ajuka told her when she got her Evil Pieces not too long ago.

"Let's see... if you try to revive someone that's vastly more powerful than you, then it won't work, and that can depend on which piece is your Mutation Piece. For example, a Mutation Pawn would be more likely to fail than a Mutation Queen. That can be annoying to some because only 1 in 10 Devils can get one, and they don't get to choose which piece is the Mutation Piece." Vali answered.

Hearing that, Issei gave an impressed whistle. Vali scratched her head as she tried to remember one last detail. After a moment, she snapped her fingers.

"Ah, there's also the biggest mystery about them, which is the fact that there are seven variants of multipliers tied to them. It can be as small as double, but as large as eight times the original value." Vali recalled.

"Whoa... they seem pretty special. Does that mean you do, or did have one?" Issei breathed in awe before asking.

"I did, a Mutation Rook with a double multiplier. I had to use it a member of my peerage that was stronger than my Queen Piece, and you'll know who I mean when you finally see her in action." Vali answered.

Issei's face went flat at that, wondering how strong she was to have a higher value than him?

That only lasted briefly before looking at himself, and after trying to imagine pushing wings out of his body... he suddenly felt two Devil wings come out, surprising him as he verified he was no longer Human.

"Hearing all of this, I can't believe this is just for the sake of reviving people as Devils." Issei chuckled.

"Well, that's because it's not... we have it because the Devils are at risk of going extinct." Vali admitted, a sad look on her face.

Issei gave a confused look at that.

"Uh... should I not ask about that?" Issei questioned.

"Please don't, it's not something I'm ready to tell you about." Vali answered.

"Alright, then I won't press the issue." Issei promised.

Taking a deep breath, Vali decided to finish up by explaining the role he'd now have as a member of her peerage.

"Anyways, for the few humans who do know about us, we have clients we need to visit. So, let's get you some fliers to hand out and find your first client." Vali smiled.

"Huh?" Issei blinked in confusion.

* * *

Issei was riding on his bike, visiting various houses that a demonic GPS device told him to stop at, then dropping off fliers belonging to the Lucifer clan.

"I don't know if I'm gonna ever get used to this. Being a Devil, and having to do work like this?" Issei told himself, wondering how long it would be before he'd accept it as the new norm for his life.

He looked around, once again noticing his ability to see as clear as day.

"Well... I see better at night, my senses are better, and I've got better reflexes, so there's a few pluses to this job." Issei thought aloud.

After he finished passing out all his fliers, he heard Vali calling his phone.

"Hello?" Issei answered.

Back at the Hyoudou household, Vali was currently seen in the bath, her hair tied up as she leaned over the side of the tub to avoid dropping her phone in the water.

『"I just noticed you got all the fliers out, so are you ready to jump to your first client?"』 Vali asked.

"Uh... I guess, but how do I do that?" Issei inquired.

Issei soon heard himself get a text.

『"Focus your magic to the ground, then use it to create a magic circle, that will create a gateway between the circle, and the flier. I just texted you a picture of what the Lucifer Clan's circle looks like, so use that as a reference."』 Vali explained, soon grabbing a towel.

『"Good luck, Issei. I believe in you."』 She smiled, preparing to dry off.

Issei smiled as the call ended, glad she had faith in him despite he had only been a Devil for one day. Taking a look at the picture she texted him, he took a deep breath, and hid himself in an alley.

"OK, let's see if this works..." He tried encouraging himself.

He tried to channel his magic, and then after a few moments... a red version of the Lucifer Clan's magic circle appeared. He smiled, having just used magic for the first time, and on his first try no less.

"Yes!" He cheered quietly.

Walking into the portal, he was quickly teleported into the apartment of a middle-aged man wearing glasses, which was full of Otaku supplies.

"Uh... you were the dude who summoned a Devil, right?" Issei inquired nervously.

"Oh, you must be the substitute they told me about." The client stated.

"Substitute? You mean you were expecting someone else?" Issei asked.

"Yeah, I usually call Koneko over, but another client asked for her before I did today, so they told me I'd be getting a substitute." The client explained.

A few moments later, Issei sat at the table, where the client gave him a cup of tea.

"Oh, thank you." Issei said, taking a sip right after.

"The name's Morisawa, and if you're gonna be the stand in, I need to know what you can do." Morisawa introduced himself.

"Well, I just became a Devil, so... what does Koneko usually do when you summon her?" Issei asked.

Morisawa grabbed something, making Issei go blank as he held up a red sailor themed outfit, and a look on his face that Issei didn't like the implications of.

"Cosplay, save the princess!" He revealed.

"Wait... that's it? No magic, special tricks, or something with souls?" Issei asked, feeling weird as he imagined that scene in his head.

"Damn straight that's it! I've looked everywhere for another cute young thing to sweep me off my feet on a weekly basis, but if I just grabbed one off the street, I'd get myself arrested." Morisawa explained.

Realizing that Koneko would just pop into the room through the flier, no one would see him grabbing a girl out of nowhere. At the same time, no one would get suspicious about a High School girl entering the home of a middle-aged for the same reasons.

"Yeah... I think I see your point." Issei realized.

"So, what can you do for me?" Morisawa asked.

"Hmm... let's see." Issei began looking around the room for something.

After a moment, he gasped as he noticed a certain video game resting on his shelf.

"You have Hyper Road Warrior 4!?" Issei shouted excitedly.

"Oh, so you know about this game?" Morisawa asked, showing the same excitement.

"Of course! Its gameplay is said to be so insanely hard that only expert gamers can properly play it! I've even played in a few tournaments that hosted this game!" Issei exclaimed, his inner gamer surfacing.

Morisawa began to chuckle, his glasses gleaming.

"Impressive, I've been looking for a fellow challenger to face me!" Morisawa replied.

He slammed down controllers onto the table.

"You wanna go a few rounds?" Morisawa asked, a challenging glare shadowing his eyes.

"Yeah, sure thing!" Issei replied, giving the same glare.

* * *

Issei was seen pushing his bike home, an entire hour having passed since he accepted Morisawa's challenge.

"Few rounds my butt, that could have been our own personal tournament. Well, at least I got the pact, so that's good." Issei said, wiping some sweat off his forehead.

At that moment, he heard Vali call him again.

"Hello?" He answered.

『"Just saw you got your first pact, so I decided to congratulate you on a job well done."』 Vali replied, smiling as she laid on her bed.

"Thanks, glad that I did well." Issei replied back.

『"Make sure you hurry home, I don't want your parents to realize you're-"』

Suddenly, static interrupted the call.

"Vali, you there? Vali!?" Issei asked worriedly, not hearing her voice.

His phone soon beeped, showing they had been disconnected... followed by Issei's new sixth sense alerting him to danger. He turned around, seeing the sky had been replaced with some strange purplish energy, with a masked Fallen Angel walking towards him.

"Oh no... you're kidding me." He breathed.

"So, you're the one I've been sent to find, it seems you really were still alive." The masked Fallen spoke. forming a spear of light.

He took to the sky, ready to strike.

"Well, this time I'll make sure you are destroyed!" He shouted.

Throwing it at Issei, he rolled out of the way, causing the Fallen to notice a crest Vali had marked on his hand. However, he showed surprise when he saw it.

'Hold on, that's not the Gremory Clan's crest!' He realized.

"I'm not sure which Household you're serving under, but it doesn't change the fact you must die!" He prepared another two spears.

Issei's eyes widened, realizing that Vali might not be able to save him a third time.

'If I die here, then Vali will be... no, that power I have! I know it's in me, I just need to use it!" Issei thought, making a determined face.

At that moment, the spears were thrown at him.

'Remember what she told you!' Issei reminded himself.

_"When the right moment presents itself, you'll feel the part of you that's the strongest. Once that happens, Ddraig's power will surely awaken." Vali's voice echoed._

At that moment, Issei threw his right hand up.

"FOCUS!" He screamed.

 **「** **Date A Live II: Hurricane** **」**

At that moment, a powerful red aura exploded out of Issei's right hand, smashing into the light spears before they shattered apart. The intense force pushed against the Fallen Angel, who struggled to not be blown away.

"No, it can't be!" The masked Fallen gasped.

At that moment, a fingerless red gauntlet with two yellow spikes formed on Issei's hand, with the green glow materializing into an actual gem. He threw a punch forward, firing off some of his aura towards his would-be assassin, smashing him into the nearest building's wall.

Panting a bit, Issei looked at what he just did, turning to look at his hand.

"Holy shit, so... this is my power?" Issei remarked, looking at the Boosted Gear now equipped to his right hand.

 **["So, you're my new partner! Took you long enough."]** A voice stated.

"Huh?" Issei blinked.

 **["Over here, on your right hand."]** The same voice answered.

Looking at his hand, Issei saw the gem glowing.

"Wait a second, are you... Ddraig?" Issei realized, recalling what Vali told him earlier.

 **["In the flesh, but let's introduce ourselves after we deal with the guy trying to kill you."]** Ddraig replied.

The Fallen Angel growled, getting on his feet.

"So, you're the wielder of the Boosted Gear? You may have a Longinus, but I already know it's weakness!" He shouted, rushing at him again.

However, before he could even get near Issei... a sudden white blast struck in front of him.

Surprised by the sudden attack, the two looked up to see someone wearing a suit of white armor, with the Fallen Angel gasping as he recognized it. While Issei didn't recognize the armor, he recognized the wings attached to it.

"Vali?" He said in shock.

"T-the Hakuryuukou? Shit!" The masked Fallen growled.

He began flying off.

"You got lucky today, but next time your eternal rival won't be there to save you!" The masked Fallen warned, flying off.

 **「** **Insert Song End** **」**

Issei looked in shock as the Fallen Angel fled, while Vali flew to the ground, confirming it was her as she dispelled her armor.

"Vali, w-what did you just..." Issei stammered, pointing at her in shock.

"That was something you still can't do, the Balance Breaker. For now?" Vali replied.

She hugged him close.

"I'm just glad... I made it in time!" Her voice shook a bit, showing Issei how scared she had been.

Issei rubbed her back, helping her calm down.

"Come on, let's get back home. You can explain the rest to me there." Issei smiled.

"OK." Vali agreed, taking a deep breath.

* * *

Vali ran her fingers across the Boosted Gear, looking at it in awe.

"Amazing, I can't believe you awakened it so easily, I guess I'm not the only one with natural talent for using it." Vali praised, smiling a bit.

"So, how do I make it go away like you can?" Issei asked.

 **["Just will it away when you don't need it, and will it back when you do."]** Ddraig answered.

Issei blinked at that, and thought of it not being there. Sure enough, the Boosted Gear disappeared, making him sigh in relief.

"Phew, I was worried about I how I'd be able to hide that." Issei remarked.

"That same thing will help you move your Sacred Gear across your body, like you saw me do when I turned mine into a pair of wings." Vali explained.

Hearing that, Issei scrunched his face a bit.

"Why is we can do that when our Sacred Gears are both gauntlets?" He asked.

 **("We were turned into Sacred Gears by God attempting to dice our bodies apart, but it didn't work. As such, when he finally sealed us away, that action manifest as an ability for our hosts to shift our Sacred Gears into other parts of body arm that wasn't the opposite arm.")** Albion further explained.

"And I'm guessing that's due to the counterpart thing between you." Issei realized.

Vali gave a noticeable sigh, which quickly caught his attention.

"You alright?" Issei asked.

"I'm worried, you've already been attacked by three Fallen Angels in the span of two days... this is starting to worry me." Vali replied, looking to the side.

"Do you have any idea why anyone would attack me?" Issei asked.

Vali shook her head, sitting herself by Issei's side before continuing.

"No, at least not among the Fallen Angels. Uncle Azazel leads the whole race, and I know he's never ordered an attack on you, so combining that with Yuuma contacting you like she did..." Vali explained.

"You think we could be dealing with traitors?" Issei questioned.

"It seems pretty likely, so I may have done more bad than good by appearing in my armor, because now they'll know both the Sekiryuutei and Hakuryuukou are here." Vali answered, pointing at themselves to show the two titles were theirs.

Issei gained a worried look on his face, while Vali put a hand on his back.

"Don't worry, since we met with Rias, we'll have the support of her group. I'll make sure they know Yuuma's our ally, so we'll be able to take care of this problem before anything bad can happen." Vali reassured him.

Issei smiled a bit, hugging her close. While that happened, their two Dragons had their own conversation.

 **[It seems we've got an interesting pair of hosts this time. What do you think about these two, Albion?]** Ddraig inquired telepathically.

 **(My honest opinion? Maybe they might be the ones to finally end the gruesome cycle between our hosts.)** Albion answered telepathically.

Ddraig hummed with interest, wondering if Albion would end up being correct one day.

 **["Oh yeah, Vali was it? A little heads up about your Queen."]** Ddraig remarked.

"Hmm?" Vali blinked.

 **["I sense a deeper connection to Chi than with magic, so I advise you to teach him focus more learning that over magic."]** Ddraig stated.

Issei showed confusion, while Vali giggled a bit.

"I'll explain later. For now, you should be aware about your eyes." She replied.

"My eyes?" Issei repeated.

Holding up a mirror, the Sekiryuutei finally realized something he couldn't see on his own. That his pupils had become white in color, instead of the familiar black most had, with a weak green tint to them.

"Whoa!" He exclaimed, falling on his back.

Vali gave an awkward chuckle before pulling him back up, taking a moment to adjust.

 **["Because you have me inside you, that technically makes you a Dragon, hence your eyes."]** Ddraig explained.

"I'm not following." Issei replied.

 **["We Dragons are beings of energy, so both our Dragon forms and Human forms have glowing eyes as a result. In the latter, that manifests in having your pupils being white that's tinted by the color of your iris."]** Ddraig explained.

Issei blinked, and just shrugged in acceptance.

"I have it myself, but it's normally covered so non-Supernaturals don't notice." Vali explained, blinking as she removed a glamour covering her eyes.

"Guess I know what I'll be learning first." Issei chuckled.

* * *

Meanwhile at Grigori, Azazel was standing before his Yuuma, who had delivered a report about what happened with Raynare.

"And... that's everything." Yuuma reported.

"So, Issei's now aware of the supernatural world, and is Vali's Queen." Azazel mused.

Looking away, and fidgeting her fingers.

"I made things worse by acting on my own, didn't I?" Yuuma apologized.

"Normally I'd agree, but the fact Raynare was involved kills that..." Azazel replied sadly.

He sighed.

"I have no choice, as of right now, Raynare is a wanted criminal that needs to be taken out." He reluctantly declared.

Hearing this, Yuuma's eyes widened.

"Your mother and I should have seen the signs, but we didn't... and now it's too late. This is another sin that I have to take responsibility for." Azazel said, tears in his eyes.

Yuuma gave a sad nod, knowing how many horrible decisions her father had to make over the years.

"Yuuma, you're the only one I can trust to aid Vali, can you do that?" Azazel asked.

"Y-yes, I promise not to let you down, father." Yuuma replied, despite her nervousness.

With their small meeting finished, Yuuma left the room, and walked through the Grigori base sadly. A single thought raced through her mind right now... the fact she might have to kill her older sister.

"I know she's been nasty to me over the years, but... can I really kill my own sister? Kill my own family?" She asked herself.

"Hey, Yuuma!"

At the mention of her name, she turned to see a young blonde Fallen waving towards her. Like most of their kind, she was already quite seductive looking, though one could say she had extra charm due to being so short.

"Hey Mittelt." Yuuma answered quietly.

"What're you up to right now? Are you free to talk?" Mittelt asked her friend.

Hearing that, Yuuma's face saddened again.

"Yuuma?" Mittelt asked worried.

"Mittelt, help me find Kalawarner, I've... got something important to tell the both of you." Yuuma explained.

"You called?"

The two turned to see a tall, buxom, and blue-haired fallen Angel walked by.

"Oh, there you are." Yuuma remarked.

"Alright, here's what's going on..." She took a deep breath, revealing everything to her two friends.

* * *

Soon, the following morning came, and Issei grumbled as he knocked his phone to the floor, it's alarm still ringing.

"Shut up... I'm getting it." He muttered, feeling for it.

Eventually, he had to get up to actually reach it, and soon noticed a text on it. It was from Vali, and said: _"Already at school, talking with Rias about last night. I'll meet you there."_

Yawning a bit, he decided to get dressed, eat breakfast, and then start heading to school as usual.

 **["Had trouble sleeping?"]** Ddraig asked.

"Maybe a little, I kept thinking about what happened the past few days. Made me a little restless." Issei answered tiredly.

At that moment, a large yelp was heard.

Turning to the source, he saw a girl in a nun outfit had fallen forward... with her panties in full view, making Issei's entire face blush.

"Oh no, it looks like I feel down again. I'm such a klutz!" The nun girl whimpered.

Issei suddenly noticed that he heard her words in Japanese, but she had clearly just spoken in a different language.

'Wait, how'd I understand her?' Issei thought.

 **[You know about that one legend, the Tower of Babel? The supernatural races don't have that restriction.]** Ddraig answered his telepathically.

'Whoa, so I'm multilingual now? That's pretty useful.' Issei thought in awe.

The girl got up and looked towards Issei, revealing she had long, blonde hair, and soft emerald green eyes.

"Hey, are you alright?" Issei asked, offering a hand.

"Yeah, I'm OK." The girl said as she took it.

Once she was back on her feet, she brushed herself off before giving him a bow of respect.

"That was very sweet of you, my name's Asia Argento." Asia greeted.

"I'm Issei Hyoudou, it's nice to meet you." Issei greeted in return.

Right as Issei was about to leave, Asia lightly tugged his shirt, making him to look at her.

"Um... I hope you don't mind my asking, but I'm a bit lost. Do you think you could help me out?" Asia asked, giving a shy blush.

"It's not trouble at all, just tell me where you need to go." Issei agreed.

"Do you know the way to the church? I was just assigned to serve the one in this town." Asia inquired.

Issei had a good feeling that's where she was heading, but wanted to make sure before he assumed anything. Now that he knew exactly where she was heading...

"Sure thing, just follow me and I'll lead the way." Issei smiled, taking the lead.

Asia quickly followed him, and they headed towards the church, which was luckily on the same path that Issei took to get to school.

However, they faced an unexpected delay as they saw a little boy crying. They both turned to see him with his mother, and he had scraped his knee pretty badly, without anything to help treat the wound.

"Poor guy, that looks painful." Issei remarked.

He suddenly noticed Asia walk over to him, getting the attention of the two.

"Don't cry little one, you're gonna be fine." Asia smiled.

Asia soon held out her hands, and to everyone's surprise, a green glow washed over the boy's wound, causing it to slowly vanish.

'Ddraig, is that a-' Issei gasped.

 **[Yeah, that's a Sacred Gear, and it's a rare healing-type.]** Ddraig answered telepathically.

After a few more seconds, the boy's wound had disappeared entirely, making the boy and his mother look at his knee as if they had just seen a ghost.

"There you go, all better now." Asia smiled sweetly.

"Wow, thank you miss." The boy's mother said in gratitude.

"I'm not supposed to do this in public, so can you keep this a secret?" Asia asked, putting a finger to her mouth.

"Our lips are sealed." The boy's mother promised.

Soon enough, the boy and his mother walked off, while Asia looked back at Issei. She made a cute face while sticking her tongue out playfully, hoping Issei wouldn't ask her any questions.

Luckily, Issei dispersed that worry with his next words.

"So, you have a Sacred Gear?" Issei asked, surprising Asia a bit.

"You know about them?" Asia asked.

"I do, one of my friends has one, so I'm somewhat aware of the supernatural." Issei lied, not wanting to risk the wrong people learning what he was.

Asia smiled in relief as they resumed their walk, glad that Issei understood what her power was.

"Does that mean your job as a nun is being a healer?" Issei asked.

"Yeah, I consider it to be a gift, and a blessing." Asia smiled as she answered him.

She looked away from him for her next response.

"Truly... it's wonderful." Asia's words had a hint of somberness to them, which Issei noticed.

However, before he could think more on it, Asia noticed the church up ahead.

"Hey, there it is! Thank goodness I found it." Asia exclaimed with relief.

As Issei saw it come into view, he suddenly felt his vision zoom onto it, and he instantly felt the danger signs from it.

'Oh man, this feels even worse than those two Fallen Angels!' Issei grunted.

Turning towards Issei, Asia gave him a smile of gratitude.

"Let me thank you properly, would it be a problem for you to come in with me?" Asia asked.

"Sorry Asia, but I need to get to school now." Issei apologized.

Asia looked a bit sad upon hearing that, but understood.

"I understand, and thank you for bringing me here. It was sweet of you to help me out." Asia thanked him once more.

And with that, Asia began heading towards the church, while Issei headed to school.

'She's the nicest person I've ever met, but there's no way we can see each other... not while I'm a Devil, and she's with the Church.' Issei thought sadly.

Unknown to either of them, destiny had a different plan in mind.

* * *

**Damn it... I always hate seeing the scene before Rias tells Issei to not go near the church, it reminds me of the stories between Orihime and Hikoboshi. While this doesn't stay the case forever, that doesn't make it less painful when you watch it in present tense, and haven't reached the moment Asia becomes a Bishop under Rias, negating the entire issue.**

**I almost wanted to skip this scene entirely, but doing so would end up taking out something important I need for Asia later in the story, meaning I had to keep it in. Anyways, Issei's now aware of the basics of being a Devil, his Sacred Gear, and he's even managed to awaken Ddraig from his slumber... who he now knows is Albion's _mate_!**

**As you saw in this chapter, the Divine Dividing is now a left-hand version of the Boosted Gear, which looks like its initial form in the anime (when Issei first uses it against Kalawarner), but can also become the wings we all know it as. I did this because in canon, Ddraig says he and Albion got diced into pieces, which isn't the case in this story. As a result of this change, they can be switched to a different part of their Scale Mail armors.**

**The idea was really interesting, so I ended up doing it, with the only restriction being they can't work on the arm opposite to their default gauntlet forms. As for why they both look like the anime's initial form of the Boosted Gear, it's because I'm using that for when Issei use his Balance Breaker, and anything beyond for its Second Liberation appearance.**

**You've likely noticed my choice with Issei and Vali's eyes, and based on my pen name, may have already come to the conclusion for why I gave it to them. While I'll admit that series like Date A Live and Neptunia have made me like such eyes, there is actual reason in DxD canon that made me go with this. Said reason is that the eyes of Dragons, and the Host/Sacred Gears tied to them, tend to glow. (Best shown by Issei's Juggernaut Transformation in BorN)**

**With that in mind, I figured why not? It also fits with something about Dragons that I'll reveal around mid-Season 2 of the story.**

**One review did bring up an interesting that point I feel I should share: "Would Rias have been able to tell Vali is a Lucifer?" According to canon, that would be a no. Until it was revealed by Azazel himself, neither Sirzechs or Serafall, two of the strongest Devils, had any idea Vali was even a Devil until that moment. Rias only knows because Koneko sensed it, and Vali forgot to hide her Devil aura.**

**For Kalawarner and Mittelt, this is probably one of the rare times you'll see them in this story, as I really don't have any real use for them beyond being friends of Yuuma, and Penemue's retainers. (Specifically, they're her Queen and Jack respectively) I can say they're not gonna die, as I actually like them, and Yuuma needs some Fallen Angel friends. Either way, trouble's about to brew, and it'll soon blow it everyone's way, forcing Issei into his first battle.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

* * *

**Vali's Peerage** **:**

**King - Valiana Lucifer**   
**Queen - Issei Hyoudou**   
**Bishops - ?, Unclaimed Bishop**   
**Knights - ?, Unclaimed Knight**   
**Rooks - ?, ? (Mutation Piece: x2 Multiplier)**   
**Pawns - Eight Unclaimed Pawns**

* * *

**Rias' Peerage** **:**

**King - Rias Gremory**   
**Queen - Akeno Himejima**   
**Bishops - Gasper Vladi (Mutated Piece: x4 Multiplier, Sealed), ? (Mutation Piece: x6 Multiplier, Sealed)**   
**Knights - Kiba Yuuto, Unclaimed Knight**   
**Rooks - Koneko Toujou, Unclaimed Rook**   
**Pawns - Eight Unclaimed Pawns**

* * *

**Bust Size of New Female Characters** **:**

**Asia Argento - 90 cm**

**Kalawarner - 105 cm**

**Mittelt - 92 cm**

* * *

**Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter** **:**

 **【** **Tower of Babel** **】**  
 **A project made by Humanity to reach the Heavens, back when they only had a single language. Unfortunately, God didn't want Humanity to reach his domain, and forced the project to fail by creating different languages.**

**The supernatural world was not affected by this, allowing them to understand every Human language when spoken, but not written.**

* * *

**Pairings List** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Best Friends  
Ddraig/Albion - Married**


	4. Chapter 4

**Asia's finally made her way to the church, and that means it won't be long before everyone pulled into the mess of Raynare's plans. I'm lucky I was even able to finish this chapter... I felt my heart break constantly while making it, because to make Asia's role in the story happen like I planned? I had to write a lot of scenes that I hated writing, but had to because of the story.**

**Last chapter, you probably noticed how Rias said she used _both_ of her Bishops, well... all I'll say is that Asia won't be in her peerage. While Rias has an important role in the story, she and her peerage are only secondary characters. For what will happen to Asia, this chapter will give you an answer, and officially set her role in the story.**

**Something I'd also like to bring up? One review asked me if Vali has her own Clan Ability like Rias does, and the answer to that question is yes. In fact, its name and what it does will be revealed in this chapter. The only thing I can say about it right now is that it's much more dangerous than the Power of Destruction, since the Lucifer Clan is one of the few that ranks higher than the Bael Clan.**

**With that all said, the time has come to bring an end to the Raynare arc, so let's do this.**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

 **[]** \- Ddraig Talking

 **«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

 **「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

 **【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

 **⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

**Sacred Darkness**

**Where there is light, a shadow will always be cast from the darkness, even if it's the holy light of God. The sacred darkness is the dark force born from Lucifer after he shed the holy light that made him an Angel, then found extreme anger in his heart for what he did to Lilith, who was imprisoned just for deciding she didn't want to be with Adam romantically.**

**The combination let him see beyond the light, and touch the darkness that was sealed away within the radiance, and free it from its bindings. In doing so, Lucifer managed to become a deity that matched God in strength. Upon achieving this, he created the of Hell, created the Devil race, and caused many Angels to eventually become Fallen Angels, or Demons.**

**While holy light relies on prayers, and keeping one's self chaste; sacred darkness relies on desires, and the pursuit of freedom. Because of this, just as the power of holy light is lethal to Devils and Demons, the power of sacred darkness is able to harm Angels and Fallen Angels in the same manner. This revelation is what kept Heaven and Hell from fighting... at least, until the Great War.**

**Many believe that since this power existed within the holy light, both powers co-exist like night and day, a theory that still exists even now.**

* * *

**_Season 1, Raynare Arc: Chapter 4 – Lament of a Holy Maiden_ **

Vali was currently listening to Issei as he explained what happened on his way to school, the two of them currently standing by a corner of the new school building. The terror on her face was evident, and he had to rub her back in order to calm her down.

"Oh god... Issei, I am very relieved you had enough sense of mind to avoid getting any closer to the Church." Vali breathed.

"Sorry for getting you all worried like that, I was only trying to help someone that was lost." Issei apologized, rubbing her back more.

Vali hugged him, catching him by surprise.

"It's fine Issei, what had me worried wasn't the fact you got near it, but the fact that if something were to happen to you while I wasn't there, I..." Vali started to tear up.

She teared a bit, quickly wiping them away.

"I already feel guilty over the entire situation with Raynare. Even though I saved you, you shouldn't have had to face nearly dying, and saving you meant turning you into a Devil." Vali sniffled, feeling like she could have done more.

Issei hugged her back, rubbing her back.

"Vali, it isn't your fault. I should have followed Yuuma when she went to find the flier. If I hadn't been by myself, Raynare might have not had the chance to kill me like she did." Issei reassured her, letting her know he had his own share of blame.

Vali breathed, releasing the hug as she nodded.

"OK, guess we both made mistakes." Vali agreed.

"Now that we're on the topic, what about the Church makes it dangerous to a Devil? I only got a brief hint from Ddraig." Issei inquired.

"Quite a lot, enough that a Devil simply setting foot on church grounds could create major problems, with a war in the worst-case scenario. Possible Angels aren't the only worry either, as there's even people with Sacred Gears, and some might be better suited to harm Devils than others, since people tend to ally with the faction their powers best link to, or represent."

"However, I'd say the worst result is what happens if a Devil's hit by holy light. To a Devil, it burns us, even said to be the worst kind of pain imaginable. If you got cut or wounded, then I could just heal you in a way that is... kinda embarrassing, but if you were struck with enough of it? You'd dissolve, and face what's called a purge, which is basically the end of the line." Vali explained, her worried expression telling all.

Issei's eyes widened in horror, gulping a bit.

"Like an evil spirit getting an exorcism?" Issei inquired.

"Yeah, exactly like that, but much worse." Vali confirmed.

Issei took a deep breath.

"Just promise me you'll be careful, especially with your Sacred Gear's current weakness." Vali asked.

"Weakness?" Issei repeated.

"The Boosted Gear lets you double your power every ten seconds, but you're still new to the supernatural world, so you're not that powerful. An enemy who knows your power is wise enough to know not to drag out a fight." Vali explained.

Issei's eyes widened.

"Basically, since I'm only strong for a Human, I'd need to Boost a lot before I'm strong enough to beat someone that might not give me the luxury of time." He realized.

"Exactly." Vali replied.

Soon they heard the bell for class ring, making the two realize how long they had been talking for.

"Oh crap, hurry before we're late!" Vali shouted.

"Right!" Issei agreed.

The two ran to class as fast as they could, just barely making it.

* * *

After classes ended, Issei and Vali went to the Occult Research Club, where Rias was examining the Boosted Gear as Issei showed it to her peerage, sans Akeno.

"Incredible, to think you had one of the 13 Longinus as your Sacred Gear." Rias remarked.

"Hey, I remember that Fallen Angel mentioning that, what does it mean?" Issei asked.

Rias took the lead on this.

"They're the most powerful Sacred Gears in the world, all of them being one of a kind." Rias revealed.

Issei's eyes widened, looking at his left hand.

"Ddraig, is she telling the truth?" Issei asked.

 **["Yep, while yours isn't the strongest, I'd say it's the most powerful when it comes to physical force."]** Ddraig answered.

Issei released a deep breath, feeling amazed, yet overwhelmed.

"And they all share two things in common. The first one being they have multiple abilities, and the second? They're the only Sacred Gears that can give any of their hosts the potential to kill a god." Vali revealed.

Issei went silent at that, just staring at everyone. Realizing that might have been too soon, the Lucifer heiress cleared her throat, wondering what she should say.

Luckily, a distraction came as Akeno finally walked in.

"Akeno? You're a bit late, is something wrong?" Rias asked.

"There is, we've just gotten orders from the Archbishop." Akeno revealed.

"The Archbishop?" Rias replied.

"Yes, a Stray Devil has been causing trouble nearby." Akeno revealed.

Issei looked at Vali.

"Is this kinda like a fugitive?" Issei asked.

"That's exactly how you'd describe one. It's what we call a Devil that's either killed their master, abandoned them, or in the case of losing their master, didn't follow the required laws." Vali explained.

"Sometimes they just run off to gain more power, or just fulfill their own selfish desires in an unchecked manner... which always ends in ugliness." Kiba added.

Issei shivered at that.

"So, even for Devils, there's black morality?" Issei asked.

"There is, one Devil in particular proved that early in our history... one that wasn't a Stray." Rias replied, glaring as she said it.

* * *

Appearing from a magic circle, the Gremory Peerage, Issei, and Vali all appeared near an abandoned building.

"So, this is the place?" Issei asked.

"It is, the Stray Devil we're hunting is named Viser. She's known for her extreme lust, and hunger, both of which she's been using to lure people in her... where she eats them." Rias answered, detailing their target.

"Does that count as cannibalism?" Issei asked.

"She was formerly Human, so technically... yes, it does count." Rias answered.

Issei fought the urge to puke from that.

"Issei, do you remember when I told you how each Evil Piece had a special power?" Vali questioned.

"Yeah, I'm guessing Rias' peerage will demonstrate them?" Issei questioned.

"That they will, but as Rias has no Pawns, and her Bishops aren't here, let me explain each of them before we find the Stray." Vali replied.

Clearing her throat, Vali begins her explanation.

"Pawns are like the real deal, they don't have anything special about them, but if they enter the enemy territory? They can promote into any other piece that's not the King, though unlike real Pawns, they can also do this if the King gives them permission."

"Bishops have a stronger affinity for using magic, strengthened healing abilities if they can use any, and are better with long-ranged attacks."

"Knights can move at incredible speeds that could make them seem invisible, increased proficiency with a weapon if they're trained in armed combat, and are better with close-ranged attacks."

"Rooks are incredibly strong, both when it comes to their physical strength, and their durability, while also having an easier time building up muscle mass, and do best with mid-ranged attacks."

The Hakuryuukou soon looked at the Sekiryuutei.

"Now, with all of that said, think you can figure out what the special abilities of a Queen are?" Vali asked, a confident smile on her face.

"Let me guess... aside from the Pawn, they have all the powers of a Knight, Bishop, and a Rook in one, just like the Queen in Chess can move in every manner except a Knight's." Issei guessed.

"Bingo, they're a perfect mix of all three. Although the one detail I should add is that for Evil Pieces? They also act as the boost for the King, depending on how synchronized the two are with one another. You and Akeno are both examples of a good synchronization." Vali confirmed, detailing a bit more.

Koneko suddenly stopped, getting everyone's attention.

"She's here." She warned.

"Now, what could that fowl fickle smell be? It smells quite delicious. Will it taste sweet... or bitter?" A woman's voice said.

At that moment, the sight of a woman with an unseen lower body came into view.

"Viser, you wretch, you betrayed your master, and then ran away to fulfill the lustful wants and desires that have now consumed you. The sins you've committed are worthy of a thousand Hells. In the name of Gremory, you shall pay... with your life!" Rias declared.

Viser just laughed at them, groping herself as Issei moved near Kiba.

"I'm not seeing the ugliness, you sure that's our Stray?" Issei whispered to him.

"Have you noticed what we _haven't_ seen yet?" Kiba mentioned.

Issei blinked before looking at her legs, and at that moment... saw that they were nothing but clawed hands with red nail polish. Following that, her whole lower half revealed it resembled a Centaur's, with a moving snake for a tail.

"OK, that fits." Issei agreed.

At that moment, Viser's body began to mutate further, gaining a more beastly appearance.

"Let me show you what I'm made of!" Viser shouted, charging at the group.

"Kiba!" Rias ordered.

Kiba nodded, using his speed to appear in front of Viser, and slice off her frontal legs. She screamed in pain as both limbs crashed onto the ground.

Noticing Koneko was nearby, the mouth on Viser's lower half opened to devour her.

"Koneko!" Issei shouted in worry.

"It's alright, she's fine." Rias smiled.

In mere seconds, Koneko forced her jaws open, the only damage she had was being covered in drool and shredded clothing.

"See you on the flip side." Koneko quietly stated, swinging her fist.

Viser screamed as it hit her, smashing all her teeth apart, and flinging her into the wall. Issei stared in shock, amazed how much power her small frame had gained from her Rook piece.

'Mental note to self, never piss her off.' Issei thought worriedly.

"Akeno?" Rias remarked.

"Oh, is it my turn? How exciting!" Akeno smiled with closed eyes.

She held out her hands, generating a powerful surge of electricity.

However, while everyone was distracted, Viser's arms suddenly came to life and tried to jump Rias from behind. Luckily, Vali managed to notice this.

"Rias, behind you!" Vali warned.

"Huh?" Rias turned to see them.

As they were about to gouge her, Vali ran into their path with her hand outstretched. A magic circle formed from her left hand, guarding against their attacks.

"Take this!"

Vali swung her right arm out, sending out a wave of darkness to completely destroy the appendages.

Looking back at Rias, she was on the floor in surprise.

"Thanks for that, you saved my life." Rias thanked, getting back on her feet.

"Any time, Rias." Vali flashed her a thumb's up.

Akeno starts laughing.

"I've got news for you, you're not the only one who likes to play rough!" Akeno announced, unleashing her lightning.

Viser screamed as she got fried and zapped by it, making Akeno blush as she licked her lips.

"Wait, did she just..." Issei realized.

"Uh, hey Rias? Is Akeno..." Vali asked nervously, sweating in fear.

"Really into S&M? Yes, yes she is." Rias verified.

The two Dragon hosts start to wince as Akeno increased the intensity of her lightning.

"Akeno, I think she's had enough." Rias stated.

The Gremory Queen stopped once she heard Rias, letting Viser drop to the ground.

"Aw, and I was just starting to enjoy myself." Akeno mentioned, holding a hand to her cheek as she blushed.

"That's TMI!" Issei remarked.

Walking up to the crippled Viser, Rias held out her arms.

"Game Over." Rias announced.

" **Power of Destruction!** "

Vali showed surprise as she announced that, unleashing a powerful black and red energy to annihilate the Stray Devil.

"Holy crap, I heard the current Gremory Matriarch came from the Bael Clan, guess the rumor's true" Vali said in surprise.

Issei looked at her.

"What do you mean, Vali?" Issei asked.

"Each of the Devil Clans has an ability specific to their bloodline. What Rias just used is the power for the Bael Clan, not the Gremory Clan." Vali explained.

Rias turned to the others, smiling as their job was finished.

"We're done here, now let's head back home." Rias stated.

* * *

Issei was out delivering fliers again, deep in thought about the traits of his Queen Piece, and how he could apply it to a fighting style.

"Let's see... I definitely have combat experience, so I'd definitely know how to use my Rook traits. Then with my Knight trait, I at least have the benefit of the speed, and I've at least held a sword before. Thought for my Bishop side..." He wondered aloud.

He looked at his hand for a moment.

"Ddraig, you got any opinions on my skills compared to my Evil Piece?" Issei inquired.

 **["My honest opinion? I'd say you're a Power-type fighter."]** Ddraig answered.

"Power-type? Issei repeated.

**["There are four quadrants that those among the supernatural world can fall into based on how their fight, their powers, and other factors. There are Support-types that focus less on combat, often having roles like healers or tacticians. Then we have Technique-types, who have a variety of skills, or at least have high speed. Vali would be what we call a Wizard-type, as she's focuses on her magic."]**

**["Power-types are those who have great power, defense, and overwhelming strengths that are meant for crushing most opposition in their way. Considering you have me as your partner, it isn't that strange that you'd grown as this type of fighter."]**

Issei had to agree with that, since he had been training under unarmed combat longer than anything.

"What about my Evil Piece assessment?" He inquired.

 **["Don't ask me there. While I might be aware of them, you're the first Devil among my hosts, so I don't really have any firsthand experience. By the time I can give you an answer, you'll have already figured it out."]** Ddraig replied.

"Fair enough." Issei replied.

Right at that moment, he suddenly stopped his bike to see a house with their front door wide open, a strange scent from within wafting by his nose.

"Why's that door open?" Issei wondered, getting off his bike.

 **["Hmm... something's not right here."]** Ddraig remarked, getting an odd feeling.

While he was sure it might be a bad idea, Issei decided to walk in.

"Hello, anyone in here?" He shouted into the house.

Issei then stepped on something thick and wet. Lowering his head, he saw it was a red puddle of a familiar substance.

"Holy shit..." Issei gasped, looking around.

"Punish the wicked... words to live by."

Issei turned as he heard someone's voice, and to the couch, he saw a white-haired man slowly look at him.

"Yes, wise advice to heed from a holy man!" He stated, flashing an insane look.

At that moment, he stood up to face Issei.

"Well, well. You just walked into the wrong house my friend." He shrugged a bit, looking away with closed eyes.

"Who are you!?" Issei demanded.

The man laughed a bit, giving a slight bow to the Sekiryuutei.

"Freed Sellzen at your service! And you must be the scared little Devil this holy priest gets to exorcise!" Freed shouted eagerly, doing a little... dance of sorts?

"Are you the one that killed him!?" Issei questioned angrily.

"He tried to summon a devil, and that meant he was done being human, so I had to chop him up into pieces... end of the line sinner!" Freed announced, saying the last bit towards the corpse.

He grabbed a sword handle and gun from his trench coat.

"Putting down devils and those who summon them is my job, and no one's better at it than yours truly!" Freed declared haughtily.

Issei felt his danger sense kick in as the sword handle formed a blade of holy light, while he sensed the bullet's in the latter gain the same properties... meaning both weapons were lethal to him.

"Time to cut out your Devilish heart with my heavenly blade, and then my righteous gun will blast a hole through your evil face! How does that sound!?" Freed asked, his tongue sticking out as he gave a crazed look.

Freed rushed at Issei, though he managed to avoid the slash.

 **["Issei, his left wrist, now!"]** Ddraig warned.

'Right!' Issei replied.

Freed prepared to shoot him, but Issei quickly grabbed him.

**["BOOST!"]**

Issei twisted Freed's wrist, making him scream in pain as he stumbled back.

"Ooh, we've got a live one here! Killing you will be fun!" Freed laughed.

At that moment, a girl's screams could be heard, with Issei looking behind him. Standing next to the dead body was... Asia!?

'What!? Why's she here?' Issei thought, horrified at the timing.

"What are you doing here, are you done creating the barrier!?" Freed asked in annoyance.

Issei's eyes widened at his comment.

"W-what did you do to him?" Asia stuttered in fear.

"Oh right, a newbie!" Freed laughed a bit.

"This is what the job is, my dear. We dispose of Devils and the unfortunate people who've been bewitched by them!" Freed revealed as bluntly as possible, intentionally no less.

Asia looked at him, clearly showing this was against her nature... which is when she noticed Issei.

"Issei? Why... why are you are you here?" Asia asked, her voice shaking.

"Oh, do you two know each other?" Freed inquired, looking interested.

Issei grunted, looking away.

"I'm here, because... I'm a Devil." Issei revealed, making Asia gasp.

"No, that can't be true..." Asia breathed, trying to deny it.

"I didn't wanna lie to you, which was why I decided we should never see each other again." Issei replied, apologizing to her.

Her eyes filled with tears.

"Oh Issei..." Asia cried.

As Freed prepared to attack the distracted Issei, he suddenly saw Asia step between the two.

"Please stop this, I beg of you!" Asia shouted, surprising Issei.

Despite Issei was a Devil, she had been touched by his kindness earlier, and couldn't see him as a bad person just because of what he was... she just couldn't.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me! We've got a Devil sympathizer now? Enough of this crap!" Freed growled.

His blade cut through her nun outfit, cutting it, and her bra, in two. Realizing she was bare before him, Asia covered herself in response.

Seeing this happen, Issei's anger exploded.

"BASTARD!"

Freed saw Issei rush at him, and swung his blade again, only to miss as Issei shifted his body. While Issei still felt it slightly cut his shoulder, he noticed it only felt like a cut, and he pushed it aside as he swung his fist forward.

**["BOOST!"]**

Freed screamed as he was decked in the face, sending him flying into the wall.

"That's for Asia, for what you did to her!" He shouted.

"You devil scum, I'll turn that face into one deserving to be called a Devil!" Freed said, jumping with his sword out.

Issei prepared himself, while Asia screamed in horror.

Luckily, fate favored the Devil as the Gremory magic circle suddenly appeared, and a familiar blonde Knight clashed his sword with Freed's.

"Kiba!" Issei called.

"Hey Issei! Not sure why you're here, but it sure helped us out!" Kiba replied, looking at him as he held Freed back.

Shortly after that, both Akeno and Koneko walked through the magic circle.

"Oh, this is gross. Talk about a nasty mess." Akeno remarked.

"An exorcist..." Koneko stated dryly.

Freed and Kiba soon jumped away from each other, with Freed smirking at the new trio.

"Oh, are you the pitcher to his catcher?" Freed asked.

Issei's eye twitched at that comment.

"For a priest, that's quite the mouth you've got." Kiba commented, also feeling discomfort from hearing it.

"What are you, the impiety police? Hunting your kind's my only concern!" Freed shouted in anger.

"If you want it, come and get it." Rias' voice echoed.

Freed's eyes widened as her Power of Destruction fired off, forcing him to dodge as it only narrowly missed him. The heiress of Gremory appeared in front of Issei.

"But I don't think you can handle it." She warned.

Issei sighed in relief.

"Rias... talk about good timing." Issei smiled.

"We should be thanking you. I almost sent Koneko into the hand of an exorcist, and it was only because she sensed you here that we realized something was wrong." Rias said in gratitude.

"You aren't hurt, are you?" Akeno inquired.

"Nicked me a bit with his blade. Luckily, it's just a cut. Though right now, I'm more concerned about saving Asia from that psychopath." Issei answered.

Rias turned to see Asia.

"Issei, that girl's-" Rias tried to say.

"No, I met her before this, and she was clearly expecting to be working with Angels. These bastards had to have tricked her, right?" Issei revealed.

Rias' eyes widened a bit, looking at her again.

"You're right, the church was abandoned eleven years ago due to an incident with my predecessor, Cleria Belial." Rias explained.

Issei's eyes widened at that, remembering that was when Irina's family moved away.

"Then, that would mean-" Issei asked.

"She's definitely been deceived, and that means something else is going on here." Rias confirmed.

The Gremory heiress glared at Freed.

"I never forgive people those who pick on the weak, especially insidious wretches like you! Your evil has no place in this world!" Rias shouted, her aura spilling out as her anger grew.

Freed grit his teeth, realizing he couldn't win in this situation, and grabbed some spheres from his pocket.

"Bye, bye!" Freed announced.

He threw the spheres at the ground, making a flash of holy light go off. The group was blinded as he grabbed Asia, making him scream, and getting Issei's attention. When the light faded, he saw the two were no longer in the house.

"Asia!" Issei screamed.

* * *

Vali was in her room, trying to reach Issei through his phone.

"Come on, please get through, please!" Vali begged, trying to call him one more time.

At that moment, she saw a familiar red-colored Lucifer magic circle, showing Issei appearing as he held his shoulder. Seeing the rip in his clothing, she gasped in horror.

"Issei, what happened to you!?" Val said, quickly cupping his face.

"Let's just say... you owe Rias a favor." Issei grunted, moving his hand.

She gasped as she saw the cut.

"You were cut by a holy sword, oh god..." Vali realized.

Vali soon gave a blush of embarrassment, making Issei raise an eyebrow in confusion.

"Vali? Is something wrong?" Issei asked.

"Issei, every time I think I've told you everything... I realize that I forgot something else." She apologized.

He blinked a bit, wondering what she could have forgotten.

"When you become part of a peerage, you get certain benefits depending on who you your King is. For me, because I'm related to Lucifer, you're immune to Holy Light in the sense that most Devils would fear it." Vali admitted, blushing in embarrassment.

Issei's eyes widened as he stumbled a bit.

"Wait, so that's why it only felt like I got cut!?" Issei screamed in shock.

"Sorry!" Vali apologized again.

Following that, she turned him around, taking a look at the cut.

"Either way, I should take a look at that wound to make sure he didn't leave any other surprises on his blade." Vali stated, leaning forward.

The moment she did, Issei felt her huge breasts press up against his back. She blushed out of embarrassment at the feeling of his muscular back, while Issei felt himself powerless from the softness of her two chest pillows squishing against him, only doing so more as Vali leaned in closer to look.

'Keep it together, Vali!' She told herself.

'No, she's your childhood friend! Don't you dare think perverted thoughts about her!' He struggled to fight his arousal.

Hoping to distract them both, Issei began to explain the situation.

"I was delivering fliers, when I noticed a house that left their door open, and walked in. Turns out it was a client of Koneko's, but when I got inside, he had been... murdered." Issei revealed.

"Murdered? By who?" Vali asked, her eyes wide in shock.

"An insane priest, and the girl who needed me to guide her to the church? According to Rias, the church was abandoned long ago, so the fact she came thinking she'd serve Angels means they tricked her... and then he took her before we could save her!" Issei gritted his teeth.

Vali went silent for a few seconds, then spoke up.

"To think you ran into a Stray Priest, and for that girl to be those rogues' prisoner... it's despicable." Vali growled angrily.

"Stray Priest?" Issei repeated.

At that moment, Vali finished examining his wound, seeing nothing serious about it.

"Think of them as the Fallen Angel equivalent to a member of the church. This is especially true because it's not uncommon for them to side with the more criminal side of the Fallen Angels, as I've almost never seen any at Grigori." Vali explained, wrapping up Issei's wound.

He silently nodded, with Vali realizing what he wanted.

"Issei... I see it in your eyes, you wanna save her, don't you?" Vali asked.

"I do." He confirmed.

"Alright then. Now that we've got a reason for it, and know that church is likely housing the rogue Fallen... let's raise Hell on these traitors!" Vali decided, standing up with a smile.

Issei showed surprise.

"Besides, we have someone that knows the apparent mastermind on our side, and she should be arriving soon if what she told me through her Magic Circle is correct." Vali giggled.

The two heard something crash into the window, making them turn to see it.

"Ow..." Yuuma said as she slid down the window.

Vali opened the window, grabbing Yuuma by the hand before she pulled her inside.

"Yuuma?" Issei said in surprise.

"Hey, Issei... it's been a while." Yuuma greeted, slightly dazed.

"We can have a proper reintroduction later, but for right now, we need you to explain the whole situation on what your sister's planning." Vali requested.

Yuuma shook her head, knocking the daze out of her head.

"Raynare is... trying to take the Sacred Gear from that nun for herself." Yuuma revealed.

Vali's eyes widened at the revelation, where Issei was just confused.

"Wait, why do they want Asia's sacred gear?" He asked.

"Because it's the Twilight Healing. On their own, healing-type Sacred Gears are the rarest in the entire world, but the Twilight Healing's able to do it at a level equal to a phoenix's regeneration. Apparently, Asia was excommunicated because it's able to heal Devils, even though the healing comes from holy light." Yuuma explained.

"Wait, she was excommunicated!?" Issei shouted.

Yuuma blinked at that, surprised Issei hadn't known that fact.

"Issei, that's not important right now, we have to save her before her Sacred Gear's taken!" Vali warned.

"Why?" Issei sked worriedly.

"Because..." Vali trailed off, taking a deep breath.

She looked Issei in the eye, making sure the serious of her next words hit him with their full impact.

"Because a Sacred Gear is bonded to one's soul, meaning the removal of one... results in death."

Issei's face froze at that.

* * *

Rias' peerage was waiting near the edge of the forest leading to the church, and after a bit, they noticed Vali's magic circle lead them through. Rias swore she recognized it, but wasn't sure which clan the crest belonged to.

'Why does it seem familiar?' Rias pondered.

"Sorry we're late, but we had a guest to bring." Vali greeted, walking out with Issei.

"A guest?" Rias repeated.

Motioning her to come through, Yuuma nervously followed through, with Koneko quickly noticing what she was.

"She's a Fallen Angel." She remarked.

Yuuma panicked, covering herself with her rings to the surprise of the Gremory team, who noticed her wing total.

"Whoa! Calm down there Koneko." Vali advised.

Yuuma peaked out of her wings.

"This here is Yuuma Amano, the second daughter of Azazel. She's here because the one likely leading these rogues is her older sister Raynare, and Grigori's decided she's a threat that needs eliminating due to her recent actions." Vali explained.

"I swear I'm not your enemy, promise." Yuuma replied, hiding behind Vali.

"Alright, if you say so, but next time you better tell me about these things." Rias relented, giving an annoyed look.

Vali chuckled in apology.

* * *

About 5 minutes later, the masked Fallen from before was standing by a tree, yawning as he was keeping guard.

"Boring, why isn't there something better to do?" He sighed.

At that moment, he felt a magic circle's presence, turning to see the sight of Rias with Akeno.

"Well, look at that! If it isn't a Devil and one of their idiotic servants. You stepped into the wrong place." The masked Fallen claimed, jumping to the ground.

"This guy's really confident in himself, isn't he?" Akeno giggled.

"Since you're out here standing guard, my guess is your people are worried about an attack?" Rias inquired.

"Worried? Not at all, we're just having a ritual we don't want you disgusting Devils interrupting." The masked Fallen replied.

At that moment, another magic circle formed behind the Devil duo.

"Hate to burst your bubble, but the rest of our group has already sneaked by you and are heading there right now." Vali smirked as she walked into view.

"They're what!?" The masked Fallen shouted.

It took a few moments for the masked Fallen Angel to realize what they had done, and scream in anger.

"You Devil bastards, the three of you distracted me on purpose!" He growled.

He formed a light spear in one hand, and whistled using the other.

"If that's the case, then my friends and I will just have to kill you for the sake of Lady Raynare!" The masked Fallen declared.

At that moment, multiple Fallen Angels flew into view.

"Akeno?" Rias asked.

"Already on it." Akeno smiled.

Making various hand signs, the Gremory Queen threw her hands into the air, shouting as a barrier formed over the entire area.

"What the hell!?" The Masked Fallen yelled out.

"Ah, so that's why you're called the Priestess of Thunder." Vali realized.

Vali held out her hand, creating an orb of darkness, while Akeno's hands sparked their signature lightning, and Rias' hand began emitting her signature Power of Destruction

"Still feeling cocky?" Rias asked.

* * *

Near another area of the Church, Yuuma was gathered with everyone else, with the others watching her holding a magic circle to her ear.

"Alright, thanks for your help." She replied.

She dispelled the magic circle before looking at the others.

"My friends said the West and East sides are all clear, that means they've taken the bait." Yuuma stated.

Issei looked at the building itself, squinting a bit.

"Glad the outside forces are gone, but... do you feel that?" Issei asked, sensing the energies inside.

"No kidding, there must be a ton of priests inside there." Kiba replied.

Issei looked at the three that were with him.

"I'm glad you guys are here, I don't think I'm ready be able to handle that many on my own." Issei replied.

"Well hey, you and I are buddies, right?" Kiba replied.

Right after saying that, though Issei noticed the look on his face became serious.

"Besides... Stray Priests aren't exactly my favorite things in the world. Truth is, I hate them." He admitted.

Yuuma wondered what he meant by that, and then Knight of Gremory realized what he was doing.

"Sorry, that's not important right now." He apologized.

Koneko soon walked up to the door.

"W-what, don't just walk out like that!" Yuuma panicked.

"No need to be sneaky, they already know we're here." Koneko revealed.

"Eh!?" Yuuma shouted.

The Gremory Rook kicked the door open, and once she saw the inside... Yuuma suddenly shook in fear, something Issei noticed.

"Yuuma, you alright?" He asked.

"I'm... I'm sorry, I'm too scared to go in. Why am I such a coward?" Yuuma apologized, tearing up a bit.

Issei walked up to her, rubbing her head to her surprise.

"You're no coward, even though you were scared, you brought us this far. That takes a lot of courage." Issei reassured her.

Yuuma's eyes widened.

"Don't worry, we'll handle the rest." Issei promised.

Yuuma watched the three as they walked inside, and once they did... no a soul could be seen.

"The hell? We sensed people in here, right?" Issei asked.

At that moment, the sound of clapping was heard as a familiar psychopathic priest walked into view.

"Well, well. We meet again! Glad you could make it." Freed greeted.

"Oh great, this psychopath." Issei growled.

The three only gave him a cold glare, and he shrugged a bit.

"Here's the thing. I pride myself on never having to fight a Devil more than once, and here you are, just rubbing it in!" He announced, licking his gun after pulling his weapons out.

"You're the worst." Koneko glared.

Having enough of him, Issei took a step closer to him.

"Where's Asia!?" He demanded.

"You mean that Devil loving whore of a sister? She's below us having some fun with Raynare, but you'll never get down there." Freed laughed.

Unfortunately, his eyes widened as Koneko chuckled one of the church benches towards him, which he narrowly dodged.

"Well, aren't you a strong little kitty?" He mocked.

"Piss off." Koneko replied, her aura amplifying in response to that last word.

Koneko grabbed the other benches, throwing them at the Stray Priest, while Kiba jumped into the air during the chaos, diving at Freed, and locking blades with him. After dodging a few of his gunshots, Kiba got up close go the insane exorcist.

"Alright, time for me to get serious about this." Kiba decided, his sword gaining a black glow around it.

"Is that it?" Freed mocked, swinging his blade forward.

The moment Kiba's blade touched freed, a few strings of darkness started to eat the holy light from the Stray Priest's blade, surprising the latter.

"What the hell is this?" Freed asked in shock.

"Is that a Sacred Gear?" Issei asked.

 **["It is, and it looks like one that's a perfect counter to Angels."]** Ddraig remarked.

Kiba smirked a little.

"You can call this the Holy Eraser, it's a sword of darkness that devours light." Kiba answered, slashing at Freed who dodges his sword.

As the insane priest landed...

**["BOOST!"]**

"Hey asshole!" Issei shouted, making Freed see him charging at him.

"I don't think so, enough of this bullshit!" Freed screamed.

He aimed his gun at Issei, who kept charging without even attempting to move out of the way. This caught his fellow Devils by surprise.

"Issei, get out of the way before-" Kiba warned.

Freed already fired, but to the surprise of everyone, the shots just bounced off.

Since he was actually aware of the fact, Issei used the fact he was Vali Queen to his advantage, and therefore couldn't be fatally wounded by holy light like most Devils.

"But how!?" Freed shouted in disbelief.

"Alright Ddraig, let's show him what happens when you mess with the power of the Welsh Dragon!" Issei exclaimed.

 **["My pleasure!"]** Ddraig agreed.

Issei screamed as he smashed a strong left hook into Freed's face, sending flying through the wall, and causing it collapse on him.

"Just a single boost..." Kiba breathed.

"You think I kill him?" Issei asked.

"Let's hope you did." Koneko commented, smashing the altar out of the way.

A flight of hidden stairs was revealed.

"Come on, let's hurry." She stated.

They all rush down the stairs, seeing Asia hanging on some cross shaped device, with Raynare standing by her. Filling the distance between them were multiple priests.

"Well, look who finally joined us, too bad you're too late!" Raynare smirked.

"Issei..." Asia said weakly, looking at him.

Immediately after she did, the cross glowed a bright green, making her scream as a pair of rings are ripped out of her body. Issei stared in horror as he saw it, despite everything they had gone through... they were too late.

"Finally, after lusting after this power for years, it's finally mine! All those pricks who screwed me over are soon going to regret it!" Raynare exclaimed, glowing with green energy.

"I don't have time for this!" Issei shouted.

He rushed towards Asia, prompting the priests to try and cut him down.

Issei dodged and punched any that got close, Kiba used his Holy Eraser to devour any blades that neared them, while Koneko smacked them around. Eventually, Issei saw a path to Asia reveal itself, and made it to her.

"I got what I need, you can have the little bitch." Raynare said, snapping her fingers.

The chains holding Asia disappeared, release her into Issei's arms.

"Don't worry, I've got you." Issei reassured her.

"And now, you can die with her!" Raynare shouted, preparing to a light spear.

Issei's eyes widened.

"Ddraig!" He shouted, focusing a pair of greaves in his mind.

**["BOOST!"]**

Issei's Boosted Gear became metal boots, using the boost to let him flip backwards, and evading the spear before it struck. Raynare growled at the act, while Issei prepared to rush out.

"Get him!" Raynare ordered.

As another priest prepared to strike him, but Kiba blocked his sword. Seeing this, Issei gasped, and then a second time as Koneko kicked away another priest trying to get him from the other side.

"Run, and get Asia to safety! We'll be fine!" Kiba said slashing another priest.

Issei stared at shock before tearing up a bit, and nodding.

"Thank you, my friends... I swear when this is over, I'll become so strong you'll never need to bail me out again!" Issei promised.

As he ran out of the room, Kiba and Koneko smiled at him.

* * *

Akeno threw up a barrier, blocking another flurry of light weapons, followed by Rias unleashing another burst of power to destroy some of their enemies. Unfortunately, Vali noticed the two of them were getting tired.

'Crap, at this rate they'll burn out!' Vali thought, sweating a bit.

"I bet your friends think you've dropped them like a bad face lift! After all, they're just as sacrificial the chess pieces you name them after, right?" The masked Fallen mocked.

"Nonsense, we'd never sacrifice any of our members. We're family." Akeno replied.

At that moment, the masked Fallen began laughing like a hyena.

"Oh really? That's funny considering how you trusted Yuuma, and yet she let that idiot die! That sounds like a sacrifice to me!" The masked fallen mocked.

Vali's eyes shrunk at that, before a familiar aura seeped out of her, scaring Rias and Akeno as they felt her anger.

"No one insults him... no one!" Vali exclaimed.

Still laughing, each of the Fallen Angels summoned two weapons of light, then threw them all towards the trio in unison.

"Vali, watch out!" Rias warned.

"No need, they've already guaranteed they'll die." Vali answered.

A huge surge of light surged out of Vali's body, smashing the light spears apart, and shocking everyone that saw it!

"Impossible, a Devil can't use Holy Light!" The masked Fallen exclaimed.

"That's where your wrong! There's a single bloodline that can, and if that doesn't give you enough of a clue? Then I think this will be enough to tell you everything!" Vali answered loudly.

She unfolded all twelve of her wings at that moment, causing Rias and Akeno to gasp at the sight.

"Only one bloodline of Devils has a total of twelve wings, and that bloodline is..." The Gremory Heiress realized, her eyes shaking at the sight.

Vali held out her hand, gathering all the light she created in it.

"My name is Valiana Lucifer, the great granddaughter of Lucifer and the Heiress of the Lucifer Clan!" She exclaimed.

Realizing her threat, all of the Fallen Angels tried to flee.

"And now, it's time for you to face the consequences of what you said about my Issei!" Vali screamed, holding her palm out.

"This can't be happening!" The Masked Fallen screamed.

Using the power of Holy Light merged with the purest form of the Sacred Darkness that she inherited through her blood, Vali released a blast of energy that easily overshadowed the Power of Destruction.

All of the Fallen Angels screamed as they were vaporized by the attack, which continued until it completely shattered Akeno's barrier.

"Vali, you're a..." Rias breathed out.

The silver-haired Devil chuckled before turning to the Gremory Heiress, smiling at her.

"I'll share the full story someday, but right now? I think your Knight and Rook might need some help." Vali promised, looking at the two.

* * *

Issei made it back upstairs, panting as he laid Asia down on one of the benches, followed by the Boosted Gear reverting into its default form.

"Hang in there Asia, once we get out it'll be OK... I promise!" Issei stated, taking her hand.

Asia weakly looks at him.

"That's it, you have to fight!" Issei encouraged her.

"I know it wasn't for very long, but... I'm blessed you were my first friend." Asia quietly said, surprising Issei a bit.

"W-what are you talking about?" Issei asked.

Asia began to cry a bit, unsure if they were sad tears, happy tears, or even a mix of both.

"When I was a baby, I... was left at the Vatican church by my real parents, either out of safety, or... because they didn't want me. The sweet nuns there raised me. One day, when I was about eight... a puppy that was hurt made it to the church, and I begged God to spare him. At that moment, a... miracle happened, and my power to heal... saved the puppy's life."

"Because of my power, I was... immediately taken to a larger church. Men and women... from all over the world came to... me, so I could heal them. To be able to help other people, I finally felt... I had a purpose, until one fateful day. I found an injured man, and... healed him without thinking of it, only... he had been a Devil. The moment people found this out, they told me anyone with such a power... was a heretic."

Issei's eyes widened once he heard that. They had kicked her out, all because she healed a Devil? By accident no less? That was... it wasn't fair at all! Asia was a good person, she only wanted to help people!

"Someone helped me... get away, so I ran... until I ended up here. But, I guess this is... the end for me. I wish it could be different, it would have been great to... live in this country, and go to school with you..." Asia sniffled, her eyes starting to close.

"Stop, don't talk like that! You can't give up!" Issei begged, starting to tear up.

He sniffled a bit, smiling at her.

"We'll be friends for a lot longer than this, you hear me? We can go do something like... karaoke, or I could teach you how to bowl! Then I could have you meet my buddies, and my cousins! You'd be great friends with them! Heck, even if my buddies are perverts, they're great guys once you warm up to them!" Issei began to cry, hoping he could make Asia hold on.

Unfortunately, she raised her hand to his cheek, rubbing it as she cried herself.

"Forgive me, for... making you cry Issei." Asia apologized.

Issei could only watch as Asia's hand went limp and fell to the ground.

Looking at her deceased form, while he saw it was smiling... he knew, he knew it was only to be strong for him. The whole time, she was crying on the inside.

"God, tell me why? Why did she have to die!? She was a healer, so why did you forsake her? Aren't you the one who teaches about forgiveness!? Didn't you ever hear the prayers of someone so innocent and kind? If you didn't... then why do people even call you a saint!? Are you punishing her because she befriended me, a Devil? If that's true, then Vali's right... you're just as horrible as Lucifer said you were!" Issei screamed in pain, hugging her tightly as he cried.

"Thank you! What you said there? That's exactly why Heaven split apart like it did."

Issei's eyes widen as he heard that voice, turning around to see Raynare staring at him. She had a satisfied smirk on her face, being very pleased to have heard him curse God's name like he did, while she healed herself with her stolen Sacred Gear.

Seeing her face, Issei's began to contort in rage.

"Shut up... You think you're any different? Even if God didn't spare her, you're the reason she's dead! Why couldn't of it have been you!?" Issei demanded furiously, his Sacred Gear glowing.

"I want her back!" Issei roared, making it glow even brighter.

**["BOOST!"]**

Raynare blinked before laughing at him, making him growl more.

"You think you can scare me, just because you have the Boosted Gear? " Raynare questioned.

She formed a jagged version of her purple light spear.

"I'm no fool to its weakness, so I'll just end this now!" Raynare announced, rushing at him.

"Then I'll take you down in an instant!" Issei shouted.

Raynare vanished from view, surprising Issei as he tried to find her.

At that moment, she reappeared behind him, forming another light spear, and throwing both into his legs. He screamed from the pain, all while Raynare smirked at him.

"Game, set, and match." Raynare declared, expecting Issei to keel over from it.

However, to her surprise, he simply shouted loudly before grabbing the light spears, and ripped them out of his legs. He panted a bit, tossing them to the side before looking at her with a glare rivaling a Dragon's.

"This is nothing compared to the pain that Asia went through!" Issei screamed.

"No way, this is impossible... that light should be burning you from the inside out! How are you even standing right now!?" Raynare shouted in disbelief.

Issei started to walk near her, making Raynare flinch as she stepped back.

"Ddraig, please... I don't care what it takes, but I beg of you..." Issei breathed heavily.

"Give me your strength!" He screamed to the sky.

 **「** **High School DxD HERO: Potential Awakened** **」**

At that moment, the light on the Boosted Gear's gem blasted out a massive amount of power, making rings of light to Raynare's horror.

"What is this?" Issei gasped.

**["Welsh Dragon: Balance Breaker!"]**

Issei's eyes widened, and a red armor began to cover his body. Once it covered him everywhere, the Boosted Gear had a replica appear on his right hand, before they both changed shape to match the armor.

 **["You did it, you've managed to achieve your Balance Breaker!"]** Ddraig exclaimed.

The Fallen Angel's face shook in horror, refusing to believe the sight before her was true.

"That's impossible, you can't have unlocked that power more than a few days ago... there's no way your will alone was enough to achieve the Balance Breaker! This is a trick!" She denied with all her strength.

Forming a dozen orbs of light, she swung them down with a scream, and they all hit Issei, making her smirk as she had finally killed him.

Unfortunately, he walked out of it unscathed.

"Is that all you've got?" He asked, sounding disappointed.

Raynare screamed in fear, suddenly trying to fly off, only for Issei to grab her faster than she could fly away.

**["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"]**

"You're not getting away bitch!" Issei shouted.

"No, I have... I have... I-" Raynare stuttered, her eyes shaking like crazy.

Issei pulled his hand back, his eyes glowing green like his Sacred Gear.

**["EXPLOSION!"]**

"This one's for Asia!" He screamed loudly.

He smashed his fist into Raynare's body, causing the overflow of Ddraig's power to blaze into her body, incinerating her to death as it was shot through the church's window. From outside, Yuuma was the first to see her sister's demise.

'No way, did Issei... beat her?' She gasped.

 **「** **Insert Song End** **」**

Issei panted as he saw the Twilight Healing floating towards the ground, and soon caught it in his hands, he felt everything catch up to him, and his legs finally collapsed.

Luckily, Kiba was there to catch him.

"Look at you, finishing things up on your own." Kiba praised.

"Thanks, what held you up?" Issei asked.

"Vali asked us to stay back, and let you fight her alone." Kiba answered.

Issei's eyes widened.

"Vali said that?" Issei said in shock.

"That's right Issei."

He turned to see the silver-haired Lucifer as she walked into view.

"I believed in you, and knew you would defeat her." Vali smiled.

"No way, did you know about this Ddraig?" Issei asked in shock.

 **["From the very start. The moment I awakened, there's been no doubt in my mind... you will become the greatest Sekiryuutei that will ever live."]** Ddraig confirmed, a slight grin on his face.

Issei's eyes watered, soon feeling Vali rub his cheek.

"Look at your Balance Breaker, it's proof of the faith me and Ddraig have in you. I've never been prouder of you than I am right now." She said with a bright smile, making Issei blush a bit.

That feeling quickly faded as he looked at the Twilight Healing in his hands, making everyone finally notice Asia, including Yuuma, Rias, and Akeno, who only just joined the others inside.

Issei knelt by the nun's deceased form, while Vali put the rings back on her hands.

"I'm... so sorry, Asia. I did everything I could, fought as... hard as possible, all to come and save you. Yet in the end... I failed!" Issei cried, prompting Vali to rub his back.

"You have nothing to apologize for, this world is still new to you. No one's blaming you... especially Asia." Vali reassured him, still rubbing his back.

He turned to look at her, tears still flowing out of his eyes like waterfalls.

"But, I... I..." Issei sobbed.

"And you haven't failed, not yet." Vali replied, taking out one of her Bishops.

Issei's eyes widened.

"She has so much left to live for. Also, I know more than anyone... what it's like to be alone in the world." Vali stated, picking up Asia's body.

Laying it across the ground, she placed the Bishop over her chest.

**"In the name of Valiana Lucifer, I call to Asia Argento. Hear my command! Return thy soul from the shadows of death to the human realm, and rise once more as my Devil retainer! Wake as my healer and clergyman!"**

The Bishop sinks into Asia's body, making her gasp for air as her eyes opened up. Looking around, she noticed Issei tearing up at her.

"Issei, am... I alive?" Asia asked in surprise.

She got her answer as Issei hugged her tightly, shedding happy years.

"Yes, and I'm so happy." Issei sniffled.

"Life really can have happy endings, if you really fight for them." Vali agreed, sniffling with him.

One by one, the others all smiled at the scene.

"Come on, let's all go home." Vali declared happily.

At that, everyone did, but before she followed them, Vali noticed Yuuma staring at the room.

"Yuuma, are you alright?" Vali asked.

"Y-yeah, I just... need a moment to, you know..." Yuuma answered.

Vali nodded, and followed the others as Yuuma kept staring at the place that had become her sister's deathbed.

* * *

The following day, Issei walked into the ORC room, seeing a tired Vali slumped against one of the two couches. Before her, a bunch of finished paperwork was placed out, making Issei chuckle ss he sat down on the opposite couch.

"Hey Vali, you still alive?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'll live... but this was exhausting." She sighed, undoing her slump.

Issei chuckled at that, soon giving a more serious look.

"Issei, is something wrong?" Vali asked.

Issei scratched his head, wondering how he should bring this up.

"Vali, if you don't mind me asking, why didn't you tell Rias you came from the Lucifer Clan at first? I mean, he's the top dog of Hell, so..." Issei wondered, hoping he wasn't crossing any lines with his question.

"Oh, well... forget it, I knew I'd have to tell you eventually, now's as good as time as any." Vali decided.

She stood up, sitting next to Issei.

"Long ago, when my great grandparents were creating Hell, Lucifer used an ability to create the life energies that would make every Devil, while Lilith in turn used a power to spread it out. Kinda like giving birth in a pollen dispersal method. However, there was only one child they conceived the natural way, his name was... Rizevim Livan Lucifer, who also just happens to be my grandfather."

"At first, many were overjoyed at the first heir of the Lucifer bloodline, but as time went on, Rizevim said that the nature of Devil's was to be evil... that wasn't what Lucifer had created their race over. He made it over freedom, a freedom he felt they had been denied by God, so for this line of thought, he disowned Rizevim, and took away the power that was his birthright as a Lucifer, casting him out of Hell with the warning to never return."

"By then, he had already found himself a wife, and then had a son. Before long, he met a Human woman, and then... I was born. However, he treated me like nothing but a tool, a weapon for his own purposes, and... he forced me to kill people using my power."

Vali brought her hands close, shivering at the blood they had spilled; while Issei's eyes widened, struggling to believe what he was hearing.

"Eventually, my mother, who had been the one who had supported me, and who I wanted to protect? She gave me the courage to finally refuse him, but when I did, he made sure I saw the consequences. Despite I hated my dad, he took him, and my mother, and then... traumatized me by forcing me to watch as he murdered them before my eyes. After that, I just ran away, somehow managing to escape... that's when Azazel found me, and then shortly after, met you." Vali revealed.

Issei looked at her, quickly hugging her close.

"Vali, you've been holding all of this in, for the past 11 years? This is why you have nightmares?" Issei asked.

"It wasn't that I wanted to hide it from you, it's just... sometimes, people don't want to talk about their pasts, because of all the things they don't want to remember." Vali answered him.

"Don't worry, I get it. That's why I'll tell you know, if that bastard ever comes back, then I'll bath myself in blood if it keeps you safe." Issei promised.

Vali's eyes water, smiling as she hugged Issei closer.

"Thank you Issei, I don't know how I deserved such a good friend like you, but I'm gonna make sure I repay what I've earned." Vali replied, wiping her tears.

"That's so sweet."

Both of them turned to see Asia, now wearing the Kuoh Academy uniform, wiping tears from her eyes.

"Please forgive me, I walked in a while ago, and didn't want to interrupt. Dear Lord, please show these two the path to..." Asia prayed.

"Wait, Asia! Don't-" Vali warned.

The Bishop of Lucifer cried out as the prayer resulted in her feeling like a knife stabbed right through her head.

"Sorry Asia, I probably should had warned you that prayers are harmful to Devils." Vali apologized.

Asia rubbed her head, getting back on her feet.

"Asia, do you regret I revived you as a Devil?" Vali asked.

"I don't have any regrets at all, because now we can all be friends forever." Asia smiled.

The Lucifer heiress smiled at that.

"Hey, wait a second, that outfit... are you now a student here, Asia?" Issei asked.

"That's right."

Issei turned to see Rias walk into the room.

"My dad's part of the administration for the school, so I was able to get her enrolled as a First-Year student without much of an issue." The red-haired heiress explained.

"I was wondering how I got in here so easy, I better thank my mom later." Vali remarked.

After a bit, the others all arrived, with Akeno rolling in a cake with the Lucifer clan symbol, the Gremory team's way of officially welcoming their new friends. As they all celebrated, none of them were aware of a phoenix watching from the window.

Looking through its eyes, a man sitting on a couch in a dark room was seen, with fifteen women surrounding him.

"Wasn't that a sweet ending... gag me." He stated, soon giving something of an evil laugh.

* * *

**I hope no one minds that a majority of the scenes between Freed's appearance and Asia's rescue were removed. I just figured that since Issei's part of Vali's peerage, who has indirect ties to Grigori through her "Uncle Azazel", plus Yuuma and Raynare's split, that it would be a lot easier to skip over the initial issues in trying to rescue Asia. That, and I feel that after the incident with Freed, it didn't make sense for them to wait an entire day.**

**Well, Issei's finally achieved his Balance Breaker, and he did it incredibly fast. Now that both he and Vali have them, some future battles will really heat up, so be ready for them. Vali's also revealed the Lucifer Clan's ability: Ethereal Twilight, which I'll say is best described as mixture of the Power of Destruction, Worthlessness, and Power of Hole, only much stronger, and with powers of its own.**

**And finally, now you know why Asia's a major character in the story, because I planned for her to become Vali's Bishop. The novels revealed there's another healer that Rias could have on her team, so I felt it made more sense for Asia to stick with Issei, leading to her joing Vali's peerage. With this chapter, the Raynare arc is finally over, and next up is the Riser arc... where the rest of Vali's peerage will finally appear!**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

**A/N: In this story, the wings of Issei's Scale Mail are the same ones from his Cardinal Crimson Promotion.**

* * *

**Vali's Peerage** **:**

**King - Valiana Lucifer**   
**Queen - Issei Hyoudou**   
**Bishops - ?, Asia Argento**   
**Knights - ?, Unclaimed Knight**   
**Rooks - ?, ? (Mutation Piece: x2 Multiplier)**   
**Pawns - Eight Unclaimed Pawns**

* * *

**Rias' Peerage** **:**

**King - Rias Gremory**   
**Queen - Akeno Himejima**   
**Bishops - Gasper Vladi (Mutated Piece: x4 Multiplier, Sealed), ? (Mutation Piece: x6 Multiplier, Sealed)**   
**Knights - Kiba Yuuto, Unclaimed Knight**   
**Rooks - Koneko Toujou, Unclaimed Rook**   
**Pawns - Eight Unclaimed Pawns**

* * *

**Bust Size of New Female Characters** **:**

**None**

* * *

**Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter** **:**

**None**

* * *

**Pairings List** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Best Friends  
Ddraig/Albion - Married**


	5. Chapter 5

**It's time to start the Riser arc! First thing to announce, the rest of Vali's peerage will finally be showing up, having finally found their way to Kuoh... though they may not be thrilled by how she left them behind ^^; *chuckles* As most of you already guessed it, her peerage is the Vali Team with the exceptions of Fenrir and Gogmagog, who will not be joining them for reasons I can't say due to heavy spoilers.**

**Since Kuroka will be showing up, you might be wondering how this effects Koneko's story arc? Well, the answer to that is it'll be resolved much earlier than in canon, as I honestly don't find it realistic for either of them to just ignore each other until the Volume 5 adaption. For now, all I'll say is that Vali managed to prove killing her master was out of self-defense, but that news hasn't reached Rias or her group.**

**With Rias' group being secondary characters in the story, the only story arc among their ranks I find necessary to happen the same way are Kiba and Gasper's, so how this will affect Akeno's? I can't say anything now, other than you'll get an answer sooner than you think, but I can say that she's still a Human/Fallen Angel hybrid, since she wouldn't be Akeno otherwise.**

**Oh, since I brought up Kiba, I should mention that seeing Caliburn won't set him off. While it is a Holy Sword, I'm having the story treat Kiba as not knowing what Caliburn looks like, so it can't give him the same reaction as the one in the picture of a young Issei and Irina. Basically, as long as Arthur doesn't use the sword's holy element, which this arc won't let him use because he's not trying to kill, nothing will happen... yet.**

**Following that, I should explain two important details relating to Bikou and Kuroka that apply to this story. Starting with Bikou, his detail is that he isn't a Monkey Youkai, but a Monkey _Man_ , which is a different species due to how Youkai work in this story. As such, Bikou doesn't use Chi, but a different power source. The good news is this actually makes him _stronger_ than in canon :)**

**Kuroka's is the same as Koneko's, which is that this version of her has a different appearance than her canon self, though hers is much closer to her canon design, along with a very different personality. This is due to the circumstances of how Kuroka joined Vali in this story compared to canon, what occurred when she killed her master, and even how she and Koneko became orphans in the first place.**

**And while this is a bit more of a minor detail, I still feel that I should say it. Vali's elemental affinity is light, a reference to how the Lucifer Clan's the only bloodline of Devils who can use Holy Light, along with Vali's idealism due to Issei's influence on her. While she'll be using it through her power's unique twilight aspect due to how intertwined it is with her Sacred Darkness, the light half is stronger, just as Issei will have a fire affinity for the same reason.**

**The last thing I'll say before I begin? How strong Issei's become due to achieving his Balance Breaker. As he's still only strong by Human terms, he's slightly stronger than was when he fought Kuroka. There are two main reasons for this, the first being his lack of experience, and the second being he only knows how to use magic for jumping through magic circles. Luckily, those can be fixed, so he'll catch up soon enough.**

**Now, let's get this chapter started!**

**P.S: Le Fay also looks different, but its just her looking slightly older and with her hair uncurled to go a bit past her shoulders.**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

**[]** \- Ddraig Talking

**«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

**「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

**【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

**⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

**Ethereal Twilight**

**The most powerful ability among those wielded by the Devil Clans, being the ability of the Lucifer Clan. When Lucifer created the Devils, he did heavy study on the nature of the Sacred Darkness, eventually discovering the blessing it gave him. This is when he first discovered this power, which turned him into a Devil, and gave him the idea to give each Devil bloodline their own unique power.**

**As it was the first Devil Clan ability, some of its powers were made into other Devil abilities. These abilities are the Power of Destruction, given to the Bael Clan due to ranking at the top of the 72 Pillars; the Power of Hole, given to the Abaddon Clan for being the Extra Devil that should have served the Satan Clan; and the Worthlessness, given to the Belial Clan due to their lower number among the pillars deceiving their Clan's full strength.**

**This ability's only known user, Valiana Lucifer, has shown that its an incredibly powerful ability, making the Power of Destruction looked weak in comparison. Also, she's shown it even has some powers of its own, which most likely come from it having the Lucifer Clan's unique power to be the only Devils who can use Holy Light, and the fusion between it and the Devil King's purest form of Sacred Darkness.**

**Being the current Heiress of Lucifer, this power is a reminder to Vali of the legacy she carries, and the dreams that she's fighting for.**

* * *

**_Season 1, Riser Arc: Chapter 1 – Reunions and Regrets_ **

Vali was seen sleeping inside her room, the sound of light breathing coming from as she was induced in her blissful slumber. However, that would quickly change, as she made a troubled looking face, an intense dream suddenly overwhelming her.

"You will not... defeat me here... Elohim" Vali whispered, starting to sweat a little.

The Lucifer heiress held her blanket closer.

* * *

_Deep within the reaches of the sky, two streaks were smashing against each other, one being black, and the other being white. Both paused in midair, faded away to reveal the ones who created them._

_The first was a young man with the same silvery-white hair as Vali, somewhat resembling her if she were male, her hair only reached up to her shoulders, and if her eyes were a bright shade of red. He wore a black leather jacket, with several white tears in it, dark blue jean shorts that were all torn up everywhere, with the right sleeve being slightly smaller, and a metallic red necklace with a charm of the Lucifer Clan's crest on it._

_The second was a slightly older, but still somewhat young man, with shaggy, reddish-brown hair, and eyes that were a vivid white. He wore a gold-colored robe, which was decorated with multiple red accents, along with white symbols in the form of crosses, angel wings, halo circles, and a white four-pointed star. In his hand, he held a wooden staff with a mystical shape to it._

_"You will not defeat me here, Elohim!" The Devil King shouted, unleashing powerful streams of darkness at his father._

_God spun his staff, blocking the attack._

_"Wrong, this is where you'll fall, Lucifer!" He challenged._

_At that moment, the two charged their signature abilities in their hands, prompting their wings to pop out. Each of them had twelve, but unlike most of their kind, Lucifer's wings had a dark silver glimmer, while God's had a light golden hue._

_In the case of God's attack, it was blinding white light that gave off an iridescent sheen with a fiery look. For Lucifer's attack, it was a mixture of the same thing (minus the fiery aspect), and a pure dark energy that resembled a clear night sky, filled with twinkling stars._

_" **Ethereal Twilight!** "_

_" **Blazing Dawn!** "_

_The light unleashed itself as a majestic-looking Dragon, and the twilight as a mix of that (minus the fiery aspect) and a mutant-looking dragon, before colliding with one another. The two opposing deities continued screaming, trying to destroy the other for good._

_However, such a result would never happen._

_*ROAR*_

_Within their attacks, the sight of a strange six-eyed symbol appeared, and before either of them realized it... a strange monster suddenly roared, catching the two by surprise as it attacked them both. Falling towards the ground, both God and Lucifer could only wonder at what had just interrupted their battle._

* * *

Vali's eyes suddenly widened, and she shot up in surprise, panting as she woke up from her dream. This also awakened Albion, who flashed on her right arm in response.

**("Vali, are you alright?")** Albion asked.

"Yeah, I think I just had a weird dream wake me up." Vali answered, rubbing the side of her head.

**("What was it about?")** Albion asked.

Vali was about to answer, but when she tried... nothing! It was like the entire dream she just had just flew through her head, and she didn't actually dream it, leaving her completely stumped.

"I... don't know, I must have already forgotten it." Vali asked.

Albion wasn't sure what to say, but then he remembered that when it came to dreams, their logic was similar to the Dimensional Gap.

**("Maybe so. For now, let's just get back to sleep.")** Albion decided.

"Alright, goodnight Albion." Vali agreed, laying back down.

With that, the duo went right back to sleep.

While Vali didn't face any other issues during her slumber, she was still blissfully unaware of the real message behind that dream, and how it would matter in the coming months.

* * *

As had become the recent norm, Issei went to the Occult Research Club after school. Despite he and Vali weren't actual members for a reason she and Rias seemed to be hiding from him, he had come to really bond with the members. While everyone had their odd quirks, like Koneko's constant snacking, Akeno being a big flirt, and Rias being a big "Japanophile" as he put it... he was honestly enjoying his time there.

Upon going inside, he noticed a familiar pair of clothes being hung across a clothesline, making him rub his eyes at the sight of what he was sure had been Asia's habit, hood, and her white-colored underwear. Hearing a sound in the shower, he suddenly blushed as a certain thought entered his mind.

"Wait, is she... oh man, what do I do!? This isn't a situation I should be in! Uh... come on Issei, think!" He panicked.

He suddenly got hit by a fake lobster, making him rub his head as Koneko gave him a flat stare.

"Here's an idea, you could look away from the shower?" Koneko replied, stating the obvious answer.

"Oh, uh... yeah, I knew that!" Issei chuckled embarrassingly.

At that moment, the one inside the shower revealed themselves as a still damp Asia, wrapped in a pink towel. She soon noticed Issei with Koneko.

"Hey, is that you Issei?" She asked.

Issei's face went red, and he turned his head to answer, until Koneko stopped him.

"I wouldn't do that." Koneko advised.

He freaked again, turning it back before he saw her.

"Oh no, am I making you uncomfortable?" Asia asked.

"N-no, I'm just trying to respect your privacy! I mean, I haven't even seen Vali naked yet... wait, that didn't come out right!" Issei answered.

Koneko started eating a large donut, finding the situation amusing.

"I'm sorry, but if it helps make you more comfortable, Vali's giving me a temporary place in her old house." Asia apologized, smiling a bit.

Issei nodded at that while he covered his face, only unveiling them after Asia let him know she finished changing.

Around that same time, Vali and Rias finally came in.

"Hey, did we miss anything?" Vali asked.

"Nope." Koneko lied, already eating her third donut.

Vali blinked a bit before shrugging, soon walking towards Issei as she took his hand, pulling him somewhere.

"Whoa! Vali, what's the rush?" Issei asked.

"There's something I wanna show you since you're my Queen, and Rias just happens to have it here." Vali explained.

"Oh, well if it's important, then sure." He replied.

With that being said, Rias lead them both to a certain room. When he walked in, Issei saw some small statues representing six people, three of them being men, and the other three being women. As he looked, the two peerage leaders sat in a seiza stance, making a prayer motion.

"Vali, Rias, who... are these guys?" Issei asked.

"They're six of the seven most important people to all Devil kind, and... the ones who gave up their lives for it." Rias answered.

"Wait, seven... if Lucifer's one of seven, then that would mean they're-"

Issei may have not been that versed in Christianity, aside from what Irina's family had told him about Heaven, there was one thing about the religion that most people knew about... the Seven Deadly Sins.

If Lucifer was pride, these must have been the Devils tied to the remaining sins.

"That's right, these are Devils assigned to the Seven Deadly Sins, and the Devils who ever earned the title of Maou, or Devil Kings as some of our people call it." Vali confirmed.

Vali pointed to the female statues, then the male statues.

"These three are Leviathan, who represented Envy; Belphegor, who represented Sloth; and Asmodeus, who represented Lust. While the others are Beelzebub, who represented Gluttony; Mammon, who represented Greed; and the last one?" Vali explained, unsure on how to reveal the last of the Maou.

"Wait, if I remember right, the only sin left is Wrath. That sin is represented by..." Issei mused in response.

His eyes soon widened, realizing a conflict of info.

"Wait... that's Satan! Now I'm confused, isn't that the title your Great Grandfather has?" Issei wondered, holding his head a bit.

Vali sighed, looking at Issei while she shook her head.

"No, that's just an error made by Humans who believe they're the same, but they're not." Vali explained.

The Sekiryuutei's eyes widened.

"Ddraig, are... are they telling the truth?" Issei asked.

**["They are."]** Ddraig confirmed.

Hearing that, Issei put his hands on their backs as he looked at them.

"So, what killed them all? I don't how such powerful beings could have been killed like they were." Issei asked.

"No one knows what killed Satan, except for Lucifer, Lucifuge, and Lilith... only they have no desire to talk about it. The others were all killed during the Great War." Rias explained.

"Great War?" Issei repeated in confusion.

Vali's eyes widened, realizing she had forgotten to explain that, and then looked at him.

"Issei, remember when I told you I wasn't ready to explain why the Devils are endangered right now?" Vali inquired.

Hearing that, it didn't take him long to realize they were related.

"If you're still not ready, you don't need to tell me yet, I can wait... in fact, I kind of want to." Issei responded.

"Deal." Vali agreed, pointing at him with a nod.

As they walked out, Vali suddenly remembered something else she had to tell Issei.

"Oh yeah, Issei?" She remarked.

"What is it?" He replied.

"Can you set your alarm for about... 4:30 tomorrow?" Vali asked.

His eyes widened, while Rias snickered a bit, walking out of the room without the two noticing.

"That's nuts! Why would you need me to wake up that early?" Issei questioned.

"Early morning training. While you did defeat Raynare, her group knew your Boosted Gear's weakness, and you only really won because she dropped her guard. Your Balance Breaker can only help so much at your current level." Vali explained.

"Oh, so this is to help me overcome that weakness." Issei realized.

"That, and I think I should teach you a few more ways you can use magic on a daily basis, as jumping through magic circles isn't the only thing you should do." Vali added.

Issei blinked at that, remembering what Ddraig had mentioned about him and Chi.

"Wait, didn't Ddraig say-" Issei reminded her.

"Because of how prominent magic is, and how the other forms of energy work is the same, but through different means? It's easier to use the term magic for the things they can all do."

Hearing that, Issei's mouth widened as he nodded his head.

"I get it, and that is easier than remembering a different term for everything." He remarked.

"Yep." Vali replied, a smile on her face.

After saying that, Issei went to go prepare for another pact, while the Hakuryuukou went to tell Asia about moving her stuff.

* * *

The next day came, and Issei was already seen outside with Vali, who was riding behind him on his bike.

"You're still not much stronger than a Human since becoming a Devil, so your current skills should be judged based on that. First, how far can you usually run?" Vali asked.

"I'd say about... 5 kilometers? How good is that?" Issei asked.

Vali trailed off for a moment, making a sound as she thought. Issei already had a good idea on what her answer might be.

"For a Devil, I'd say that's fairly low. The norms for a Devil is around 20 kilometers." Vali answered.

"Knew it..." Issei's head fell at that answer.

Vali sweat dropped a bit, followed by a forced laugh.

"Chin up, I had to get there myself from training under Valkyries, and you've done this for years. Catching up should be simple. Plus, this also helps with drawing out your inner strength." Vali reassured him.

"Uh... how does that help?" Issei asked.

"I'm not sure, my teacher would never tell me when I asked, while her daughter was always... groaning over work." Vali answered, trailing off as she remembered it.

For obvious reasons, Issei decided not to ask about it.

After another half hour, Vali parked her bike, and whistled with her fingers. This caught Issei's attention as he stopped, panting as Vali tossed him his water bottle.

"Your warm up is over, so let's start working on your magical ability." Vali stated.

"Alright." Issei guzzled his water before replying.

Heading into the park, Vali sat on the ground near the monkey bars. Issei quickly followed, sitting across her as she removed her sport's jacket, making Issei blush briefly as the sweat glistened off her beautiful marvel of a body, and her skin's healthy pale color, which perfectly complimented her hair.

It took her a moment to realize Issei was staring at her, blinking at him in slight confusion.

"Uh... Issei, why are you blushing?" Vali asked.

"You're a bit sweaty right now, gained a bombshell body over the last seven years, and I'm a teenage boy. Even I can't avoid my hormones right now, I'm sorry!" Issei apologized, covering his eyes.

Vali blushed at that, and in response to his words... she noticed Issei in the same manner, noticing the sweat glistening off his lean and toned body, emphasizing his muscles.

Blushing briefly herself, she quickly turned her head.

"Uh... no, it's fine. Most boys would just keep looking for free eye candy. So, thank you for admitting it." Vali replied, still red in the cheeks.

Issei scratched his cheek, briefly glancing at her.

"I will admit, you... truly look beautiful." He confessed.

"T-thank you, and... I can see why you're considered a Prince of Kuoh." She replied.

Clearing her throat, she looked at Issei as she held out a near empty water bottle.

"Visualization is the essence of all magic, as we use the images in our mind, then focus our imagination to make it real. Basically, the power of magic is the power of mental energy." Vali explained.

"So, the same way most video games define it?" Issei summarized it.

"Pretty much. Now, watch this." Vali requested, holding her right hand over the near empty bottle she was holding.

The water bubbled for a moment, before it thrust out as frozen spikes of ice! That alone was impressive, but Issei was sure there was more ice than there had been water, meaning she didn't just freeze it...

"Not only did you do it so quickly, but it's like you made more water!" Issei gasped.

Vali giggled, tossing the bottle into the nearby trash.

"And you will be too, once you figure out how to channel your innate strengths. Things like lemental manipulation of fire, water, wind, earth, lightning, ice, darkness, and light, or maybe even something more formed from Ddraig's power." Vali smiled with confidence.

"Well, if you have that high of hopes for me, then who am I to let you down?" Issei replied, a fire lit in his eyes.

Vali giggled at that, though soon noticed Issei look at her curiously.

"Something wrong?" She asked.

Issei tried to figure out how he should word his next reply.

"Well, you mention Magic as being different from Chi, so do you think you can explain why?" Issei asked.

Vali blushed at that, once again realizing a supernatural detail she forgot to tell him about.

"I'm sorry, let me explain that right now!" Vali apologized.

'She's so cute like that.' Issei thought.

Vali held out her hands, then formed a large sphere of energy between them.

"There are three types of primordial energies in this world. The first is Magic, sometimes called Mana, which is the energy that the Christian Pantheon is most connected with, and the one I'm able to use." Vali explained.

She dispelled the sphere, and then held up her left pointer finger, which created a marble-sized sphere above it.

"The second is Chi, sometimes called Chakra. This is energy is tied best to the Shinto Pantheon, and the most likely reason you can use it comes from you having strong Japanese heritage in your veins. Where magic needs the mind, Chi is focused on the body." Vali explained.

"And based on this, you're not good with using it?" Issei inquired.

"Not at all. While some of my peerage can use Chi, it isn't something I can use. To be honest, I can only use Magic, and using only one energy is true of most. The most common people to use more are Humans, which is more of a hit or miss, and the Dragons, who are made from all three." Vali answered.

Issei flinched at that.

"Seriously?" Issei asked.

"Yep, and they always use all three at once because they're pure energy in living form, hence why Dragons are considered the strongest supernatural race in the world." Vali confirmed.

"Whoa..." He breathed.

After finishing that, Vali held her other pointer finger up, but this time it only sparked out some energy.

"And then the last is Prana, sometimes called Vayu. This energy is best tied to the Hindu Pantheon, and is also the strongest among the three, but also hardest to learn, with Chi being more middle ground in both areas. Prana is so strong because it manipulates life force from ourselves, the nature surrounding us, and the stardust that makes all life." Vali explained.

"Is that why you only made sparks?" Issei assumed.

Vali nodded her head, putting her fingers back down.

"Prana is sometimes called Vayu because of other forms tied to it that I'm not completely versed in. Those forms are Apana, Udana, Samana, and Vyana... and that's pretty much it for this small history lesson." Vali finished.

Issei nodded his head.

"So, are their any limits to what they can do?" Issei asked.

"Yes and no. There's limits to what you can outright do, like bending reality, but not to what you can try accomplishing. Think of these leaning more to the potential of diversity, rather than possibilities... I think that's how you could best describe it?" Vali answered best she could.

Hearing this, the Sekiryuutei just shrugged his arms.

"Well, guess I should try making a sphere?" Issei suggested.

"I can't teach you Chi until my peerage arrives, so let's see how you can do until then." The Hakuryuukou replied.

Issei held his hand out, trying his best to focus.

"We're here!"

Both of them turned, with Issei losing the focus he was trying to build, as Asia ran towards them. She was wearing her habit, and the signature silver cross that fit with her last name. In her hands, a small picnic basket was seen.

"Hey Asia, you made it." Vali waved.

"So sorry that I'm late! I swear, I won't let it happen a-" Asia greeted.

And then she tripped, surprising them.

"Oh god, are you alright!?" Vali asked worriedly, helping her up.

"Yeah... though I don't think I should be running and talking at the same time." Asia answered.

As he saw the scene, Ddraig began to wonder how she kept tripping.

**['I'm worried about her future...']** Ddraig thought, motioning his eyes to his side.

Issei quickly went to help her up.

"There you go." He smiled.

She shyly blushed at that, before Issei looked at Vali.

"Wait a second, did Asia just say that _we're_ here? Like she had someone else with her." He inquired.

"She did, because I have a surprise." Vali smiled.

Right as that happened, rustling was heard around the bushes as she saw a leaf covered Yuuma walk into view.

"Wait... Yuuma? What are you doing here?" Issei asked.

Yuuma blushed a bit, turning around.

"Because of... this." She answered, blushing embarrassingly.

Yuuma held up two red Pawns, making Issei's eyes widen as he turned towards Vali, who nodded her head.

"You added her to your peerage?" Issei asked.

"I did. After her sister died, she was wandering around Kuoh, up until I ran into her the other day." Vali verified.

"After what happened with my sister, I... felt so lost. After finding me, Vali offered me a spot in her peerage, and my father didn't have much issue due to how Evil Pieces work on pureblooded members of the Four Great Powers." Yuuma explained.

Issei blinked a bit, so Vali walked over to him.

"Evil Pieces, and the three variants the other Christian Pantheon races use, can't transform pureblooded members of the other races. It has to due to with the holy light and sacred darkness." Vali explained.

"Oh, so Yuuma didn't become a Devil like me and Asia." He replied.

As Vali nodded her head, the trio saw Yuuma give them a quick bow to the Queen and Bishop of Lucifer.

"P-p-please take care of me from here on out, Issei, and Asia..." She requested.

Vali smiled, patting the timid Fallen Angel's back.

"She'll also be watching Asia in my old house, along with the rest of my peerage... when they finally get here" Vali stated, giving an awkward chuckle at the last bit.

At that moment, a magic circle appeared by her ear. Listening to it, her eyes widened in surprise, getting trio's attention. After about another few seconds passed, it disappeared, prompting Vali to look at them.

"Which happens to be... today!" Vali exclaimed, a big smile on her face.

"You mean they're finally here? Where are we meeting them?" Issei asked, looking excited.

Vali gave a slight giggle, pointing at Kuoh Academy.

* * *

After the Lucifer Team made it back into the Occult Research Club, and just in time for an octagon-shaped magic circle to appear, with a group of four inside of it.

The first was the one who made the magic circle, being a beautiful, and attractive young woman with a voluptuous figure, long black hair that reached a bit past the top of her thighs, and Hazel-Gold eyes. Her attire consisted of a black strapped dress with short sleeves below her shoulders, and red jeans shorts with yellow lining.

The second was a girl that had slightly past shoulder length blonde hair, topped by a blue witch hat, a matching cape with pink flowers, and a white interior. She wore a Japanese school girl uniform consisting of a grey blazer with blue plaid accents over a white dress shirt with a black tie, a black skirt, and old-fashioned brown boots.

The third was a young man with blonde hair, and dressed in a business suit. A powerful looking sword was sheathed to his side, and upon seeing it, Issei sensed the incredible power it emanated.

Then finally, the last one was a man with short brown hair that had some traits resembling a monkey, dressed in ancient Chinese armor. Yuuma recognized it as armor that was used during the Three Kingdoms period, and a replica of the Ruyi Jingu Bang was in his hand.

"You guys finally made it!" Vali shouted happily.

"Yeah, after you created a magic circle, left us in alone in Okinawa, and rushed ahead to meet your childhood friend without even leaving us directions!" The brown-haired man replied, giving her a look.

Vali blinked a few times before giving a nervous laugh, looking away from them.

"Yeah... I deserved that one." Vali replied.

Taking a moment to let her laugh play out, the Lucifer Heiress soon motioned her hands to Issei, Asia, and Yuuma.

"Anyways I'd like all of you to meet your new teammates." She smiled.

They all looked at the trio.

"Wait, isn't that one of Penemue's kids?" The brown-haired man asked.

Yuuma nodded, shyly waving to him.

"On the left is my second Bishop, Asia Argento. The one on the right is two of my Pawns, Yuuma Amano. Then there's my childhood friend and my Queen, Issei Hyoudou." Vali introduced.

Issei waved at them, as did Asia.

"It's nice to meet you." Asia greeted.

"Hey there." Issei replied.

Vali soon turned around, motioning to the four newcomers.

"Now for introductions on your side. This little blonde ball of sunshine is Le Fay Pendragon, a powerful wizard from the Pendragon family, and my first Bishop." Le Fay gave a bright smile at the trio.

"The other blonde with the serious look and glasses is her older brother, Arthur Pendragon. He's a powerful swordsman, current wielder of Caliburn, and my Knight." Arthur folded an arm over his chest as he bowed.

"For our resident joker, his name's Bikou. He's the Monkey Man descendant of Sun Wukong, the victorious fighting Buddha, and my first Rook." Bikou saluted playfully, revealing his monkey traits for a brief moment.

"And last but not least, we have the one I told Issei required my Mutation Piece, Kuroka. A former SS-Clay Stray Devil, and a powerful Nekoshou, which are the most powerful clan of Nekomata... while also being the most endangered."

Kuroka suddenly appeared in front of Issei, surprising the Sekiryuutei, while Vali's eyes widened at how fast she got there.

"So, this is the childhood friend who has the power of a Dragon? You definitely found a nice boyfriend." Kuroka teased, making Vali blush.

Issei also blushed, sputtering as he started twitching a bit.

"B-boyfriend!? No, we're not like that at all, w-we're just friends!" Vali remarked loudly, waving her hands out in response.

Seeing their reactions, Kuroka shook her head. It was too obvious for her that the two had chemistry, even if they didn't know it themselves.

"Right... totally not your boyfriend, considering you two are both blushing!" Kuroka giggled playfully.

"Kuroka!" Vali shouted.

The Nekoshou kept giggling a bit, accidentally popping out her cat ears, and both her tails. Open noticing this, Vali grabbed her tails... then pulled them both into the air. Kuroka gave a painful meow, whimpering a bit as she rubbed them.

"Will you behave now?" Vali asked.

"Yes ma'am..." She promised, still whimpering from the pain.

Vali smiled a bit, rubbing her head.

"W-wow, you've got a really diverse group here, did you meet them all when you were on your training journey?" Issei asked, still a little shaky by Kuroka's earlier scream.

"Yeah, I met Bikou while in China, and the Pendragon twins while in England. Kuroka on the other hand? I met her in Hell, where I proved her innocent of the crimes that made her a Stray." Vali explained.

"Not to mention, Bikou gives you someone who can use Prana, and Kuroka's got you covered in the Chi department." Yuuma mentioned.

Issei chuckled a bit, looking at them.

"It's pretty cool to see people other than reincarnated Devils. I mean, a Cat Youkai, a Buddha's descendant, and a Magician?" Issei remarked.

"Actually, I think that Akeno, and Koneko were formerly something other than Human." Vali answered.

At that mentioned of that name, Kuroka's eyes briefly flashed with shock. At that same moment, the door opened to see Rias' group walk inside, making the Black Nekoshou disappear without anyone's notice.

"Hello, I got your message." Rias greeted.

"Ah, nice timing Rias, they're already arrived.

Rias and her group looked at them, with Le Fay waving high to them.

"Hi." Le Fay greeted.

Rias looked quite impressed with her group, and quickly smiled at them.

"It's very nice to meet all of you. I'm Rias Gremory, heir to the house of Gremory." Rias introduced.

"Hey." Bikou remarked.

"A pleasure to meet you, Lady Rias." Arthur greeted in respect.

"It's great to meet you as well." Le Fay said cheerfully.

It took a moment for Vali to realize that Kuroka hadn't replied, which finally made her realize the Black Nekoshou was missing.

"That's odd, where'd Kuroka go?" She questioned.

Everyone in Rias' peerage slightly flinched at that name... except for Koneko, who suddenly began shaking at the mention of it.

"Hmm? Koneko, is something wrong?" Vali looked at her, confused by her shaking.

The white-haired Rook took a few steps backwards, and then ran outside, confusing the Lucifer heiress even further.

"Uh... what just happened?" Issei asked.

"I have no idea." Yuuma replied.

At that moment, Rias rushed up close to Vali, shaking her slightly.

"Vali, why is Koneko's older sister in your peerage!?" Rias demanded.

Vali's eyes stayed as they were for a few seconds, before suddenly growing wide from the revelation she just received. Everyone in her peerage gave their own reactions of surprise, while the rest of Vali's peerage all yelled in shock.

"W-wait, so Koneko is Shirone? She's the little sister Kuroka's told me about!?" Vali shouted.

Taking a deep breath, Vali grabbed Rias' shoulders, forcing her to sit down on the ground to the surprise of the Gremory heiress.

"Rias, go have your familiar go look for Koneko, because I need to explain something to you... something that I don't think you're aware of." Vali stated.

The Gremory heiress saw the seriousness in her face, and just sat there silently.

"First, to those who don't know the story... Koneko's real name is Shirone, and the younger sister of Kuroka. The two of them are the only Nekoshou left in the entire world. A long time ago, these two became orphans, having only each other as they were left homeless for some time. Eventually, a Devil from the Naberius Clan picked them up, and Kuroka joined his peerage as both of his Bishops."

"For many years, most Devils believed that her hidden power overflowed, and drove her mad enough to kill her master, a theory only given more credence by the fact that those who use the power of Senjutsu, something natural for Youkai, can corrupt them. That's what led to her being an SS-Class Stay, forced to wipe out an entire pursuit force sent after her, just to survive until she could reunite with her sister." Vali explained.

Issei quickly realized where she was going.

"That's not the real story, is it?" He remarked, piecing the puzzle together.

Vali shook her head, giving a somewhat somber look.

"The real story is something much darker. The Naberius Clan is known for their study of genetics and the science in manipulating it, as long as they don't go too far. However, the Naberius Clan member that was their master freely perverted this study, and in the process... he mutated his entire peerage into monsters, all of which were suffering so much, they begged Kuroka to kill them, and end their suffering." Vali revealed, her eyes shaking.

Everyone gasped at that horrible reveal, with Yuuma outright dry heaving from it.

"Kuroka didn't want to do anything at first. She didn't think she had to be involved in anything of the sort, but that all changed one day... that was the day he decided to make her own sister his next experiment." Vali continued, exposing even more of the horrible the Black Nekoshou lived through.

"If she was after Koneko, then that would mean..." Rias realized.

Vali nodded, looking sadly at the ground.

"Kuroka finally had to act. She started by ending the lives of his suffering peerage, and then killed her master, eventually leading to where things are now. It wasn't until 2 years ago, when I was in Hell, that I saw an inconsistency in the story. The fact she _only_ killed her master, but not everyone she could, including her own sister. I intercepted a pursuit force going after her, and then found the evidence that proved her innocence, which lead to her joining my peerage."

Rias felt horrible as she lowered her head, now feeling full of regret, only for Vali to tap her forehead.

"Koneko may not know truth, but it's not too late to save the bond they share. Don't you think having her sister back in her life is a good thing for her?" Vali asked.

"Vali..." Rias breathed, soon taking a deep breath.

She got on her feet.

"You're right, because deep down... I think she just wishes things could be like they used to with her sister." The Gremory heiress stated with resolve.

Vali smiled at that, having a good feeling that both sisters would finally move on from their pasts.

* * *

Around an hour later, everyone was in the ORC, with both of the Nekoshou sisters having been brought back. Ultimately, both peerages decided that they weren't ready to make up, and asked them to at least accept the other was present.

They consented, but refused to be near each other for the time being.

"Well, I'm not sure how much, but... we helped make some kind of progress between them, right?" Issei questioned.

"Based on how Kuroka ran away at first, I'd say we did." Le Fay answered.

The Sekiryuutei sighed in relief, making the Hakuryuukou giggle a bit. At that same moment, someone knocked on the door, getting everyone's attention.

"Come in." Rias announced.

At that moment, a girl with short black hair, and glasses that were just for show walked in. Alongside her, several students also entered, with only one among them being a male student.

"Sorry to interrupt." The girl apologized.

"Whoa, Sona Shitori? What's she doing here?" Issei asked surprised.

Vali looked at him, and then noticed Sona looking at her.

"U-um... can I help you?" Vali asked.

"Oh no, I just wanted to properly introduce myself to a fellow Devil, I hope that's not a problem, Vali Lucifer." Sona replied.

The silver-haired Devil's eyes widened.

"Wait, you know who I am?" Vali asked.

"I do, but you don't need to worry about Rias having broken her promise, my human name is just based off the similar process you chose. Lucifer made sense when one looks into the meaning." Sona answered, smiling lightly.

Vali blinked, giggling a bit.

"Uh, anyone gonna explain here?" Issei asked, a little lost.

"Her real name is Sona **Sitri** , the current heiress to the Sitri Clan. She and the rest of the Student Council are the other group of Devils we mentioned to you before." Akeno answered.

Issei gasped, having to double look at the person he now knew was a Devil.

He was a bit surprised that it was someone from the Sitri family, if only because of Rias being in charge of the Kuoh Town territory. From what he looked up on Vali's suggestion, the Sitri family was a higher pillar than the Gremory family.

"Rias, I'm hurt you never told them about us." The Council's sole male sighed.

"It's considered rude to get involved in other houses' affairs, Saji. It's only natural she never said anything." Sona replied, surprising Saji as a result.

He rubbed his head at that.

"R-right, sorry..." Saji apologized.

Vali blinked a bit before looking at Sona worriedly, who held out a hand.

"No need to worry, I understand your reasons for hiding it, so I have no intention of spreading word that you're a Lucifer." She reassured her.

"Thank you." Vali sighed in relief.

Rias finally noticed Saji, realizing he was new.

"I see you have a new retainer." She stated, interested in who it was.

"Yes, this is my new Pawn, Saji Genshirou." Sona introduced.

"S-so, you're a Pawn too? How many pieces did you take?" Yuuma asked.

"I took up four, and I'm even getting my familiar tonight!" Saji declared.

Vali's eyes widened at that.

"Wait, you mean you're planning to do that today? Aw man... that kinda conflicts with my plans to do that, and Satoji only lets one Devil per every Full Moon." Vali sighed, realizing she had to wait.

"Hmm... I think a fair way to decide this would be whose side needs to choose more Familiars." Sona suggested.

Vali chuckled a bit at that, rubbing her head.

"That would be my entire peerage besides myself, as I've only had mine for a whole month." Vali admitted.

Saji tried his best not to laugh at that.

"Say, what's this whole Familiar thing you keep talking about?" Issei asked, finally having the moment to do so.

"Familiars are helpers that every Devil has, regardless of what class they are. Let me show you mine." Vali explained.

She formed a magic circle on the floor, making everyone look as a puppy sized dragon with gold-colored scales appeared. Issei gave a slow jaw drop as she saw it, while Yuuma felt it looked familiar to her.

"This is Fafnir, one of the Dragons known as the Five Dragon Kings." Vali revealed.

Rias fell off her chair in shock, quickly getting back up to point at the Dragon.

"T-that's Fafnir? How did you get a Dragon King as your familiar!?" Rias demanded, a look of fear and panic on her face.

"Eh... that's a complicated story." Vali admitted, rubbing her head.

Fafnir chuckled at that, looking at the Lucifer Heiress.

"Not at all! I just ran away from the Norse Pantheon when they revived me 5 years before my Resurrection Cycle was done, ran into Vali while on her training journey, and chose to be her familiar because-" He laughed.

Vali cleared her throat, causing Fafnir to shut up, realizing he almost revealed Vali's secret.

"Sorry, got carried away." Fafnir apologized.

"Can't believe I'm seeing a real Dragon." Issei breathed, feeling amazed.

The Lucifer Heiress smiled at her Queen.

"Most Familiars have a mini-form, and some a human form, but they all share one thing. They're a major part of being Devil to help you out, and delivering our fliers is actually meant their job." Vali explained.

"So, how exactly do we get one?" Asia asked.

"That Asia, is why we need a Full Moon. There's a special forest in the Beelzebub Clan's territory where the Familiars all live, and belongs to Devils of the Marchosias bloodline. Only one peerage is allowed to go at a time, which is why we get that honor tonight, due to Sona's generosity." Vali explained.

Issei began wondering what Familiar he might end up with.

* * *

Eventually, the night of the Full Moon came, and Vali's peerage was brought into the red-tinted forest through a magic circle.

"Whoa... " Issei said, looking at the forest.

"It's OK, nothing will eat me... this place is safe... I just need to relax..." Yuuma told herself.

Ruffling was heard, making Yuuma scream as she jumped onto Issei.

"Uh... Yuuma? It's just a girl." Issei said.

Hearing that, Yuuma slowly sturned around to see the sight of a girl walking out of the bushes, making her blush in embarrassment.

"Sorry..." Yuuma apologized, getting off his back.

The girl in question was revealed to be a teenager slightly younger than Asia and Le Fay, having white hair with black streaks, especially two tuffs that bent in a way resembling droopy dog ears. Her attire consisted of a blue shirt with a red vest, green shorts with yellow spots near the bottom, and purple shoes.

In her hands, the sight of a small puppy with fur that was shades of red and black was seen, also possessing four eyes instead of the usual two. Despite that, it was still more cute than it was scary.

"Wait a minute, is that you Reimei?" Vali asked.

"What a surprise, I didn't think you'd be the ones coming for Familiars this month." Remei greeted, her two tuffs flapping like actual dog ears.

Vali blinked, and Reimei walked to her ear.

"I can't give away the full story yet, but I've gained the rights to watch this place. Zatouji's letting me try things on my own for the day." She whispered.

Vali gave a look of understanding, then turned to her peerage.

"Everyone, this is Reimei Marchosias, a friend of mine." Vali introduced.

"So, she's part of the Marchosias Clan?" Issei remarked.

Reimei blinked in confused by why he said that, forcing Vali to slide to him.

"Issei, this kind of relates to something about the Great War, so don't say anything more about it." Vali whispered, knowing she'd have tot ell him soon.

"Uh... OK?" Issei replied.

Reimei blinked a bit, only for her puppy to give a roar like a T-Rex, surprising Issei and Asia.

"Oh yeah, thanks for reminding me Skullfang." She smiled.

She put her puppy down before looking at everyone.

"So, how can I help you today? What kind of familiars are you looking for?" Remei inquired.

They began thinking.

"Uh... I guess due to my power, I'll go with a strong one." Issei decided.

"I'd like one that's cute and really fun to be around." Asia requested.

Reimei began thinking of what familiars qualified under those conditions... right as a sudden shaking was heard. Everyone turned, and soon saw a bunch of Manticore running at them. Reimei gave a look of worry, while the others all paled.

"Oh dear, they must be stampeding because their hunger's acting up." She thought aloud.

Skullfang sweat dropped, unable to tell his owner that while she was thinking, the Manticore had already caused everyone to run off.

* * *

Le Fay lowered to the ground on her broomstick, panting heavily over what she just avoided.

"That... was scary." Le Fay breathed.

At that moment, she heard something flapping. Turning to find the source, she saw a floating eyeball with a yellow snake-like pupil, a red sclera, and purple-colored bat wings. This creature was called an Devil's Eye, a type of familiar.

"Oh, hey there little guy." Le Fay smiled, following it.

* * *

Yuuma panicked, running around the Familiar Forest on her own, and soon curling by a tree.

"S-someone please help me, I'm scared!" Yuuma begged.

At that moment, a buzzing sound is heard, making Yuuma panic even more, covering her eyes as she expected something dangerous.

The buzzing's source soon stood right near her, and... bumped into her chest?

"Huh?"

She looked to see it was just some kind of beetle around the average size of a woman's hands, and it didn't do anything beyond trying to fly into her large breasts.

"You're not something scary, you're actually kind of cute." Yuuma remarked, holding her hands out.

It landed on her hands, helping Yuuma feel at ease.

* * *

Arthur walked around, soon noticing a young Griffon drinking by a lake.

"Hmm... perhaps this is no coincidence." He wondered.

The Knight of Lucifer walked towards the lake, getting the young Griffon's attention as it looked towards him.

* * *

Kuroka looked around, soon hearing a meow.

"Huh?" She blinked.

Looking around, she saw a small black cat in the trees before it landed near her.

Kuroka kneeled to it, seeing it nuzzle her leg.

"Aww~, I think I found my familiar." Kuroka smiled, picking it up.

It nuzzled its cheek against hers.

* * *

Bikou was walking, and found himself hit by a ball of mud.

"What the hell!?" He coughed.

He looked to see some brown creature with a circular body that had pointed shapes near its backside, two beady black eyes, and yellow paws with long nails meant for burrowing.

It was a type of familiar called an Erdgeist, and it was mocking him.

"You little bastard!" Bikou snickered, deciding on his chosen familiar.

He rushed at the Erdgeist, which jumped around, and burrowed away, all while tossing more mud at him in a continuous cycle in his favor. Bikou even used his Ryu Jingu Bang replica to try forcing it out... with no luck.

Eventually, after being hit with enough mud...

"Oh, the gloves are off now!" Bikou decided.

As the Erdgeist jumped again.

" **Flying Nimbus!** "

A cloud formed under him, and the Erdgeist showed surprise as he flew on it, letting Bikou grab it.

"Gotcha!" Bikou laughed.

The Erdgeist threw one last glob of mud, taking the last laugh.

* * *

Asia looked around worried, trying to find the others.

"Hello?" Asia called out.

In response to her calls, green slime dropped into view... before a ton of it began falling down, and some that fell on her sleeve began to eat it!

"I-it's eating my clothes!" Asia screamed.

Asia began running, and soon the slime began to follow her, showing it was surprisingly very fast. After a bit of running, she tripped over a tree root, leaving her defenseless to the slime.

"Help me!" She begged.

In response, a strong bolt of blue lightning zapped the slime, leaving it charred on the ground. Asia blinked at the sight, but then noticed a small blue Dragon land on her shoulder, better known as a Sprite Dragon.

"Oh, thank you." Asia thanked it, with the Sprite Dragon nuzzling her cheek.

* * *

Issei walked around, feeling himself in an odd part of the forest.

"This area... doesn't it seem too quiet?" Issei inquired.

**["My best theory? There must be a powerful candidate for a familiar, and it's so strong, this whole area is within their territory.]** Ddraig theorized.

"Ah, I get it, this familiar is considered the alpha beast." Issei realized.

Eventually, they found themselves near a cave, and when they did... Ddraig felt something familiar from it. With his presence in the area, the ground rumbled slightly, and the creature inside finally revealed itself... a massive blue Dragon!

Not only that, but this Dragon wasn't like the one that Asia just met, this one was a fully-grown adult like Fafnir was. If Issei had any doubts to its strength, she instantly quelled them by releasing a powerful, chaotic blast of blue flames from her mouth.

"HOLY SHIT!"

The Dragon soon lowered its view towards Issei, glaring at him.

"Who dares awaken me from my slumber!?" The Dragon spoke, revealing itself to be female.

"U-uh, I... I'm..." Issei shuddered.

Ddraig instantly gasped, realizing why he got a familiar feeling as she saw her.

**["Tiamat? Is that you?"]** Ddraig asked.

Tiamat suddenly stopped, widening her eyes upon the sound of Ddraig's voice entering her ears.

"Ddraig? Wait, then that would mean..." Tiamat realized, looking at Issei again.

"Wait, you two know each other?" Issei asked.

Ddraig gave a slight chuckle.

**["Yeah, she happens to be my adoptive sister."]** He revealed.

The Sekiryuutei's eyes widened at this.

"Yes, when I was young, Ddraig took me in because I had lost my parents." Tiamat confirmed.

Glowing a bit, her body suddenly changed forms. When the glow ended, she transformed into a teenage girl with long, beautiful pale blue hair, and a beautiful figure on par with that of Vali, Rias, and Akeno's. She wore a red shirt under a blue jacket, which had short, ripped sleeves (implying they were once long), blue-gray jean shorts. The one surprise Issei noticed was she was completely bare foot.

"Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Tiamat, the strongest of the Dragon Kings, better known as the Chaos Karma Dragon." She introduced herself properly.

After a moment, she cleared her throat.

"O-oh! Right, my name's Issei Hyoudou, nice to meet you." Issei greeted, bowing a bit.

**["So, sis? Why are you here? Vali's existence should have let you know that Fafnir's finally resurrected."]** Ddraig questioned.

Tiamat chuckled a bit.

"I've been helping out the Devils a bit because of the sacrifices Tannin made to get us land in here. If not for him, the Dragons would have been in a bad situation." Tiamat admitted.

Looking at Issei, she walked closer.

"You're here to find a Familiar, right?" Tiamat assumed.

"I am." Issei nodded.

"Well, since you have Ddraig... would you mind having me as yours? I won't force this on you if there's another Familiar you want." Tiamat stated.

He smiled at her.

"If you're Ddraig's sister, then I don't mind." Issei decided.

The female Dragon King smiled at this, prompting her to show him how to make the Familiar Contract.

* * *

After wandering for a bit, Reimei managed to round up everyone, minus the still missing Issei.

"My apologies for getting you caught in all that trouble. Luckily, it looks like it turned out well, as you all found the familiar you were looking for." Reimei apologized, before smiling at the end result she saw.

"Yeah, and you were the luckiest Asia, a Sprite Dragon rarely accepts a Devil as its master." Vali praised her Bishop.

Asia blushed a bit.

"I'm glad I met my little Kuro, I just wish I had come sooner." Kuroka smiled, petting her black kitten.

Vali sweat dropped, unable to believe the irony.

'I don't think I should tell her that Koneko has the same familiar in white, and also named her after its fur color." Vali thought nervously, remembering the familiars of Rias' peerage.

"Hey!"

Everyone looked to see Issei waving at them, finally having been found. Tiamat was walking behind him, with no one aware of who she was, even Reimei.

"Issei, thank goodness." Vali sighed in relief.

"And I finally found my own familiar too, you might not believe who it is." Issei chuckled, stopping near her.

Vali gave a confused look, right as Tiamat looked at her.

"So, the King of the Sekiryuutei is the Hakuryuukou... interesting." Tiamat remarked.

"Who are you?" Vali asked.

"A familiar of this forest said to be the strongest one of all, Tiamat." She answered, smirking a bit.

Vali's eyes went white in shock, looking at Tiamat.

"T-the Chaos Karma Dragon, wife of the Gigantis Dragon, and the strongest Dragon King? _That_ Tiamat!?" Vali asked in shock.

"Yep, that's me." Tiamat answered, looking closer at her.

Vali eventually dropped her shock, instead giving a warm smile, and hugging Issei.

"I am so proud of you right now!" Vali cheered.

Issei blushed a bit, getting Tiamat's attention as she noticed.

'Those two are so in love.' She realized.

* * *

Everyone returned at the ORC club room, where both Rias and Sona's groups were present to see their new familiars.

"Vali's right about what she told you, Sprite Dragons only give themselves to the most worthy and pure hearted of masters. Your life as a former Holy Sister must have been the sway that won him over." Rias revealed.

"Wow, so this kind of familiar's not just rare to find, but to actually gain as a Familiar?" Yuuma remarked, looking at him.

Rias nodded at that, soon looking at Tiamat.

"Althogugh, I'd say Issei's the real MVP here. Just how did you get Tiamat as your familiar?" Rias inquired.

"Not as hard as it seems, she was just refusing anyone who didn't have the Boosted Gear." Issei admitted, rubbing his head.

Akeno giggled at that.

"So, the rumor that she was Ddraig's adoptive sister was true." The Gremory Queen smiled.

The blue Dragoness blushed in embarrassment, looking away.

"I don't think it's bad, that just shows how much she loves him, enough that she kept waiting for him." Vali replied, blushing over the romantic aspects of her story.

Meanwhile, Kuroka looked outside to see Koneko sitting in a tree, giving a longing look towards her sister.

'Shirone...' Kuroka thought sadly.

* * *

**And that's it, everyone has a familiar now, with Issei having Tiamat become his, who's surprisingly also Ddraig's adoptive sister. With how most stories go with her canon hatred of Ddraig, I wanted to try something different. Although, as we're early in on the story? While Tiamat will come when Issei needs her, it'll be a while before I can actually let her fight, as she and Fafnir are too powerful.**

**It isn't just her either, we also have Fafnir being Vali's familiar, and he's Tiamat's mate. The reason I chose him was because it seemed too one-sided to give her anything else, and since Vali's the stronger of the two, I figured she should have the weaker familiar to make it fair. For why I chose Fafnir as Tiamat's mate, it's because he's the best-known Dragon King other than Tannin, making him the best choice.**

**Due to me not being sure how well it was shown in this chapter, I'll mention that Kuroka's personality is meant to be like an older sister figure for the group (though not in the same way as Akeno), as she's the only member of Vali's peerage that's had experience being in one. Everyone else in her peerage have only recently became Devils, whereas Kuroka's already been one for years.**

**Yuuma's also joined Vali's peerage, although due to Asia recently joining her, I think some of you saw this coming. She's worth two Pawns because while she thinks she's weak, being Azazel's daughter means she has more potential, what's holding her back is just the trauma that she received from Raynare. As for why I made her a Pawn? I already have a different Knight in mind, and Yuuma's abilities make her more suitable as a Pawn.**

**Sona's group has finally been introduced, and she was able to figure out Vali's identity just through her how Lucilee sounds a lot like Lucifer, along with the fact both names refer to light. That, and her own human alias works in a similar way. Something I'll bring up now, since you'll notice it below soon enough, is that Ruruko is worth Four Pawns in this story due to something I can't reveal just yet.**

**Before we end things for this chapter, I'd like everyone to know they should be excited for the next chapter, because aside from the others attempting to help Kuroka and Koneko's sisterly bond rekindle, Rias and Vali have a surprise for the members of the latter's peerage. I won't say what it is, but I can give you this hint, it has to do with the second floor of the old school building. *giggles* Hope you'll enjoy the surprise.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

**A/N: I don't know what you call the dress that Kuroka's wearing, so use Tohka Yatogami's outfit from the first episode of Date A Live's second season as a visual reference.**

* * *

**Vali's Peerage** **:**

**King - Valiana Lucifer**  
Queen - Issei Hyoudou  
Bishops - Le Fay Pendragon, Asia Argento  
Knights - Arthur Pendragon, Unclaimed Knight  
Rooks - Bikou, Kuroka Toujou (Mutation Piece: x2 Multiplier)  
Pawns - Yuuma Amano (x2), Six Unclaimed Pawns

* * *

**Rias' Peerage** **:**

**King - Rias Gremory**   
**Queen - Akeno Himejima**   
**Bishops - Gasper Vladi (Mutated Piece: x4 Multiplier, Sealed), ? (Mutation Piece: x6 Multiplier, Sealed)**   
**Knights - Kiba Yuuto, Unclaimed Knight**   
**Rooks - Koneko Toujou, Unclaimed Rook**   
**Pawns - Eight Unclaimed Pawns**

* * *

**King - Sona Sitri**  
Queen - Tsubaki Shinra  
Bishops - Momo Hanakai, Reya Kusaka  
Knights - Tomoe Meguri, Unclaimed Knight  
Rooks - Tsubasa Yura, Unclaimed Rook  
Pawns - Saji Genshirou (x4), Ruruko Nimura (x4)

* * *

**Bust Size of New Female Characters** **:**

**Kuroka Toujou - 98 cm**

**Le Fay Pendragon - 94 cm**

**Sona Sitri - 97 cm**

**Tsubaki Shinra - 96 cm**

**Momo Hanakai - 94 cm**

**Reya Kusaka - 92 cm**

**Tomoe Meguri - 93 cm**

**Tsubasa Yura - 95 cm**

**Ruruko Nimura - 91 cm**

**Tiamat - 104 cm**

**Reimei Marchosias - 90 cm**

* * *

**Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter** **:**

**【** **Devil's Eye** **】**  
 **A creature that, like its name implies, is a living eye native to the regions of Hell. Despite their name, the species is actually quite friendly, being a common choice of familiar for Devils.**

**【** **Erdgeist** **】**  
 **A mole-like creature that's a type of Earth Spirit, known for being quite playful and throwing mud at those they take interest in. These creatures are potential familiars for Devils to have.**

* * *

**Pairings List** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Best Friends  
Ddraig/Albion - Married**  
 **Tiamat/Fafnir - Married**  
Saji/Sona - Master and Retainer


	6. Chapter 6

**Get ready everyone, because today's the first of a double chapter special! We're about to see the Nekoshou sisters' fractured bond be tested, and either it'll mend or break. Well... technically at this point, you should all know how I'm gonna have it end, so... maybe it's more appropriate for me to say what will mend their bond? At the very least, let's see if how I do it really melts your hearts, or at least makes you all smile :3**

**Now, first to bring up? Last chapter, I mentioned that there was a surprise that Rias, and Vali had been planning for the latter's peerage. You'll be glad to hear that it'll be revealed here, and you'll see it as soon as you finish reading today's Concept Talk. *giggles* I hope you like the surprise, because it's a good one, and helps give something to Vali's group.**

**This chapter is also where a certain stuck up chicken's gonna show up, finally cause the conflict of his arc to begin, and make the story's first Rating Game happen! I'll say that there's still plenty of unexpected things in this chapter, so it won't just be Koneko and Kuroka's situation. The only thing I can say, is that if you ask me anything about Ravel, I can't answer due to spoilers.**

**Here's I should bring up this up now since this chapter's gonna make it important, but I should talk about the status of Lilith in this story. Namely, it's the fact that she's alive, which last chapter implied by word of Rias. What this will do to the Lilith that's Ophis' clone? Well, I'm more likely than not going to put her in this story, but if she does show up, then she'll have a different name.**

**And finally, the last thing I'll reveal before this chapter begins? While no one's asked me this question, I feel that since I was asked about if there was a power Vali got from being a Lucifer, this is something I'll be asked later. Will the other Maou Clans have such abilities? To answer that, I won't just confirm they have their own powers, but as the Concept Talk from the last chapter implied... every Devil Clan is getting one!**

**The Gremory Clan's power will be revealed soon, so let's start this chapter, and get to that reveal faster!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

 **[]** \- Ddraig Talking

 **«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

 **「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

 **【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

 **⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

**Chaos Karma Dragon: Tiamat**

**The strongest of the Dragon Kings, and as of recently, the familiar of Issei Hyoudou, allying her to the Lucifer Clan. She is one of the few Dragons still currently active, while also being Ddraig's adoptive younger sister. Due to both Ophis, and Great Red always doing their own things, she is the de facto leader of the Dragon race.**

**Like Ddraig, she is a fire drake, but with some heritage from water drakes, hence her blue coloration and her fire. As she puts it herself, aside from her more controlled, yet chaotic energies, her strength isn't the result of any special powers, or special traits in her fire, she can just make her flames hot enough to possibly carbonize what they hit.**

**She and Ddraig first met some time after her parents had been killed in a way that prevented them from resurrecting. Seeing she was lonely, and realizing the potential she had, the Red Dragon Emperor decided to become her older brother. Over time, he began training her, eventually being joined by Albion upon the two falling in love, which ended with Tiamat becoming the strongest of the Dragon Kings.**

**In the present, Tiamat acts as the secret judge/administrator for the Rating Games, feeling she owed a debt to Lilith for giving Tannin the means to protect the Dragon, and was allowed residence in the Familiar Forest, allowing herself to become a potential familiar that would eventually lead her to meeting Issei, the current host of her adoptive brother.**

**Now serving under Issei, she intends to protect him as Ddraig as his familiar.**

* * *

**_Season 1, Riser Arc: Chapter 2 – Of Nekomata and Phoenixes_ **

The sight of Vali's peerage in the ORC club room was seen, everyone waiting around for their King, much less Rias' group, to arrive. This was especially the case for everyone that wasn't Issei.

While they were all recently set to transfer in like Asia, the First Years being Asia and Le Fay, the only Second Year being Yuuma, and the rest being Third Years, it would be a few days until they could actually attend classes. Meanwhile, Tiamat was set to be the assistant teacher in Issei and Vali's class, as was Fafnir; although, both were also set to be new gym teachers for their respective genders.

"Seriously, where are they?" Kuroka sighed.

"Wow, that's a surprise, don't cats normally prefer to just laze around." Bikou remarked.

"They do... if they're feeling sleepy." Kuroka replied.

Bikou gave an awkward chuckle at that.

"And since I'm not tired whatsoever, I'm completely bored right now." Kuroka sighed once more.

At that moment, Tiamat noticed someone approaching.

"Looks like they're arrived." She stated.

"Finally!" Kuroka exclaimed in relief.

Vali walked in, followed by Rias and the members of her peerage, with only Koneko absent.

"Hey everyone, sorry we're, late, but we had one last thing to finalize for a little surprise we've been recently planning." Vali smiled.

"Surprise, what kind of surprise?" Yuuma asked.

Vali motioned to Rias, giggling a bit as everyone wondered what she was so excited over.

"That the second floor is now yours to use." Rias revealed.

Vali's peerage blinked at that.

"Translation? The Lucifer Team is now forming their own club on the second level of the old school building!" Vali announced.

Issei's eyes widened at that, looking at the redheaded Devil.

"Are you serious!?" He asked.

"Of course. We barely use it as is, and usually it's just for a brief game of Chess or to use the second shower, so it seems fair to give you a club of your own when you're always visiting here, but not actual members of the ORC." Rias confirmed.

"Plus, it also acts as our own base, giving us the same rights to excuses her club can use." Vali added, smiling brightly.

All of Vali's peerage looked excited at that.

"So, what is our club's name, and its purpose?" Arthur inquired.

"Since we're sharing shop with the ORC, I decided to call it the Mythological History Club based on our team's more varied members, or MHC for short. We do the same stuff, but with anything that's considered a myth, making us somewhat of an extension to the Occult Research Club." Vali answered.

"I'm guessing the VP is me, since I'm your Queen." Issei assumed.

Vali chuckled a bit, scratching her cheek.

"Well, since we've gotten that out of the way, let's get our club set up!" Vali exclaimed with cheer.

All of Vali's peerage, minus Kuroka, all stared in shock as she rushed upstairs, leaving a small cloud trail of dust behind her. Tiamat snickered a bit before most of the other MHC members followed.

Right before that, Yuuma turned at the still distant looking Kuroka, who was looking out the window.

"Uh... Kuroka?" Yuuma asked.

The Black Nekoshou's eyes widened, turning to face the timid Fallen Angel.

"Oh, right." Kuroka replied, heading upstairs.

Yuuma gave a worried look before she followed her upstairs, with Tiamat soon looking outside to see Koneko by one of the trees.

The White Nekoshou had a similar look to the one her big sister had, but where Kuroka's had more sadness behind it, Koneko's looked more dulled and apathetic. It was almost like she wanted to stop feeling anything.

"OK, I think by now we can all agree that after a whole week of this, we can't put it aside any longer." Tiamat remarked, sighing a bit.

"We need to do something, otherwise... I don't what Koneko might do." Rias agreed.

The strongest Dragon King put a finger near her chin as she began thinking, trying to figure out a possible solution to their problem.

* * *

After what the MHC assumed was an hour of moving stuff around, bringing in new stuff, setting up the furniture, and everything that Vali couldn't recall the right terms for... their club room had finally been finished.

"Phew, just take a look at this" Issei smiled, admiring the work before them.

The room wasn't too different to the ORC's room on the first floor, but where it had a royal middle age feel with a classic style, and decorated with many Occult, and Devil items? The MHC's room was more like the room for a mythology hobbyist.

Decorating the room were some magic talismans hung by Le Fay, a shelf of books about various myths and legends provided by Arthur, Bikou created replicas of some Buddhist artifacts, while Kuroka placed a few spiritual references. The rest was anything else that Issei, Vali, Asia, and Yuuma could find, while also fitting a mythology theme.

"Alright, now that we have everything set up, the Mythological History Club's open for business." Vali smiled.

Sitting herself down, Vali gave a sigh of relief. Issei soon kneeled by her.

"Hey, Vali? I think the situation with Kuroka and Koneko's only getting worse, you think we should finally do something about it?" Issei whispered his question.

"Yeah, but the question is how? I'm not sure what to do without adding fuel to a fire we're trying to put out." Vali whispered her reply, crossing her arms under her breasts as she went deep in thought.

Issei soon noticed Vali's head steam up as she got lost in thought, making him blink a few times before he shrugged, thinking he should come back later. However, before he could even reach the door...

"Of course! That's it!" Vali exclaimed, making him jump up in surprise.

"W-what? What's it?" Issei inquired.

"Issei, remember how I told you that your dragon aura led to almost everyone shunning you as a child? Maybe if you share your story with her, she might be able to relate to it, and that can give you the chance to nudge her towards finally talking things out with Kuroka." Vali explained through a whisper.

He hummed on that thought, thinking it could work.

"OK, I'm following you so far. Though what should I do after that?" Issei whispered, unsure how he should follow up on that.

Vali took a moment to think, then snapped her fingers.

"Imply to her about what she would think if turned out her sister hadn't killed her master for the reasons she thought, and then convince her to talk with Kuroka directly." Vali whispered her suggestion.

"And I'm guessing you'll talk with Kuroka, and convince her to try talking with Koneko?" Issei whispered back,

Vali nodded, and now knowing what they were going to do, Issei soon formed a magic circle to send the message to Tiamat downstairs about the plan. Eventually, she confirmed Koneko's position to him.

"Alright, I'll do my best here." Issei promised, heading downstairs.

Vali soon walked over to Kuroka, and sat by her, getting the Black Nekoshou's attention as a familiar aura washed out of her. Like everyone who had felt it so far, she shivered in fear at Vali's Lucifer aura

"Let's you and I talk." Vali stated while cracking her knuckles, making it clear she had to agree.

Kuroka gulped in fear at that remark.

* * *

Koneko had since moved to the rooftop, her arms curled around her legs as she stared towards the horizon with the same look as earlier. While she was doing this, she heard a few grunts, and turned to see Issei climbing onto the roof.

"Oh man, I still can't... fly well... just yet." Issei grunted, retracting his Devil wings.

 **["You really need to practice more, because that will quickly become a necessity."]** Ddraig sighed, shaking his head.

Koneko tried to go back to her prior position, but then noticed Issei kneeling in front of her directly, an act that forced her to face him.

"Mind if we talk for a moment?" He inquired.

The white Nekomata just stood there doing nothing before nodding lightly to answer, making Issei smile. Sitting by her side, the two both looked at the sky, and then the Sekiryuutei turned towards her.

"I don't have any siblings to understand what happened to you, or what you might be feeling like right now, but... I know what it's like to feel alone with early the whole world against you." Issei started.

Koneko slightly had her attention focus to that, despite not looking his way.

"When I was young, and for a reason neither my parents, or even I understood... any child, or adult that I got near? They were afraid of me, always walking away." Issei revealed, making Koneko's eyes widen.

"I wasn't bullied, physically harmed, abused, or anything similar, but... I think being shunned was even worse than all of those. When those things are done, people acknowledge your presence, so to be shunned was like the world said it didn't want me here." He continued sadly.

Koneko began to remember the Devils wanted her dead after what her sister did, how she was treated like she'd become the same monster, and worst of all... how frightened he became from the thought they might be right.

It made her hate what she was, and could never stop being, even after reincarnating as a devil.

"It wasn't until I was 11 that people began to actually act like I was there, but that didn't mean I was really accepted. All it meant was people knew I existed." Issei continued, remembering a young Vali and Irina.

Following that, he saw images of Murayama and Katase, followed by Matsuda and Motohama.

"Eventually, I met my cousins, their boyfriends, and everyone in both our clubs. However, that doesn't change that until then, the only two people in the world who accepted mere were a boy I remember by the nickname of Rin, and Vali." Issei finished.

"Only... the two of them?" Koneko asked, finally replying to make sure Issei wasn't exaggerating his tale.

He nodded his head, and she noticed his eyes were serious.

"Yes, only them. Vali told me it was because I had the aura of a dragon, and because of my age and lack of control, I intimidated everyone." Issei confirmed.

Koneko had no idea what to say to that.

"What made it worse was a few months after we first met, Rin's family moved to England, and I haven't seen him since. While Vali filled that void, I had to face it again when went on her training journey. Even despite the other friends I made... it felt lonely without them, because of how important the two had been in my life. Even if I tried, there's no way I can forget people so close to my heart, because it would hurt more if I didn't remember them." Issei explained to her.

Koneko's grip on her arms tightened, and Issei noticed that she seemed like she was trying to hold back something. Soon enough, he realized what it was... the tears she finally couldn't keep from shedding.

However, despite what he saw, Issei felt she was refusing to let them all fall, as if doing so would mean giving something up. Issei realized that now was the best, and maybe only chance for him to tell her.

"Koneko, I might sound a bit weird with this, but... can I ask you something hypothetical?" Issei asked.

Koneko didn't exactly say yes, but she looked at him, so he took it as one.

"What if, by some strange chance, the reason everyone thought Kuroka killed her master... wasn't the real truth? What if she had a reason for it? I mean, if she was that drunk on her power, why didn't she try to hurt you that day?" Issei hypothesized, implying the signs of the truth to her.

Koneko froze at that, her eyes widening a little.

'A... reason? That never crossed my mind, did she actually kill her master over something I didn't know?' She thought.

"It's just my theory though, as I can't answer for her, but... maybe you should at leave give her the chance to tell you her side if the story. I'm not saying it should be right now, or that you have to forgive her, but you'll never move on if you refuse to consider the truth you knew is the wrong one."

Issei got up, preparing to leave... only to feel Koneko hug his backside.

"Do you... mind, at least... for the moment?" Koneko asked, trembling a bit.

Issei smiled, rubbing her head.

* * *

Vali soon stared at Kuroka, breathing as she prepared to tell the story that only Issei heard, but Rias and Sona had partial knowledge to.

"Kuroka, I think you'd like to hear an interesting story I've heard about." Vali began, kneeling closer to her.

"Tell me, do you know about the story of my past?" She questioned.

Kuroka gave a flat look.

"Of course. You're the heiress of Lucifer, and no one else has your power to pass on to the next generation, all because you're the last of-" Kuroka replied.

She wagged a finger, cutting Kuroka off.

"There's... one other Lucifer out there."

Kuroka suddenly went silent, realizing that most of what she knew might be false.

 **「** **Chivalry of a Failed Knight: Ikki's Past** **」**

"While most Devils were born under a process that gave Lilith her title as "The Mother of all Devils" by magically birthing most of Lucifer's creations, there was only a single Devil they conceived the natural way, a son she gave birth to. However, he grew to view Devils were evil, that being born of darkness, they had to be evil, despite that wasn't the reason Lucifer created them. Because of that, Lucifer punished him by removing his Ethereal Twilight, giving it to another, and then disowning him."

"However, what no one knew until after he left was... he had his own son, and that son eventually had a daughter with a Human woman. That child possessed a Sacred Gear, and the grandfather only used her like she was a tool, a weapon to do his own bidding. That child, the only female Lucifer there's ever been?"

Kuroka's saw the silver-haired Lucifer look at her.

"You're looking at her, because I am that child... and the other Lucifer still out there is my grandfather, the murderer of my parents." Vali revealed.

The Black Nekoshou's eyes widened in shock.

"That's right, the strong Devil who stood against a whole pursuit force to save you... was nearly killed by her own family as a child." Vali stated with a sad look.

She struggled to hold back her tears.

"Worst of all? My own father was no different... his fear against my own grandfather only had him help his agenda. The only person I had was my mother, who comforted me as I fought and sometimes killed people without question. Finally, I became brave enough to stand up to him, but at the price of seeing my parents murdered right before my eyes. In the end, I got away, but... only because of luck."

"After that, I was found alone in a forest by Azazel. I had been broken, traumatized, and possibly beyond help. However, he ended up bringing me to the town that Issei came from, which somehow washed all of that away. For the first time I could remember, I finally felt I was really living, and then I met my Great Grandma. She was kind to me, and before I knew it... she gave me words I still remember even now."

Taking a deep breath, the heiress of Lucifer revealed those words.

 **「** **Insert Song End** **」**

"I started from the bottom of life, but still tried to climb higher to find something better. Just like Humanity, who despite having wings, managed to reach the moon. Even if I'm not trying to fly that high, I can still strive for the same things that my great grandfather did. I want to make Hell into a true Heaven on Earth, more than what it is now, and that's why I can't just let those who are suffering continue to bear that pain, because I nearly lost myself that same way."

"Basically, I want to be the light within my name, but not just for my clan... for every Devil. No, maybe I want to go beyond that." Vali took a deep breath as she finished, smiling a bit.

 **「** **Highschool DxD: Ashita mo, Ganbarimasu** **」**

The Black Nekoshou felt her hands shake.

"You're... how are you this strong, Vali?" Kuroka asked, feeling so weak.

Vali laughed a bit, catching the Youkai's attention.

"Strength how nothing to do with it, if you heard my story, you'd realize I had to become like a phoenix to even have any happiness in my life. That's how bad my grandfather's scars are, and still are even now." Vali admitted.

"Just who was this grandfather to have hurt you so badly?" Kuroka questioned, unable to believe he hurt Vali that badly.

Vali sighed, looking at her.

"You've probably heard of his name, he's the one Devils known as Rizevim." Vali revealed.

She gasped at that. Before her master revealed his true nature, she heard that name from other Devils in the Naberius Clan. A devil so vile, people called him the only Devil that was truly evil. Devils did not like being the nasty, selfish, sinful beings people described them as. To them, it was a stereotype that those like Rizevim formed. They just wanted to live freely, which was the whole reason that Lucifer created their species.

Kuroka tried to say something, but her voice wouldn't come out, she just didn't have the words to such a revelation.

"Kuroka, know this... I hate fighting due to my past, but I became stronger to protect everything important to me. Isn't that why you killed your master? Because you refused to let him hurt your little sister?" Vali inquired.

"I... I..." Kuroka whimpered, starting to tear up.

She felt Vali hug her, surprising the Black Nekoshou as Vali gently smiled, rubbing her back.

"Then stop running from her, let Koneko know she no longer has to hide, that she no longer has to fear becoming a monster because her sister never became one. Let her know... she can be Shirone again." Vali encouraged her.

Kuroka's face widened, giving a silent gasp. Pulling back from the hug, Vali looked her in the face, one that told her to go find her sister.

"I need to help her..." Kuroka realized.

She finally found her courage, and stood up on her feet, quickly leaving the room. Feeling relieved, Vali sat down, glad that she gave Kuroka the courage she needed.

 **「** **Insert Song End** **」**

However, Kuroka briefly poked her head back in.

"Oh, and Vali? It's already obvious to everyone how you feel about Issei, so stop standing around and just make out with him already." Kuroka bluntly asked, smiling as Vali blushed.

"W-what are you talking about!? I don't like Issei, not in a..." Vali shouted, slowly trailing off.

However, as she started to recall the last few days, and then all the times they spent together as a child... her face began heating up, and she felt a blush across her entire face. Albion noticed this, making her get a bit worried about her host.

 **("Uh... Vali?")** Albion asked in concern.

Finally, the biggest sign came to her she remembered how she reacted over the mention of Issei going on a day.

"My god, I... am I falling in love with Issei?" Vali whispered to herself.

 **('Oh boy...')** Albion thought.

* * *

Outside the old school building, Kuroka was seen walking outside, trying to locate her sister's Chi. Luckily, it didn't take very long to find her, as she saw the White Nekoshou leaning on the nearby trees. Not sure how to reply, she walked to the tree, standing behind the opposite side.

"Do you mind if I ask you something?" Koneko questioned.

Kuroka was surprised by that, and after taking a moment to shake it off...

"No, go ahead." She replied.

"I was talking with Issei earlier, and... he mentioned something to me, that I should hear your side of the story.

Kuroka's eyes shook upon hearing those words.

"Why did you kill your master? He took us in when we had nothing, and you becoming his Bishops meant good things for our future, so why!?" Koneko demanded, her eyes starting to tear up.

Kuroka's hair shadowed her eyes, knowing this was the moment of truth.

"In order... to protect you."

Koneko's face showed some surprise at that, and Kuroka continued.

"Our master wasn't the saint he appeared to be. Shortly after I became part of his peerage, I discovered something dark about him. The other members of his peerage... he had experimented on them, and it had changed who were once were, turned them all mutated monsters. Living was a curse to them, and the ones who could speak begged for their own deaths, asking for mercy. I wasn't able to do it, until one day."

"The day... he decided to make you his next project." Kuroka revealed.

Koneko gave a silent gasp at that, her eyes shaking at what she heard.

"I couldn't bear the thought, that I could see you among them without knowing it, and then having to end your life the same way. So, throwing all caution to the wind, I murdered him before he could even get near you, and finally ended his peerage's suffering. Unfortunately, the Devils didn't know the real story for what I did, so I got branded as a criminal, and then... you saw it." Kuroka explained, her eyes tearing up.

At that moment, the memory of Kuroka seeing her sister as she murdered her master, and his peerage... then her attempt to reach out for Koneko, only for her to step back in fear. The pain of seeing that, it made her realize her sister would only see her as such, forcing her to abandon her as she ran.

"I know what you're thinking... Why didn't I say anything the moment you say me? Why didn't I take you with me? Why didn't I do something else different? But, what could I have done!?" Kuroka questioned, before asking her own question.

Koneko felt her mouth quiver, remembering how she looked at Kuroka when she saw what she had done.

"The face I saw you make... how could I have told you the truth? How would you have believed me when I told you the truth? Worse than that, even if I had brought you with me, I had no way to guarantee your safety, or anything you'd need to survive. I had been labeled as a stray and had to fight for my life until I met Vali, finally proving the real reason behind I did."

"If you had died because of me... I'd have let them kill me, just to punish myself for being unable to protect you, for breaking my promise to our mother."

Kuroka finally broke down, slumping to her knees as she began to sob heavily.

At the same time, the tears flooded out of Koneko's eyes as she realized the real reason that Issei had come to talk to her... he knew. His words had been to give her the nudge she needed to finally hear the truth.

''I was wrong... all this time, I've been so wrong.' She thought sadly.

As Kuroka continued crying... she felt a sudden hug from behind, making her turn to see Koneko was the one giving up, finally crying without it being silent.

"I'm sorry! You were always protecting me even back then, I... I should have realized that was the reason for what you did! I let my fear win over how well I should have known my own sister! I... I don't wanna be scared of it anymore! My powers... my future... or even you! Please, let's just... I want things to be like they used to, I need my sister..." Koneko hiccupped as she cried, making Kuroka's eyes get misty in response.

Kuroka hugged her sister back, making everyone tear up as both groups watched from the window.

"Vali, thank you." Rias smiled.

"Come on Rias, I didn't do everything." Vali replied, rubbing the back of her neck.

Rias shook her head, disagreeing with her.

"I had tried my best to give her happiness since that day, but I could always tell she needed something more. Deep down, she was a young girl that was crying for her sister to return. It was the one thing she needed most, and the one thing I couldn't give her. Thanks to you, I finally have, and both of them can finally move on." The heiress of Gremory responded.

"True, but you're the one that kept her safe all this years." Vali reasoned, knowing she had nothing to do with Koneko.

Tiamat giggled a bit, putting a hand on their shoulders.

"OK, how about we just say this victory was the result of both your actions?" Tiamat suggested.

The two blinked before giggling, deciding to accept that result.

Back outside, the cries of the Nekoshou sisters finally cased, with Koneko resting her sister's lap.

"From this point on, we'll be by each other's side... Shirone." Kuroka promised.

"Meow." Shirone smiled in her sleep, finally accepting her original name once again.

As long as she was alive... Kuroka would make sure that nothing would rip them apart again, even if it meant fighting the entire world.

* * *

Eventually, the sky turned orange to mark the afternoon's arrival, prompting everyone to return home. Issei and Vali returned to the former's house, Vali's peerage and Tiamat went back to the former Shidou house, with Kuroka instead going to where Shirone currently lived, and everyone else going to their respective residences. Eventually, only Rias and Akeno stayed behind, finishing up some last-minute work.

As Rias looked to a retreating Shirone, Akeno decided to speak.

"Don't you think it's strange?" She asked.

Rias looked at her Queen, a bit confused by what she meant.

"When we first noticed Issei, we were thinking about adding him to our group. While that didn't happen, and likely wouldn't have worked based on how Vali mentioned he was nearly too powerful... it feels like ever since we saw him, things have been changing for the better." Akeno remarked.

"Is there anywhere you're going with this?" Rias asked, not seeing why she brought it up.

"Not much, I guess I'm just feeling a good sign from how meeting him led to meeting Vali, and how that's helped Koneko finally let go of her past, and move forward with her original name after so long. Maybe it wouldn't be wrong to share our own secrets with-" Akeno answered.

"Akeno, stop." Rias interrupted suddenly.

The Queen of Gremory was so caught off guard, she actually did.

"I'll admit that while Vali's the reason we could help Shirone, that was simply because she had the means I didn't. Asking her to help me with everything? I'm sorry, but there's still my own pride, and I can't bother her to solve all my problems." Rias stated.

"Seems quite ironic you would say that. Considering that Pride is something Lucifer's bloodline has, and yet Vali is full of nothing but humility." Akeno remarked, finding some humor in the irony.

The redheaded Devil sighed a bit, making Akeno notice her sad expression.

"My problems are my own, and I can't just ask her to help me... not without revealing who she is when she seems intent to hide her heritage, temporarily or not." Rias said softly, still looking sad.

Akeno realized what was going on, putting the papers she had down.

"I see, so more bad news about... that?" Akeno inquired.

"Guess I can't hide anything from my best friend, and to answer your question... is it that obvious?" Rias answered.

Realizing that nothing more could be said for now, Akeno stood up.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to head home now." Akeno requested.

"That's fine, I'll see you tomorrow." Rias permitted.

Akeno soon headed out, and a moment after she left the old school building... a magic circle with a crest resembling the Lucifer Clan's was seen forming behind Rias. Turning around, Rias frowned a bit at the bad timing, right as the circle's creator appeared.

* * *

_"Damn it, I promised I wouldn't cry today!" Matsuda cried._

_"I still can't believe today's the day!" Motohama wailed._

_The infamous perverted duo of Kuoh Academy was crying inside of a church, alongside the kendo duo, many Kuoh Academy students, and the three Devil peerages of the school. Sniffling from the side, Issei's parents were crying, with a black-haired woman sitting by them with teary eyes._

_"Today's the day, Issei."_

_At that moment, the sight of Vali, wearing a black kimono that went into a white gradient near the bottom, covered with pink floral designs, was seen standing at the altar. Next to her, the sight of Issei in a black-colored hakaba._

_The ceremony priest was about to near the announcement of the two sealing the deal with the kiss, making the groom to be look at his would-be-bride._

_"Yeah, it really is." Issei replied, a bit nervous._

_"You may now kiss the bride." The priest finished._

_Vali turned to Issei, who did the same to her, prompting the two to inch closer, and then..._

* * *

The two suddenly woke up at the same time, screaming from the shock of the sudden dream they shared.

"W-what the hell!? Why did I just dream that!?" Issei panicked.

"N-no! Don't tell me, is this because Kuroka's recent teasing? I can't be in love with Issei, can I?" Vali wondered, her already confused feelings becoming even more confusing.

While Vali tried to calm herself down, Issei was trying to justify how his dream happened, blushing at the thought of almost kissing his best friend.

Sure, she was definitely smart, always getting straight A's in every subject; was quite refined, incredibly strong, breathtakingly beautiful; had amazingly large breasts on a figure that most girls could only dream of having, which aligned perfectly with his fetish for big boobs; was kind, sweet, innocent, a good cook, and...

"Wait..." Issei found himself freezing for a moment, his mind processing what he just thought for a moment.

"Oh. Oh! OH!" He suddenly realized.

His face suddenly heated up, starting to realize the possible truth before her.

"She's got everything I'd want in a girlfriend! Then, does that mean I had that dream because... I'm falling in love with her!?" Issei asked himself, panicking from the stress.

He began breathing heavily, and when Ddraig sensed the danger his host was putting himself in...

 **["Issei! Breath into your hand, you're gonna hyperventilate at this rate!"]** Ddraig warned, shouting as loudly as he could.

Nodding his head, Issei covered his mouth, and found himself calming down. After a few seconds, he managed to relax his thoughts.

"Ddraig, I... what do I do?" Issei asked.

**["Uh..."]**

The Red Dragon Emperor had no idea how to respond to that, considering the only Dragoness he ever gained a romantic interest was Albion. Not to mention he was sure of how he felt from the start, the opposite of Issei's situation.

Before anything else could happen, a silver-colored magic circle appeared in his room, showing a crest that looked very similar to the Lucifer Clan's, yet had a clearly different crest. The main differences were this one lacked the heart shape, being a circle that lacked the feet wings, and the V-shaped top, both of which had an unconnected smaller sphere appear in their place. Finally, the remaining four wings were still present, but flipped upside down.

After all that, the sight of a person appearing inside was revealed.

"Vali, I hope this isn't a bad-"

The person in question realized she wasn't looking at Vali, and in response... she screamed, making Issei scream, before both of them screamed at the exact same time. Hearing this, the silver-haired Lucifer slammed the door open, rushing into Issei's room.

"Issei, what's wrong!?" She shouted.

Once she got inside, Vali finally saw the Devil in question. She looked just like her, but her hair was a regular silver color, and was only as long as the upper half of her breasts; while her eyes were a bright red.

As for her outfit, she wore a white shirt with black shorts, ending with boots of both colors.

"Is that you, Yumina?" Vali gasped.

"Thank goodness, I only teleported into the wrong room." Yumina chuckled embarrassingly.

Issei blinked, looking between the two Devils.

"Vali, who is this?" Issei asked.

"Ah, where are my manners? Issei, I'd like you to meet Yumina Lucifuge, and she's kind of my twin sister." Vali introduced.

Issei was confused by that.

"My grandma, Lucifuge Rofocale, was created when part Lucifer split off into another being, as a result of how he left Heaven. That's why you might think we look alike, hence the twin thing." Yumina remarked.

"Oh, because Lucifer and Lucifer were the same person, but you two aren't." Issei realized.

"And that's why Lucifuge Clan has been serving the Lucifer Clan ever since, with Yumina being the Lucifuge assigned to me." Vali explained.

With all of that said, the Hakuryuukou looked at Yumina.

"Speaking of which, I'm gonna need to know why you came here so suddenly. In the middle of the night no less." Vali inquired.

"Oh, right." Yumina recalled.

Clearing her throat, the heiress of Lucifuge looked at her fellow Lucifer.

"My mom asked me to give this to you." Yumina pulled out a flyer showing the Gremory crest on it.

Vali showed surprise as she took it.

"Grayfia gave you this, really?" Vali said in surprise.

"I can't really say anything, mainly as I don't have a clue what's going on, but... something tells me this is related to Rias. I'd be ready for the unexpected tomorrow." Yumina explained the best she could.

At that moment, a knock was heard on the door.

"Issei? I heard screaming, is everything alright?" Hana asked.

"I better leave now, see you both when I get another chance." Yumina whispered.

She formed another magic circle to disappear, while both Issei and Vali rushed onto the former's bed. As Hana opened the door, she noticed Issei holding a shaking Vali, prompting him to look at her.

"Oh, hey there mom, Vali just had one of her occasional nightmares." Issei greeted, explaining the situation.

"My apologies, I forgot about those. Carry on." She apologized.

Hana closed the door, making them sigh in relief at the bullet they just dodged.

* * *

After school the following day, the MHC was heading over, when Issei saw a familiar blonde Knight walking the same path.

"Hey, Kiba!" Issei greeted.

"Oh, I guess we're leaving around the same today." Kiba replied, noticing them behind him.

Vali looked at him, deciding to open a possible can of worms.

"Kiba, did anything happen with Rias the other day? I got a visit from Yumina last night... oh wait, do you know who that is?" Vali asked.

"Yeah, I know who she is, there's been a few times she shows up to deliver something to Rias." Kiba confirmed.

Issei noticed something, looking at Vali.

"Is the Lucifuge Clan close to the House of Gremory?" Issei asked.

"Oh right, I didn't mention that last night. Yumina's mother is the wife of Rias' older brother." Vali answered.

"Rias has a brother?" Issei said in shock.

"She does, but out of respect, that's all I'll say about it for now." Vali confirmed.

Looking back at Kiba, he continued.

"Well, it might be some Gremory Clan drama, but I'm not sure what it would..." Kiba replied.

He suddenly stopped, getting everyone's attention.

"Kiba?" Le Fay asked.

"I think you just realized the problem, haven't you?" Arthur realized.

"Yeah, and if I'm right... it's pretty bad news..." Kiba verified.

Hearing that, everyone rushed over to the old school building, and saw the rest of Rias' peerage present, alongside a lady that Issei didn't recognize. She had the same silver hair and red eyes as Yumina, with the former flowing all the way to her back, featuring a long braid on each side with small pink bows tied at the ends, while the rest was tied in a ponytail that used another braid to hold it.

She wore a black coat like shirt with gold outlines and two yellow stripes going vertically down from her collar to the bottom that showed her navel, a blue skirt with a few white stripes making a lowercase Y shape on them, silver hoop earrings with dark red crystals inside them, golden bracelets on her left hand, a teal-green scarf mostly tied on her left side and some dark brown boots.

"Grayfia, it's been a while, hasn't it?" Vali greeted.

Issei was surprised, but after meeting Yumina, he was quickly able to realize why he knew her.

"Is has, a pleasure to see you again." Grayfia replied.

"Well, everyone's here now..." Rias sighed, standing up in response.

"My lady, shall I explain things to your friends here?" Grayfia asked.

Rias shook her head.

"No, I'll tell them myself. It's only fair." Rias replied.

Looking at everyone, she took a deep breath.

"Everyone, the truth is I'm-" Rias began.

However, before she could say a word, an orange magic circle with a bird-like crest appeared, making Rias sneer at the sight of it. Fire burst out of it, making Yuuma scream as she hugged Asia.

"That magic circle, what crest does that clan belong to?" Issei asked.

"It's the Phenex Clan." Vali answered.

Eventually, the flames disappeared, revealing a blonde-haired man in a burgundy suit appeared from it.

"Ah, and Riser has arrived in the Human World." He announced.

The man known as Riser looked at the Gremory heiress, who already was showing an annoyed look on her face.

"I've come all this way to see you... my beloved Rias." Riser smirked.

Yuuma blinked in confusion.

"Uh... a-anyone wanna explain? Because I'm a little lost here." Yuuma asked.

"This gentleman is Lord Riser Phenex, third heir to the House of Phenex. He is also the fiancé of Lady Rias." Grayfia revealed.

Hearing that, everyone minus Rias, Akeno, Riser, and Grayfia showed their shock, with only Arthur keeping a collected face among them.

"Wait, they're engaged?" Vali asked in surprise.

"Rias has not been very fond of this, so it doesn't surprise me you don't know of it, but yes. Lady Rias and Lord Riser have been engaged for quite some time." Grayfia verified.

"Not very fond is an understatement..." Issei whispered, seeing her aura flare a bit.

Right on cue to his words, Rias slammed her hands on her desk, closing her eyes as she walked in front of it.

"I've told you before Riser, and I'll keep saying it no matter how many times you try to convince me otherwise... I will _not_ marry you!" Rias screamed.

Despite her outburst, Riser shrugged his arms.

"But my darling, Riser believes your family's circumstances are still so that you can't afford to be so selfish." Riser remarked in a cocky manner.

'Great, I hate him already!' Issei, Bikou, and Kuroka all thought in unison.

Vali noticed even Grayfia didn't seem to like him, but he also know she was forced to be professional about it... which is when it hit her.

'Wait, that flier... I better talk to her when I have the chance.' Vali realized.

She focused back on the situation before her, right as Rias spoke up.

"I will not bring my family to ruin, but my husband will be my choice, and that's never going to be you!" Rias shouted, making Riser scowl a bit.

"Remember, it's imperative that Devils remain pure-blooded, we're still recovering our numbers from the last few wars. Both your father, and Sirzechs made this decision with the future of Devils in mind." Riser retorted.

"Excuse me, did you just insult those who aren't purely Devil?" Vali asked, a familiar aura forming.

Grayfia cleared her throat, making Vali dispel it.

"Lord Riser, I ask you don't make such remarks while here, a friend of Rias' in this room just happens to be a Half-Devil." Grayfia warned.

He sweated a bit, looking away.

"Riser shall apologize, he was not aware of that fact." Riser stated, though Vali knew it was forced.

Rias glared at him more, finally replying to his earlier comment.

"My father, brother, and my entire clan made this decision because they are in too great a rush, and they promised I would be free from any marriages until my graduation, so why are you so insistent on breaking that promise?" Rias questioned.

"For the final time, Riser... I. Will not. Marry you!" Rias declared, only to have her chin grabbed.

"And for the final time, Rias... Riser bears the reputation of the house of Phenex, and will not let our good name be besmirched. Riser is already bothered by the fire, and the wind of this world, barely tolerating it as we speak." Riser responded.

He glared at her threateningly.

"Riser doesn't care if has to burn all your servants to make you come back to Hell! You will-"

At that moment, Grayfia unleashed a burst of magic at him, making everyone gasp as it destroyed his arm... only for it to regenerate shortly after.

"He... regenerated?" Issei gasped.

"The Phenex Clan's special ability, aside from amazing control over fire, wind, and light? Regenerative Immortality. Like the fire bird they have a similar name to, they're incredibly hard to kill. That's the only reason she could attack him like that..." Vali explained, sweating from the sight.

"Lord Riser, as you know, I am here by order of Sirzechs. That means there will be no disruptions of peace, or threats such as the one you just made." Grayfia said, her voice terrifying most of the reincarnated Devils.

Riser sweated again, shrugging his arms in response.

"Even Riser knows how foolish it would be to ignore a threat made by the Silver-Haired Queen of Annihilation." Riser relented, knowing he'd lose such a fight.

"My master anticipated there would be a conflict of some sort, and as such, I have been assigned to offer an ultimatum if things broke down." Grayfia revealed, getting Rias' attention.

Looking at the Gremory heiress, she revealed it.

"Lady Rias, if you truly wish to pursue your personal preferences over your family's, then you may earn the right through a Rating Game against Lord Riser."

Rias gasped at the offer presented.

"What's a Rating Game? I think this is the first I've heard of it." Issei asked.

"A Rating Game is a kind of sporting competition that Devils hold between themselves and their retainers, and the reason why the Evil Pieces have the Chess motif they do, as well as their own special characteristics. Basically, it's a mixture of chess, non-turned based RPG, and a Battle Royale. The downside is that you need to be a mature Devil before you can play it... which neither me, Rias, or Sona qualify as." Vali explained.

"Riser on the other hand? He's already participated in several games, and a high rate of wins." Akeno said worriedly.

"In other words, Rias' family put her in a disadvantage on purpose? That's unfair even by Devil standards!" Le Fay replied.

Vali walked by her, leaning by her ear.

"It wasn't her family, nor was this engagement." Vali whispered.

The Pendragon wizard was confused by that.

"Rias, my dear... are the four by your side the extent of your servants?" Riser asked in a mocking tone.

"No, I have two Bishops as well, but neither of them can be here right now..." Rias replied, scowling a bit.

Riser laughed at that, snapping his fingers as 15 girls appeared from a wall of flames. Among them, Vali noticed one of them resembled Riser, making her realized it was another High-Class Devil.

"Riser has 15 pieces, in other words a full set." Riser claimed smugly.

"He's used up all his pieces? That means he outnumbers her 3 to 1." Issei realized, seeing what she had to fight.

Vali sighed, looking at Issei.

"Worse? Handicaps for this situation don't exist, that's why you need to be a mature Devil, to have the time to gather retainers. However, that's not the worst of it" Vali revealed.

Looking at the blonde in her peerage, she turned to Grayfia.

"Hey Grayfia, is that one girl in the pink dress also a member of the Phenex Clan?" Vali inquired.

"Yes, she is Lady Ravel, the younger sister of Lord Riser." Grayfia answered.

This got Rias' attention.

"No way, so they're both High-Class Devils? That's even more unfair!" Issei stated, his eyes glaring.

Ravel sighed at his tone of voice.

"Wow, such a barbarian..." Ravel whispered to herself.

At that moment, Rias made her decision... she didn't care what the odds were, this was the best chance she had ever been given.

So, it was a risk she had to take.

"Grayfia, tell my brother I accept the Rating Game. If everyone anticipates me losing, then I'll prove them wrong. Plus, it gives me the perfect chance to rip off Riser's cocky smile." Rias stated, making Riser scowl at her again.

"Very well, I will inform him immediately." Grayfia replied.

At that moment, a magic circle made another wall of flames, leaving the Phenex Devil to look at his hopeful fiancé.

"Riser will see you at the game... my lovely Rias." Riser stated.

As his peerage left, Riser laughed one last time, leaving the entire ORC on edge at the coming event.

* * *

**Aww~, the Nekoshou sisters have finally earned their happy ending, and Koneko's once again taking her original name. I'll say now that calling Koneko as Shirone is gonna stick, as I've rarely seen any fanfics go this path when the sisters restored their bond. I think more need to do this, so I'll be the next one to add to that chain. Most importantly, since we've had their bond restored early, the events of Vol 5 will be replaced by an original arc when we finally reach it.**

**The upcoming Rating Game is also why I had it settled earlier, without Issei or Asia on their team, Rias is in a worse position than canon. As such, making Shirone be willing to use her Youkai abilities is one way of empowering their group. The only other one, aside from training they'll get through Tiamat's efforts, is... well, next chapter will reveal it, but I think the last scene can give you an idea.**

**Something I should bring up, based on the fact you saw Grayfia without her maid outfit, is that in this story? Grayfia's not a maid for the Gremory Family like in canon. In my opinion, she may not have that job by choice, based on how Venelana seems to raise Millicas more often despite the anime shows Grayfia's usually present, and her being confined for a period after Euclid made his appearance.**

**While she and Sirzechs got to marry, since their marriage was considered a problem at the time, I feel it was some kind of sentence for initially fighting against the current government. I'll reveal the full story later, but this story's Grayfia fought on the side of the civil war that Sirzechs' was on from the start. Most importantly, this story's Grayfia is "younger" than Euclid, and she's never actually met him, as he got exiled before she was born.**

**For the Mythological History Club twist, I hope you liked it. I figured Vali's group needed their own club, rather than simply joining the ORC, just like how the Student Council are their allies. The biggest thing that inspired this idea was when I recalled the old school building's second floor had only been used to show Rias looking out of it. As such, I got both the MHC idea, and where the club could set themselves up.**

**Now, for this chapter's highlight? Our Heavenly Dragon duo has finally started to notice their feelings for each other, and they're having trouble ignoring it at all. It might not be much longer before the story's main pairing becomes a reality. *giggles* Also, we've met the Lucifuge connected to Vali. She'll be a major character in the story, but it'll be a while before she can fulfill that role.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

**A/N: The crest for the Lucifer Clan is the one on Sirzechs' magic circle, while the crest for the Lucifuge Clan is the one on Vali's.**

* * *

**Vali's Peerage** **:**

 **King - Valiana Lucifer**  
Queen - Issei Hyoudou  
Bishops - Le Fay Pendragon, Asia Argento  
Knights - Arthur Pendragon, Unclaimed Knight  
Rooks - Bikou, Kuroka Toujou (Mutation Piece: x2 Multiplier)  
Pawns - Yuuma Amano (x2), Six Unclaimed Pawns

* * *

 **Rias' Peerage** **:**

**King - Rias Gremory**   
**Queen - Akeno Himejima**   
**Bishops - Gasper Vladi (Mutated Piece: x4 Multiplier, Sealed), ? (Mutation Piece: x6 Multiplier, Sealed)**   
**Knights - Kiba Yuuto, Unclaimed Knight**   
**Rooks - Shirone Toujou, Unclaimed Rook**   
**Pawns - Eight Unclaimed Pawns**

* * *

**Sona's Peerage** **:**

 **King - Sona Sitri**  
Queen - Tsubaki Shinra  
Bishops - Momo Hanakai, Reya Kusaka  
Knights - Tomoe Meguri, Unclaimed Knight  
Rooks - Tsubasa Yura, Unclaimed Rook  
Pawns - Saji Genshirou (x4), Ruruko Nimura (x4)

* * *

 **Bust Size of New Female Characters** **:**

**Yumina Lucifuge - 105 cm**

**Grayfia Lucifuge - 100 cm**

**Ravel Phenex - 91 cm**

* * *

**Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter** **:**

**None**

* * *

**Pairings List** **:**

 **Issei/Vali - Realizing their feelings for one another  
Ddraig/Albion - Married**  
 **Tiamat/Fafnir - Married**  
Saji/Sona - Master and Retainer


	7. Chapter 7

**Here's part two of the double chapter posting special! Last chapter, Rias accepted the Rating Game against Riser, despite the odds weighing heavily in Riser's favor. The good news to amend that? Vali's team is here, so they can train with her, and this is especially good because of Tiamat's presence. *chuckles* Riser's gonna really feel their attacks in their Rating Game after she's done training them.**

**Now, time for a big announcement. Last chapter, I said that Rias' peerage needed more power, and only revealed that Shirone would be able to help in this area through her reconciling with her sister freeing her from the fear of using her powers as a Nekoshou. While I won't fully reveal it here, I can at least tell you what that other bit of aid is now... she'll be fighting Riser with a team of five!**

**Who is their fifth member? You'll learn fairly quickly, so no need for me to say that here, though you might be surprised by the possible options that I'm implying here. There will be some other surprises during the training, but as a whole, most of the chapter will still be like canon's training before the game against Riser, with Tiamat being the biggest difference I can really think of.**

**Anyways, it's time for the Training Camp!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

**[]** \- Ddraig Talking

**«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

**「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

**【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

**⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

**Strength of Dragons**

**Dragons have been prominent in the supernatural world for a long time, and among the supernatural races, have easily gained the title of the strongest. The power of a Dragon honestly depends on the individual itself, with a fully matured Low-Class Dragon being strong enough to defeat a lesser god in a fight, but not against a High-Tier god.**

**The Dragons best known for ranking the Dragons as the strongest race are the Five Dragon Kings, the Evil Dragons, the two Dragon Deities, and the Heavenly Dragons. All of them are powerful enough to challenge some of the more powerful gods, with the strongest of the Evil Dragons, the Heavenly Dragons, and two Dragon Deities being among the Top 5 of the World's ten strongest beings.**

**What truly set the standard for Dragons being the strongest is their ability to restore their bodies through their souls, which allows them to eventually revive. The strongest a Dragon is, the faster it can revive. A Dragon can take 2000 to 3000 years before their bodies reform themselves on average, but some Dragons can take only half a century. The record belongs to Nidhoggr, who can revive in just a single month.**

**Dragons are a dangerous race, but like the Devils, they prefer to live freely. However, if you make the wrong Dragon your enemy... wish yourself luck.**

* * *

**_Season 1, Riser Arc: Chapter 3 – Training Daze from Hell_ **

After delivering the message of accepting the Rating Game, everyone saw Grayfia return to give them a message.

"Extra time to train?" Rias repeated.

"Yes, 10 days' worth of it, while Riser and his peerage are prohibited from any of it. Considering your youth, lack of experience, Lord Riser's prowess, and your lack of retainers to face his larger forces with... Sirzechs felt it was only fair that a handicap was assigned to you." Grayfia explained.

Rias sighed, not liking the fact, but knowing she needed it.

"As much as it pains me over how little he's done to help me, I'm glad he's not completely against my choices. That time to train will be vital, especially if we have Vali's group to train alongside us." Rias agreed.

"Don't forget, Issei can summon Tiamat to help with our training." Vali reminded.

Hearing that got Grayfia's attention.

"Excuse me, did you just mention someone here can freely summon Tiamat?" Grayfia inquired.

Vali blinked, blushing as she realized what Grayfia didn't know.

"Oops! Sorry about that Grayfia, this completely slipped my mind until just now." Vali apologized.

"What else is new?" Issei chuckled.

"Remember how I told you my childhood friend was the possessor of the Boosted Gear? Well, this is him, and my Queen as of recently, Issei Hyoudou." Vali motioned to him, revealing his identity.

"The current Sekiryuutei? This is really him?" Grayfia asked, looking at him.

Vali nodded, prompting Grayfia to squint as slightly, gauging his power.

"Is... something wrong with him?" Vali asked worriedly.

"No, I was just sensing his strength, and I must say... he doesn't seem like an ordinary human. Perhaps there's slight trace of a supernatural race in his lineage that his family isn't aware of." Grayfia explained, getting Issei's attention.

"Whoa, seriously?" Issei wondered, looking at his hands.

Grayfia looked at Vali again, getting her attention.

"This does explain why she's been outside of Hell as of recently, I recall her sole condition to accepting a familiar pact was for her master to have the Boosted Gear." Grayfia stated.

"Would Tiamat training us be a problem?" Vali asked.

"No, earning her as a familiar wasn't an easy task, so it shouldn't be a problem if she trains Lady Rias' peerage under Issei's request." Grayfia reassured her.

Everyone sighed at that.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to make sure that Lord Riser keeps his end of the promise." Grayfia wished them a farewell, soon disappearing through a magic circle.

At that moment, Rias thought for a moment.

"Even if Tiamat does train us, I don't think a team of four will be enough, and since I can't seal unseal Gasper yet..." Rias mused.

"Rias, are you saying..." Akeno asked.

She nodded her head.

"I don't really have a choice, I'm bringing Valerie out of the Forbidden Room." Rias confirmed.

Everyone in Rias' peerage showed shock at that, while everyone else was confused. However, recalling that Rias still hadn't revealed her Bishops to the MHC, she had a good feeling this was the reason behind their absence.

"So, the reason we've never met them is because you've had them sealed away?" Vali asked.

"Yes, I think some of you have noticed a door bound by chains and police tape?" Rias answered, soon inquiring the others.

"I've seen that, so that's where they've been all this time?" Le Fay responded.

Rias nodded her head.

"Well, to be specific, only one of my Bishops is actually sealed in there, and the other is only inside because they're childhood friends. You see, my first Bishop... he has a powerful Sacred Gear, which made his Evil Piece become a Mutated Piece. As a precaution, my brother asked me to seal him away until I was strong enough, and my other Bishop chose to stay with him to keep him calm, and contain his power with her own." Rias explained.

"Let me guess, she took a Mutation piece?" Kuroka asked.

"She did, a Bishop with an 18 piece value." Shirone confirmed.

"What needed so many?" Kuroka inquired.

Rias closed her eyes, and then took a deep breath.

"She has one of the Longinus... the Sephiroth Graal." She revealed.

Vali's peerage all gasped in shock, while Issei and Asia just blinked.

"Uh..." Issei blinked, letting the others know he was clueless.

"The Sephiroth Graal is probably the one Longinus more sought out than any other. Unlike most Sacred Gears, which are ranked somewhere between Low to Ultimate-Tier, the Longinus are so brokenly powerful they're a rank in itself. For this Longinus? The ability that makes it sought out is... the power to revive the dead." Arthur revealed.

"It can revive the dead!?" Issei exclaimed.

"Yes, but there are some limitations... after all, there's a reason Rias hasn't tried to bring back Satan or the other Maou." Vali answered, looking a bit sad.

It didn't take long for Issei to realize she was saying her birth mother couldn't be brought back.

"Either way, having it in general's a good deal since it has some minor healing abilities. Not as good as the Twilight Healing, but still, it means Rias has a healer. It's even better if she's achieved her Balance Breaker." Le Fay remarked.

"And that's why I need her strength now, because Riser and his sister's regeneration are the biggest threats we have to deal with." Rias replied.

Everyone watched as Rias walked to the Forbidden Room, and soon knocked on the door.

"Valerie? Are you awake right now?" Rias asked.

"Yeah, I am. Do you need something?" Valerie replied.

"I do... I'm afraid I can't keep you inside here any longer, we need to play a Rating Game, and our opponent makes your power a necessity." Rias confirmed.

"OK, if you really need me." Valerie replied, understanding the situation.

A whimper was heard inside, getting everyone's attention.

"It's OK Gasper, I'll come visit every time the seal loosens up." Valerie promised her best friend.

Forming a special magic circle on the floor, Rias stepped away from the door. It suddenly glowed brightly, and in just a few seconds, the sight of a young woman with blonde hair and red eyes, wearing a fur coat of sorts.

She had pointed ears, but it was clear she wasn't an Elf upon seeing a slight fang from her mouth, which Elves didn't have.

"Did we get new members since I last came out?" Valerie asked, seeing the MHC members.

"Oh no, they're the peerage of our new friend, Vali Lucifer." Rias explained, motioning her hand towards the silver-haired Devil.

Valerie looked at her, with Rias putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Everyone, say hello to my second Bishop, Valerie Tepes. Before she was part of my peerage, she was a Dhampir." The redheaded Devil revealed.

Issei's eyes widened at that.

"So, she's a Human/Vampire hybrid?" Issei asked.

Valerie nodded her head that that.

"That's right, my father was a Human, but my mother was a Vampire." Valerie revealed.

"And that means you've got the benefits of a Vampire, but lack their weaknesses, right?" Issei remarked.

"Uh... actually, that's a common misconception. Vampires have some advantages over Dhampirs, and vice-versa. While us Dhampirs don't get bothered by the sunlight and have a resistance to holy light, genuine vampires are able to self-regenerate and are physically stronger." Valerie explained.

Issei blushed at the realization his info was wrong.

"Oh... I keep forgetting Humans don't have everything in the supernatural correct." Issei chuckled embarrassingly.

"Some other things they have wrong is we don't die from stakes to the heart, we can go into any residence without the need to be invited in, have reflections and shadows appearing in photographs, and we can cross water without any problems. Although, hating garlic is something only we Dhampirs hate due to it being like a peanut allergy for us, whereas normal Vampires find it delicious." Valerie added.

Issei and Asia blinked at that, looking at each other before looking back.

"Wow, guess the supernatural world has plenty more surprises for me to discover." Issei remarked.

Vali giggled a bit, soon looking at Rias.

"So, Rias? Where are we gonna be having our training camp at?" Vali inquired.

Rias smiled in response to that.

* * *

**_~Training Camp, Day 1_ **

Tiamat sat near the roof of the mountain, carrying a large box over her shoulders as she watched the two peerages.

Every one of them was carrying a large bag with a set weight total to fit the preferred weight the Chaos Karma Dragon felt they should carry, and a good example of how this affected them was seen through Yuuma, whose sweat had soaked 50% of her clothes had already been soaked from the sweat everywhere else on her body.

"T-Tiamat, can't I just... promote to a Rook for this!" Yuuma begged, panting as more sweat dripped off her.

"Not unless you want to add more weight to what you're already carrying." Tiamat stated.

The Fallen Angel paled once she heard that, soon collapsing onto her knees as the fatigue suddenly caught up with her.

"On your right." Issei stated, walking past her.

"Don't worry Yuuma, you've got this." Vali encouraged her Pawn.

Yuuma looked up, gasping as she saw the two Heavenly Dragon hosts carrying bags as big as the one Shirone was carrying.

"Have mercy..." She wheezed, collapsing on the ground.

Bikou soon caught up to Tiamat, giving her a look that caught the Blue Dragon's attention.

"I bet you're carrying way less than us, hypocrite." Bikou remarked.

"OK then, you can carry this the rest of the way." Tiamat stated, throwing her box to her.

He suddenly caught it, only for him to slip and start rolling back down the mountain, feeling what was like 10,000 pounds, screaming as he passed everyone.

"Uh..." Vali gave a worried look.

"Don't worry, I'm not that cruel, I just sent him back to the bottom to deal with his smart mouth." Tiamat reassured, teleporting the box back in her hands.

"Oh, thank goodness." Vali sighed in relief.

After climbing a bit more, everyone finally made it, causing the physically weaker members of each peerage to collapse. Tiamat threw them all bottle of water, with everyone guzzling some, and using the rest to cool themselves off.

"Everyone, welcome to one of my clan's private villas." Rias declared as they arrived at their stop.

Seeing the place, the trio of Asia, Le Fay, and Yuuma all looked at it excitedly.

"Wow, it's so beautiful!" Asia exclaimed with excitement.

"Now let's get inside and start on this training." Tiamat smiled.

At that moment, Yuuma went white, and then fell on her back, crying like she was being tortured.

"Now that's just melodramatic." Tiamat said with a smirk like stare."

* * *

The guys and the girls soon separated into different rooms to change, and during the process of changing...

"Wow, yours really are bigger than mine, Vali." Akeno giggled.

"H-hey, don't announce it like some Gold Medal ceremony!" Vali shouted with a blush, covering her breasts as she turned away.

Asia blushed a bit, looking at her fellow Lucifer Bishop.

"Le Fay, do you have a spell to block out sound." Asia asked hopefully.

The Pendragon Magician smiled.

"I know a few forbidden spells, so of course I'd know a simple noise silencing spell." Le Fay answered.

"She wasn't asking that much..." Shirone replied, staring at her with her eyes half-opened.

Le Fay gave an awkward chuckle, and after a bit more time passed, everyone was outside in their gym uniforms, without anyone wearing tracksuits. Tiamat stood before them, having finished her training planning and scheduling for the entirety of the camp's duration.

"OK, do I have everyone's attention?" She asked.

"Ma'am, yes ma'am!" Everyone answered.

She smiled at that, hitting the schedule she had, which released a loud sound. Everyone was caught off guard by that.

"Alright, here's the plan I've got! There's a different thing you'll all be doing for the next Ten Days, and I want everyone to follow them to a T! As such, I'll need to be strict with you if you're truly serious about getting stronger like you claim! Understood?" Tiamat inquired.

"Ma'am, yes ma'am!" Everyone shouted.

Tiamat smiled at that, taking out some slips with words written on them.

"Alright, I want Arthur and Kiba to stay right here. The rest of you will go where these slips tell you to go." Tiamat stated.

Handing everyone a slip, they began heading to the respective spots, while she looked at the two Knights who were still present. She took out a pair of badges, causing them to look at them with confused looks.

"These badges can be set to make the user's body feel the gravity pressing on it is amplified by a set amount, and I've set them both to make you feel like you're under ten times the force made by Earth's gravity. These are better than normal weights because not only do the amplified gravity make your entire body develop at once, letting you become stronger at a faster rate..." Tiamat explained, pausing to see if they could figure out the rest.

"It also avoids the strain normal weights would put on specific areas of our body, as we'd be under the same conditions normal gravity would leave on our bodies. Is that correct?" Arthur answered, waiting to see if he was correct or not.

"That's right, good to see you noticed that." Tiamat smiled, confirming his thoughts.

Both of them put the badges over where most people checked for their heartbeat, making them briefly drop from the sudden change of gravity pressing on their bodies. Once they were set, Tiamat explained their training regimen.

"Now, with your real swords, I want both of you to continuously run without stopping, and fight each other in a duel where you must cross with your blades, but with your blades alone. That means no physical contact anywhere else of any kind." Tiamat stated.

"Eh?" Kiba blinked in surprise.

Tiamat chuckled, having a feeling it might be strange to one of them.

"A knight relies on his or her speed over defense, and that means they're weakest at their legs. Because of this, you need to increase their durability by developing the lower body strength of your legs. Also, you need to overcome tunnel vision at high speeds, as limited vision will be a huge bane to a Knight." She clarified.

Hearing that, Arthur quickly realized the training's purpose.

"Of course, this training is to make sure we can handle certain attacks that could cripple us, while also helping us have speed when evasion is a better option." He stated.

"Right." Tiamat smiled.

In response to that, Kiba summoned his Holy Eraser, while Arthur drew Caliburn.

"Begin!" Tiamat announced.

The two swordsmen rushed across the forest, constantly colliding their blades as they continuously moved around the surrounding trees. The trees themselves became a challenge, as not only did they have to avoid them, but hitting them would count as going against the rule to only hit the other's blade. After a few minutes, Tiamat noticed major, yet easily fixable flaws in their movements.

"Kiba, fix your leg stance, and shift your weight more towards your front, it's too easy for a strike to disarm you right now! And Arthur, fix your upper body alignment, you're hindering your swing speed, and limiting your striking power! As for both of you, while I said you can only hit the other's swords, don't limit your focus to them!" Tiamat advised.

The two made these fixes, and continued clashing for another 20 minutes, with Tiamat correcting any errors she saw. As she watched, she kept noticing their speed, and their reaction times improving without any signs of slowing.

Finally, the challenge ended when Arthur's last swing knocked Kiba's blade out of his hands, making Tiamat whistle loudly to get their attention.

"That's it!" She announced.

The surprise of her shouting made the two of them fall on their butts.

"Arthur, focus on running through the forest for a bit. As for you Kiba? I'm gonna give you some advice based on what I saw." Tiamat ordered.

Hearing that, the Knight of Lucifer instantly got to his feet, running around the forest.

"Kiba, that sword of yours isn't your Sacred Gear, is it? It's what you _made_ with your Sacred Gear." Tiamat inquired.

"That's right, my Sacred Gear's real power is to make Cursed Swords that are weaker than the real deal, but can be given certain properties. I often give my sword the power to counter Angels since they're the most likely to attack a Devil." Kiba explained.

Tiamat nodded at that, knowing it was a wise choice based on the situations he's faced up to date.

"The downside is you can't stack multiple abilities together, so you can't always rely on a sword that could protect your legs. Although peerages can make team uniforms that could amend that, so..." Tiamat took a moment to figure out what he should do.

"I know, use your Holy Eraser to create a larger sword, and practice swinging it while stationary, then while you're moving. It should do you some good to build up some more muscle into your arms, since it reduces the risk of someone disarming you, or breaking your swords." She suggested.

"Alright." Kiba replied.

Tiamat watched him form a large sword, holding it up high as he prepared to swing it.

* * *

After spending enough time with the Knights, Tiamat met up with the Rooks in a rockier area of the mountains.

"Because I don't know how Chi, or any Youkai abilities work? I'll need you to help Shirone learn how to use them, Kuroka." Tiamat stated,

"I was already planning it." Kuroka replied, making a paw motion.

Tiamat rolled her eyes at how the Black Nekoshou's body had moved, clearly realizing Kuroka's personality was a bit seductive in nature.

"Anyways... for your Rook traits, that's where I'll be setting things up. First thing we'll do? Put on these badges, and keep them on at all times." Tiamat began, holding out three more of the gravity badges.

They put them on, with the gravity effect being set at thirty times gravity for the Youkai trio. The three were just barely able to move, but quickly managed to get somewhat used to it.

"Bikou, your staff is able to extend and shrink, how does that work since this is a replica of the original Ruyi Jingu Bang?" Tiamat inquired.

"Hmm... if I remember the old man's words, then it's a principle relating to a molecular change that responses to the user's will. Does that help?" Bikou explained.

Tiamat nodded at that, smiling a bit.

"Yep, which helps with the idea I already had." Tiamat answered.

Holding out her hand, Tiamat created a trip of five-foot long staffs using her chaotic energy, then placed them all upright.

"I want you three to all stand on the tips of these staves, and try to keep your balance on them. Just as you gotta focus on the body's central axis and its core for a strike, the same applies to one's balance, control it as a whole on such an unstable structure, and your strength as rooks will increase." Tiamat explained.

"Let me guess, there's another catch to this?" Bikou guessed.

"You're right Bikou, you'll be standing on the tip of one foot, and for every minute you succeed, all three of the staves will extend an additional three feet higher." Tiamat stated.

The three Youkai pale at that, only for Tiamat to continue speaking.

"Here's the big catch... If even one of you falls off, then you'll all have to start over, and the training ends once the staff reaches 50 feet in the air. Basically, the goal is to stand on here for 15 minutes straight." She finished her explanation.

Soon enough, the three all began to struggle as they stood on top of the energy staves.

"Once you accomplish this, then you'll start with training Shirone, since I'll be moving onto the next group." Tiamat remarked, making the trio nod.

* * *

Tiamat watched as Rias, Asia, and Le Fay all focused their magic, with them having the badge at twenty times, five times, and fifteen times gravity respectively. Clapping her hands, the three all fell to the ground.

The Blue Dragoness quickly walked to Asia, rubbing her head.

"You made that light sphere both fairly fast, and bigger than average, you've got the same magic potential that your King has." Tiamat praised.

"Really? You think so?" Asia asked happily.

Tiamat nodded her head.

"It helps explain why Vali chose to make you her Bishop among all her available Evil Pieces at the time. I believe that because you've healed so many people, it's given you a natural talent for using Magic." Tiamat replied.

After giving them a moment, Tiamat clapped her hands to announce the next stage of their training regimen, making them all stand up.

"Alright, the three of you are all best with magic, and your magic focuses mainly on the nature of Devil magic. Especially you Le Fay, as Magician magic works by remaking the structure of Devil magic." Tiamat began, soon walking towards Rias.

"Rias, you simply toss your Power of Destruction around like tossing a bucket of water. I've seen Sirzechs use it, and he compresses it into a small form. You know why he does this? Because if you focus it into a specific shape, it gets stronger. Why you may ask? Because you're gathering all that power into a single point, which is often what one needs to shred a leaf." She advised.

The Gremory heiress was surprised, she hadn't known her use of it was working against her.

"Asia, since you're a healer, you should at least know some magic to protect yourself, or at least help you run away in case you need to find one of your allies. I'd teach you defensive spells, but right now? Those seem too rigid based on your personality. As such, we'll focus on support magic, and once you gain more confidence, then you'll be ready to learn how to use magic as a defense." Tiamat stated.

"OK." Asia replied, understanding her main weaknesses.

Le Fay soon saw Tiamat look at her.

"Le Fay, you're the one I have the hardest time giving any advice to, as you know magic of each type, not just Devil magic. The main issue I see is your magic seems to favor more indirect methods, like summons. As such, I just want you to practice how you use it, and maybe try developing some unconventional methods of using it." Tiamat suggested.

"Understood." Le Fay acknowledged.

Tiamat soon took a strand of hair from each girl, and then used her chaotic power to create magical dummies. The three watched as each dummy got one of their hairs, which made them briefly glow.

"These are special dummies that will be using your hair strands as a form of protection. Each one has a special condition required for them to be destroyed, and as motivation, while you may have water, you can't have lunch, or even simple snacks until you destroy them." Tiamat stated.

As the three looked a bit nervous, Tiamat looked at Asia.

"Asia, when you're done with this, I'd like you to help Valerie train her healing skills, as I can't help her with that." Tiamat requested.

"Will do." Asia promised.

Tiamat soon sat down, watching them as she took a drink of water.

* * *

Next up on the training agenda was Akeno and Yuuma, the former having her badge at twenty times gravity, while Yuuma's was set at ten. As Tiamat looked at them, Yuuma shook heavily, making Tiamat sigh.

"Yeesh, I know your timid, but it's not like I'm gonna eat you. Except for a small few, Dragons don't like eating Humans, or anything that looks similar to them." Tiamat reassured her.

"O-OK..." Yuuma replied, nodding her head.

Now that Yuuma was at least somewhat calm... well, at least that's what Tiamat was hoping, she prepared to explain their training.

"Alright, you two are both Fallen Angels, so we'll be training your holy energy." Tiamat said as Yuuma showed surprise.

"Wait, what?" Yuuma blinked at that remark.

Tiamat went silent for a moment, looking at Akeno before looking at Yuuma again.

"Yuuma, you didn't know? Akeno's a Human/Fallen Angel hybrid." Tiamat revealed.

Yuuma's eyes widened, looking at the Queen of Gremory in surprise. Seeing her reaction, Akeno giggled a bit, reaching for her ribbon.

"Maybe this will help you recognize me?" Akeno suggested.

She removed it, and once Yuuma saw her with her hair down, Yuuma gasped.

"Y-you're... you're Baraqiel's daughter, but how?" Yuuma realized.

"Well... when my mother and I were attacked, right after my father was sent on a mission, my mom was badly injured. I thought we would die, only for a Devil to force them away. That Devil was a retainer under Rias' father, and she offered me a way to save my mother, so... I became her Queen. Unfortunately, because of that, I haven't seen my father in years, and he can't come see me or my mother." Akeno explained.

Yuuma gave a sad look, and put a hand to her chest.

"I'll tell my father. Even if he can't see you, I think hearing you're both alive will finally help your father heal. Better, I could give you a way to occasionally talk with him if you want." Yuuma offered.

Akeno was surprised at that, soon smiling a bit.

"Yuuma... thank you." Akeno smiled.

"Oh boy, here come the tears... give me a minute you two!" Tiamat sniffled, turning around.

After she got everything out of her system, she turned back to face the two, with Akeno having already re-tied her ponytail.

"Akeno, your specialty is holy lighting, but I think you should expand that onto the other elements you can use, or at least put your holy lightning into them. Fire is one since it's also a plasma, while ice can take a bit of its electrical charge." Tiamat suggested.

Akeno nodded at that, while Tiamat turned to Yuuma.

"And for you Yuuma, I want you to train your holy energy to not just make weapons, but magical spheres, and even a shield. You lack a focus, yet your timid nature makes you adapt fast, so I believe you should have variety over a specific focus. To do that, I want you have a duel with each other." Tiamat explained.

"O-OK..." Yuuma breathed.

Closing her eyes, she focused on a promotion.

" **Promotion, to Knight!** " Yuuma said, an illusion of a Knight appearing beside her before vanishing.

The two took flight, with Tiamat watching their aerial battle for a bit. After enough time passed, she moved onto the last group, and the one she was most excited to train.

* * *

In a more remote area of the mountains, Tiamat was standing by the twin Dragons, as Vali needed to continue hiding the fact she was the Hakuryuukou from Rias' peerage. Both of them were really showing a struggle to move, as their badges were set to have them feel a whopping one hundred times normal gravity.

"Alright, are you two ready?" Tiamat asked.

"Y-yeah... think so..." Issei grunted, feeling his legs buckling from the weight.

Tiamat smirked a bit.

"OK, it's time to fight me like fellow Dragons, so..."

Tiamat instantly shifted into her Dragon form, making Vali gasp at her first view of it, and then cracked her claws.

"I'll actually take my Dragon form to face you." She stated.

The two gave nervous looks, while Ddraig chuckled.

**["That's my sister for ya!"]** Ddraig shouted with praise.

"D-Ddraig, not right now..." Tiamat smiled, blushing at her brother's praise.

Clearing her throat, and stretching her wings out, the strongest of the Dragon Kings looked at the two, using her power to create a wall of energy behind her. The two watched as she created a marking on the ground with her flames, and then walked into that spot.

"Alright, this is your task. Since neither of you are strong enough do any real damage to me as you are right now, you'll need to use all your power to push me to the wall of magic I set up behind me. If you can push my body enough to touch it before I beat you, then you pass." Tiamat explained.

Issei whistled, impressed by the large hurdle she had given them.

"Alright then, you ready Ddraig?" Issei asked.

**["Let's do this, partner!"]** Ddraig replied with clear excitement.

Vali smiled at Issei, then looked at her left hand.

"Let's win this, Albion." Vali stated.

**("Right, let's hold nothing back.")** Albion agreed.

Both Heavenly Dragon wielders glowed their respective Dragons' signature color across their skin, and their eyes shined as their Dragon's eye color.

**["Welsh Dragon: Balance Breaker!"]  
("Vanishing Dragon: Balance Breaker!")**

They took to their air as their scale mails formed, making Tiamat show interest.

"So, both of you have your Balance Breakers? That's quite the achievement. In fact, I might need to up your training at this rate." Tiamat remarked, readying herself.

The Blue Dragoness released her signature flames from her mouth, with Vali taking the lead.

**("REFLECT!")**

The flames hit Vali, who struggled to hold them back before she flung them back. Tiamat grunted as she was pushed back, and Issei took the chance to dive at her, spinning around with a punch.

"Take this!" Issei shouted.

**["PENETRATE!"]**

Tiamat was slightly flung into the air, landing a foot behind where she was positioned before, feeling something different within Issei's punch.

'Hmm... it seems like he's unknowingly tapping into his Chi, best that I have him join Kuroka for that when he's done here; that way, he can learn to enhance his battle strategy with Touki and Senjutsu.' Tiamat thought.

Issei spun around, gathering all the power he could into his right hand.

**["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"]**

He made a tight fist, causing the power to burst out, and condense into a sphere.

**["EXPLOSION!"]**

" **Dragon Shot!** "

Tiamat stood her ground as Issei formed a red sphere, and unleashed a burst of power from it. Vali screamed as she dived down from the sky, slamming into her, but not giving in a the slightest.

"Come on, is that all you have? I bet you wouldn't be able push me back unless you used a Boost or Divide on me!" Tiamat taunted, trying to rile them up.

"Oh, she asked for it, come on Issei!" Vali declared.

Issei flew after her, roaring alongside Tiamat as their battle continued.

From a distance, bursts of blue, red, and white energy were seen detonating across the area. Despite that, none of the members from either peerage with even noticed it.

* * *

A few hours passed, and eventually, both peerages returned to the villa. Tiamat all looked at their tired forms, seeing the results they had achieved from completing their first day of training.

"Great job everyone, you all did very well... no more training for the rest of the day!" Tiamat announced.

Everyone slumped over, feeling relief from that comment.

"Take an hour to rest, as it's best we you let your bodies recover before we eat. After that, you'll have an obligatory bath to rid yourselves of all that sweat. When that's done, make sure you get to bed early, because we'll be waking up early as well." Tiamat stated.

"Ma'am, yes ma'am..." Everyone replied.

Tiamat giggled a bit, keeping watch over the two groups while they recovered. When everyone finally regained the ability to move, Vali gave them a dinner that was well worth the wait, and would help them with their training overall.

Once Yuuma tasted it, she began crying from the taste.

"This is delicious, how do you make it taste so good!?" Yuuma asked, still teary eyed.

"Uh... I don't know, I think I'm just a good cook." Vali replied as she refused to say it was for Issei's sake.

Kuroka give her a familiar smirk, making her sweat a bit.

'Crap! I'm not helping my case on telling myself I don't love him, am I?' Vali thought nervously.

Tiamat looked at Vali's reaction, recalling the talk that she had with her after she and Issei finished today's training.

* * *

_"Here we go!" Vali exclaimed._

**_("IMPLOSION!")_ **

_Vali's scale mail briefly glowed, causing her body to gather and focus the power she divided for her next attack._

_"Issei, now!" She shouted._

_The two dragon wielders gave a loud yell as they punched Tiamat on the head, making her tail hit the wall. She noticed it disperse, and then smiled._

_"You've succeeded, take a five-minute break before we resume." Tiamat announced._

_Both of them fell to the ground, dispersing their Balance Breakers as Tiamat repaired the area with her magic. Once he regained his breath, Issei got up before doing the same to Vali. At that moment, Tiamat realizes something._

_"Hey Vali, mind if I ask you something in private?" Tiamat asked._

_"Sure." Vali replied._

_Issei took that as a cue to go near a corner of the battlefield. Shifting into her Human form, Tiamat whispered into Vali's ear._

_"I hope you don't mind asking, but... Vali, is there any particular reason you don't want people to know you're the Hakuryuukou?" Tiamat asked curiously._

_The Hakuryuukou went silent for a moment, then looked at the Dragoness._

_"You know, my past and my grandfather, Rizevim... right?" Vali answered._

_"I honestly think you'd have more trouble finding someone anywhere in the Supernatural World that doesn't know that sick bastard." Tiamat replied, crossing her arms under her breasts._

_Tiamat blinked, looking at her._

_"Wait... I'm a bit confused now, how is that related?" Tiamat asked in confusion._

_"It doesn't, but... aside from certain higher ups in Hell, Rias' peerage, Sona's peerage, and my own peerage? No one knows I'm a Lucifer, so if people saw I was the Hakuryuukou..." Vali explained._

_"Oh, I think I get it now, knowing one could lead people to the other. I guess your grandfather really left a mark on you... didn't he?" Tiamat realized, rubbing her back._

_Vali sighed, leaning against Tiamat as she nodded her head._

_"Well, my best advice to you? There's no way you can run forever, not with Issei being the Sekiryuutei. You'll need to tell the world someday, so the big question is knowing when you should, rather than letting the world force it, and possibly making you regret it." Tiamat advised._

_Vali looked at the ground, thinking on that for a moment._

_"Hey, Albion... how did you and Ddraig fall in love with each other?" Vali questioned._

_Albion was surprised at that question, but then realized how she was recently acting around Issei, and understood why she asked. Giving her a certain look, Vali blushed, and only then did Albion decide to answer her._

**_("Well, after our rivalry had been going for a fee years, I noticed that Ddraig seemed to be looking at me different. Eventually, I asked him about it, leading him to admit he was starting to see me in a... romantic light. Once I heard that? I began seeing a new side between us, and I felt happy he respected my strength and beauty. After I realized that, I knew I wanted to love him, and told him that while we'd continue our rivalry, I would forever be his Dragoness.")_ ** _Albion answered._

_Vali showed surprise at that, looking at Issei._

_"But, how will I... and how will Issei-" Vali panicked, only for Tiamat to tap her forehead._

_"My advice? For now, just think on your own terms to understand your own feelings. If Issei's thinking the same, let his answer be yours, as sometimes... you find out you love someone when they fall in love with you." Tiamat smiled, hoping her words helped._

_Vali looked at Issei, putting a fist near her heart as she began to blush._

* * *

As Vali sighed, Tiamat silently wished her good luck.

'I hope you figure out you're answer, because I worry asking Issei anything right now might backfire.' The Dragoness thought.

Once everyone finished bathing, they went to bed for the night. As Issei was about to go to sleep, he heard a knock on his door.

"It's open." Issei remarked.

The opened as someone walked inside, revealing it was Vali. She was wearing loose white pajamas, with blue polka dots on them, and some of her cleavage showing due to Vali's massive breasts forcing her to be unbuttoned.

Issei blushed slightly, but quickly regained focus once he saw her worried expression.

"Vali? What's wrong" Issei asked.

"Issei, I... I..." Vali began to tremble, making Issei realize what went wrong.

"Nightmare?" He asked.

She nodded her head, prompting Issei to slide over. Vali climbed inside, facing the opposite direction from Issei, and soon felt herself calming down.

'She's calming down now, that's good-' Issei thought.

Issei blushed as Vali turned around, and hugged him close, making him feel her huge breasts hug into his body as a result.

He felt a blush go across his face, and his eyes go white, forcing him to breathe in and out. Luckily, it was enough, and tamed his internal perversions so he'd only enjoy the feeling, preventing him from doing anything more to his best friend.

'Of course, she still cuddles in her sleep... this is so much harder now that we're not kids anymore, has a sexy body, and a massive pair of pneumatic knockers! Just bear it Issei, bear it!' He mentally screamed at himself, forcing his body to listen.

"Hey... Issei?" Vali asked quietly.

Issei's blushing went away, realizing the nervousness in Vali's voice.

"What is it?" He asked.

Vali blushed, actually hugging herself closer, surprising Issei a bit at the gesture.

"I... won't be mad at you if you ever wanted to feel my breasts like this, I trust you enough to know you wouldn't hurt me." Vali told him, blushing more.

"W-what?" Issei blushed as he heard that.

"I don't... want things to change, I just want to be close to your side... like always. When you're with me... I don't feel any pain, or sadness... the past feels like... it doesn't even exist. Please, always stay with me, because I..." Vali continued, still blushing.

At that moment, she fell into a peaceful slumber before she finished, making Issei smile at her. Deciding to help her feel more comfortable, he shifted his position so the two were hugging in their sleep.

"It's OK, Vali. I'll always be by your side." Issei reassured her.

At that moment, he fell asleep.

'I don't think I can deny it anymore... I love him/her.' They both thought, unaware of the other's.

For Vali, such a thought began melting the scars of her past traumas for good.

* * *

**_~Training Camp, Day 9_ **

After another week passed, and Tiamat stood inside with everyone, giving them their current evaluations.

"Alright, since we'll be ending this training camp tomorrow afternoon, here's my analysis on the members of both groups. Since this is their Rating Game coming up, I'll start with Rias' group." Tiamat stated, looking at them.

"Akeno, you've developed your Holy Lightning to an even greater degree, enough that you can leave traces of it in your fire and ice spells. Because of this, you'll be the main lynch pin of your team, so try focusing only on Riser, Ravel, and his Queen if nothing else comes up." Tiamat said to the Gremory Queen.

Hearing that made Akeno a little nervous, but she nodded her head in understanding.

"Rias, let me see your current use of your Power of Destruction." Tiamat requested.

The Gremory heiress raised her hand up, creating a small vortex of black/red energy in her hand, making those closest to her feel the incredible pressure it emitted.

"There you go, that's definitely more powerful, and you even took my advice to shape it. That makes it at least double, or triple its original power, and gives you more to use against Riser without quickly exhausting your own strength." Tiamat smiled.

"Can't wait to use it on him." Rias stated, giving an excited chuckle.

Tiamat snickered, looking at Shirone.

"Shirone, aside from Rias and Akeno, you'll be the team's main strength. Your powers of Senjutsu, Youjutsu, and Touki means you'll have good counters against most Anti-Rook defenses that Riser's group might throw at you, so don't be afraid to unleash it on his peerage." Tiamat revealed.

Shirone popped out her ears, and her two tails.

"Meow." Shirone made a paw motion with her one hand.

Everyone went "Aww~" at the sight, while Rias and her sister were just glad she was happier, and more expressive as of recent days.

"Kuroka, you also taught her Space-Time manipulation, how well has that gone?" Tiamat inquired.

"Admittedly, not as well as I'd hope, but it's because I can only manipulate space right now. Not just that, but Shirone seems better at manipulating time." Kuroka admitted.

"Hmm... well, I think bending time even slightly will be a benefit, so I think it will still amount to something." Tiamat replied.

Finally, Tiamat looked at Kiba.

"Kiba, since we've already got team outfits to deal with giving protection to your legs, what have you done to prepare on your end?" Tiamat inquired.

"I've practiced on how fast I can make swords, and used that speed to create a new attack." Kiba replied.

Tiamat's mouth took an "o" shape, already wanting to see what this new move was, but she was patient enough to wait.

"Alright, then to give you all a small break this morning, I think it's time that we educate Issei and Asia on some of the most important things among the Supernatural, while making sure everyone's up to date." Tiamat decided as she looked to the Lucifer heiress.

"Vali, would you please explain the story of the Great War, and the Devil's Civil War?" The Chaos Karma Dragon requested.

Hearing this, the silver-haired Lucifer showed some surprise, but ultimately nodded.

"Alright, I did promise Issei I'd share this eventually, so I guess now's the time." Vali agreed.

Standing in front of everyone, Vali began the story.

"Over an eternity ago, as we don't remember when it officially began, a massive war engulfed the world. It lasted until 2000 years ago, when Humanity switched to the AD Years on their calendar, likely through supernatural influences. The entire Christian Pantheon, which is made up of the Angels, Devils, Fallen Angels, and Demons, were the ones standing at the initial stages of the conflict."

"Nowhere was safe, and before they even realized it, every other mythological faction was dragged in, while various species ended up being forced to choose sides to guarantee their possible survival, with only the Dragons staying neutral due to their power. Even then, there were many who still died out, or later died out during the war... it's easily the worst conflict this world had ever faced."

"In the end, the war had no victor, leaving all sides with immeasurable losses, and most of their factions either dead, or missing. Compared to Humanity, the supernatural have low birthrates, because the power behind things the primordial forces are what people refer to as eternal youth. Basically, you live until someone kills you. This is why these losses were so bad... for at least us Devils, we can only get pregnant a single day per year."

Issei was surprised by that, realizing just how big of a problem that was.

He once asked his mother if he could have a sibling, but she said that her body had more difficulty getting pregnant than most people, and it was luck that she managed to have him without it ending as a miscarriage or stillbirth.

"Knowing any more fighting would doom the entire Christian Pantheon, all four sides agreed to a truce to stop the fighting, with some even striving for official peace in the present. Now, I think Issei and Asia might be wondering this... why didn't we simply try reproducing with other races that had better fertility, like how I'm Half-Human and can breed like one? Well... that's the problem, or more specifically, it's a problem that was born when the Maou died."

"Hell began changing in ways that Lucifer hated, but he and Lilith couldn't prevent from happening. One of which was clans that didn't keep their bloodlines 100% Devil... became extinct, with their Households abolished to forbid any new heirs. In this case, they still exist, but they're treated like garbage by most. Even those who actually care have to act like jerks, or face the same risk... I think Kuroka's story shows just how bad things are getting."

Kuroka nodded her head, remembering how the rest of the Naberius Clan didn't act to avoid consequences. She didn't hate them for it, because she already felt that feeling when she lost her mother.

As for Issei, he finally realized why Reimei looked confused by his words. Because her Clan only existed by the Devils carrying the Marchosias name.

"To explain the damage Hell received... the Devil clans are ranked like so. The Maou Clans, which are the descendants of Hell's founders, like myself; The Elite Devil families that served the Maou; the 72 Pillars that Rias and Sona are from; the Extra Devils of the Mid-Class; and then the Low-Class, which is comprised of everyone else. Among the 72 Pillars, a total of 39 became were made extinct for breeding with other races."

Asia gasped at that, while Issei was a bit unnerved... to hear how more than half of the clans were being treated just because they were trying to stay alive after a war. Worse, he was sure these were just a small part of the casualties.

"Eventually, the current heirs of the Maou Clans joined my grandfather to continue the war against Lucifer's wishes, becoming the Anti-Maou Faction. Knowing they had to be stopped, Lilith gathered the strongest Devils she could to fight back, and formed the Old Maou Faction. The traitors lost the war, and fled... but the damage had been done, and left the Maou Clans to be treated just like the extinct clans."

Vali took a deep breath as she finished, soon seeing Asia raise her hand for a question.

"Yes, Asia?" Vali asked.

"Is... this how the Evil Pieces were developed?" Asia asked.

The Lucifer Heiress nodded her head.

"After the civil war ended, seven of the Devils were chosen by Lucifer to become the Great Devils, as they were the reason they won the war. Among those seven, one of them created the Evil Piece system, allowing us to replenish our numbers through reincarnating others, then spread it through the other Great Powers. This lead to the Brave Saints for Angels, the Fell Saints for Fallen Angels, and the Vile Pieces for Demons."

"The Rating Games were then created to train these new retainers in combat experience, but without putting them at risk to do so. It eventually became a popular sporting competition in the present day, and now has a huge influence in Hell's civilization when it comes to one's status."

The former Holy Sister was amazed at that.

"Say Vali, you mentioned the four races trying to make possible peace, how would they be doing this?" Issei asked.

"By helping each other, hopefully removing the lines that currently divide us. The Fallen Angels study the Sacred Gears, and share that information. The Angels help keep tract of our fugitives, hence why an Archbishop told us about Viser's appearance. Finally, the Demons share their technology, which is the most advanced among the races of the Christian Pantheon." Vali answered.

Yuuma waved her hand, making the silver-haired Lucifer nod her head.

"There's another reason. The fact that the leaders of each faction, aside from the Angels, used to be the other six members of the Ten Great Seraphs; those being Lucifer, both of my parents, then Cassiel, Haniel, and Camael among the Demons." Yuuma mentioned.

Issei blinks a bit, realizing something from those words.

"Wait a minute... doesn't that mean you and Vali are technically cousins?" Issei asked.

"Huh?" Yuuma blinked.

Vali tried her best not to laugh, with Yuuma's face going red as she only now realized that Vali calling her father by "Uncle Azazel" wasn't just to be friendly.

"H-how'd I not notice that!?" She panicked, rubbing her hands through her hair.

At that moment, nearly everyone was struggling not to laugh.

"I'm honestly more interested in why the four races never got along in the first place." Issei remarked as it all sank in.

"Yeah, wish things were easier, but by all means... we're still enemies that just don't fight." Vali sighed as she had a certain thought.

Rias walked up to her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"just Let's focus on the here, and now. Not what was, or will be." Rias suggested.

Vali smiled a bit, nodding her head.

"Yeah, let's make sure you win that Rating Game against Riser." Vali declared.

* * *

**_~Training Camp, Final Day_ **

Tiamat roared out her blue fire at the Heavenly Dragon duo, who easily dodged it. Right after, she blasted it out again, but this time it spread out through her chaotic energies, making them swerve as they rushed towards the strongest Dragon King.

"Vali!" Issei shouted.

"Right!"

Vali unleashed a storm of beams, smashing against Tiamat's body. She grunted as she felt the impact.

"Go!" Issei screamed.

**["TRANSFER!"]**

**("RELEASE!")**

Vali felt both energies go into her, following with a mighty shout as she felt the power flowing through her veins. She formed a dozen magic circles all at once, and then her eyes focused.

"Issei, now!" Vali screamed.

"Right!" He replied.

Multiple white shots rained down from Vali's magic circles, while Issei dived towards his Familiar, making Tiamat's eyes widen.

The white shots all struck, and as Issei neared her...

**["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"]**

Issei gave a mighty yell as he unleashed one grand punch, striking a spot that the last rain of white shots managed to hit. It created a powerful burst of red energy, and when the smoke cleared... Tiamat saw a slight burn where Issei's punch had hit her.

"Issei, Vali... congratulations, you passed." Tiamat smirked.

Transforming back into her Human form, the two best friends gave each other a victory hug.

"We did it, Vali!" Issei cheered happily.

"Yeah! Great job, Issei!" Vali also cheered.

As she watched the two celebrate, the strongest of the Dragon Kings smiled, a single thought going through her head.

"I don't know why, but I think these two will be more than just the greatest Sekiryuutei, and Hakuryuukou that will ever live... they'll help shape the future. Ddraig, Albion, I hope your latest hosts makes us Dragons proud." Tiamat said to herself.

* * *

**That's right, the other Bishop was Valerie, and her presence under Rias means the story's adaption of the Vampire arc will go a much different direction, but it'll be a long time before we reach that point. For now, we've seen the fruits of Tiamat's training, and boy were they good fruit. *giggles* However, I think the biggest surprise is the fact that in this story, Akeno doesn't have any issues with her Fallen Angel heritage.**

**Before anything else, I should explain that whole scene with Le Fay using a spell to increase the size of her, Asia, and Shirone's breasts. Akeno said in canon that visualization is the essence of all magic, and if Issei was able to use X-Ray vision, then I don't see how this isn't possible, especially when Fallen Angels have a natural thing for this, as does the Bael Clan blood... for some reason. So, I decided Le Fay should know such a spell, though don't expect it to come up very often.**

**Unlike in canon, the Himejima Clan attacked right as Baraqiel left. Shuri was injured, but before she could be killed, a member of Zeoticus' peerage was nearby, so they were forced to flee. To save her mother's life, Akeno decided to become Rias' Queen when she finally gained her Evil Pieces, and they gave Shuri the medical attention she needed. However, that also meant Baraqiel couldn't come visit them, or be told they were alive.**

**I hope you liked the brutal training I had Tiamat give everyone, the main reason both groups got it was so Vali's group already has training to handle the battles to be fought in Season 2, where they just won't have the time for it. The same for giving each of the Four Great Powers their own counterparts to the Evil Pieces, since I feel it wasn't fair the Angels to get the Brave Saints, and the Fallen Angels to have nothing.**

**Well, that's all I really have to say, other than the Rating Game happens next chapter... oh, wait! I do have one more thing, there's gonna be one major difference from the Riser arc that'll happen soon, but I can't say what it is just yet. What I can say is that you'll see it at the end of the next chapter, so get ready to see it alongside Rias VS Riser.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

**A/N: "Implosion" works like "Explosion", but with the power focused more inward than outward. While "Release" works like "Transfer", but only gives the all the stored power its divided to Vali.**

* * *

**Vali's Peerage** **:**

**King - Valiana Lucifer**  
Queen - Issei Hyoudou  
Bishops - Le Fay Pendragon, Asia Argento  
Knights - Arthur Pendragon, Unclaimed Knight  
Rooks - Bikou, Kuroka Toujou (Mutation Piece: x2 Multiplier)  
Pawns - Yuuma Amano (x2), Six Unclaimed Pawns

* * *

**Rias' Peerage** **:**

**King - Rias Gremory**   
**Queen - Akeno Himejima**   
**Bishops - Gasper Vladi (Mutated Piece: x4 Multiplier, Sealed), Valerie Tepes (Mutation Piece: x6 Multiplier)**   
**Knights - Kiba Yuuto, Unclaimed Knight**   
**Rooks - Shirone Toujou, Unclaimed Rook**   
**Pawns - Eight Unclaimed Pawns**

* * *

**Sona's Peerage** **:**

**King - Sona Sitri**  
Queen - Tsubaki Shinra  
Bishops - Momo Hanakai, Reya Kusaka  
Knights - Tomoe Meguri, Unclaimed Knight  
Rooks - Tsubasa Yura, Unclaimed Rook  
Pawns - Saji Genshirou (x4), Ruruko Nimura (x4)

* * *

**Bust Size of New Female Characters** **:**

**Valerie Tepes - 91 cm**

* * *

**Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter** **:**

**【** **Gravity Badge** **】**  
 **A type of supernatural tech that makes one's body experience the feeling of strengthened gravity. It can be as little as double, but as high as a hundredfold. They're used for training, since it gives training weight to one's entire body, without the risk of selective strain.**

* * *

**Pairings List** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Realizing their feelings for one another  
Ddraig/Albion - Married**  
 **Tiamat/Fafnir - Married**  
Saji/Sona - Master and Retainer  
Gasper/Valerie - Best Friends


	8. Chapter 8

**It's finally time for the event we've all been waiting for... this story's first Rating Game! We're finally going to see the Occult Research Club take on Riser, and either lose to him like most stories do, or win it to bring in a surprise. For this chapter, we'll have the MHC taking a backseat alongside the Student Council, who are gonna be aiding Rias' group as part of their handicaps.**

**Also, for those who didn't like how Ravel didn't fight in canon, she'll be doing a little fighting here... once Shirone provokes her, due to the whole "cats and birds don't get along" shtick. *giggles a bit* Well, either way, we're gonna see how Shirone's Nekoshou powers, and Akeno's Holy Lightning, help turn the tides of this Rating Game in Rias' favor, especially with Sona's advice.**

**Oh, I forgot to say this last chapter, but I chose to make Kiba's Sacred Gear be named after his original sword for two reasons. The first, being a Sacred Gear that makes demonic swords, or cursed swords as I like to call them in this story; Holy Eraser sounded much more fitting as a name. The second is since Kiba shouts Sword Birth for his one attack, I've made that the name of said technique.**

**Now to reply to a guest review.**

**To David maccusker:  
"No need to worry there, I already planned to make the Demon's Leader a woman from the beginning. While we have powerful woman among the leaders in Gabriel, Penemue, and Serafall? None of them are the de facto leaders for their respective races. As for the suggestion with her and Issei, that can't happen because her personality isn't remotely close to that."**

**With all of that finished, let the Rating Game... begin!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

**[]** \- Ddraig Talking

**«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

**「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

**【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

**⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

**Process of Angels Falling**

**When the divide of Heaven's Angels began, those would become the Fallen Angels were convinced by Azazel to show God proof of Lucifer's words, but instead of looking into their words as the evidence they were hoping it would be... God instead decided they could no longer reside in Heaven, and stripped them of their status. This began the process of Falling, and the birth of Fallen Angels.**

**From that moment on, if God believed any Angel did something they were not supposed to, went against his teachings, or something similar while still trying to be on the side of Heaven, they would be turned into a Fallen Angel. This process was only possible by God, so many Angels used this during the Great War to get away while he was sure he wouldn't be looking.**

**After God was killed, there was no one who possessed the power to make an Angel fall, so when Michael became the new leader of the Angels, he decided to limit those who would qualify by allowing minor acts of sinning, as the society of Fallen Angels cared less about how much they sinned since they had fell from Heaven. From that point on, any new Fallen Angels were always the result of using a Fell Saint, or natural reproduction.**

**Since Heaven has become more accepting of their flaws in the present day, the loss of falling is viewed as accepting they're as flawed as any other being.**

* * *

**_Season 1, Riser Arc: Chapter 4 – Let the Game Begin_ **

Issei was currently in his room, looking at his phone to check the time, Tiamat was currently leaning against the wall for the same reason. The two were waiting for Vali to come in, letting them know they were ready to see the Gremory Team off.

"Oh man, I'm not even the one fighting, yet I'm nervous as Hell." Issei remarked, sweating a bit.

"Well, you have a good reason for it. You've become good friends with Rias and her peerage in the past 10 days, and I don't want them to lose any more than you do." Tiamat replied, hoping Riser didn't win.

At that moment, they heard a knock on the door, seeing Asia wearing her habit.

"Hey Asia, I haven't seen you wear that in a while." Issei greeted.

"I thought wearing it might make me feel more comfortable, I'm having trouble trying to stay calm right now." Asia replied nervously.

"Maybe it's something in the air?" Issei mentioned.

Tiamat puffed her cheeks at that, failing to contain her laughter at the Sekiryuutei's little joke, with Asia quickly doing the same.

It was only seconds after that the rest of Vali's peerage appeared through Kuroka's magic circle.

"Oh, hey there guys, decided to wait with us too?" Tiamat greeted.

"Yeah, I can't stop playing attention to the clock, it makes the waiting game take even longer..." Kuroka admitted with an embarrassed look on her face.

She sat down on the floor, sighing with worry.

"Tiamat, what do you think is the main reason that Rias doesn't want to marry Riser?" Bikou inquired.

"I don't need to think, because I actually know it. For Devils, relationships they make as children are strong and long-lasting, so most arranged marriages are made between two Devils that are friends in their childhood. As a result of this, the two Devils have ample opportunity for friendship to evolve into love. However, for the case of Rias and Riser... this wasn't the case." Tiamat revealed.

This caused everyone to give surprised reactions, prompting her to continue.

"From what I can gather, both families are against it, but none of them can do anything. Worse, looking at Riser is enough for me to say a marriage between them won't have any love, and that's just the thing Vali said is making Hell stop being what Lucifer made it to be." Tiamat stated, tightening her fist.

Bikou slammed his fist against the wall.

"No wonder she gets so angry about this marriage..." He said through gritted teeth.

At that moment, Vali walked in the front door.

"Please Vali, please tell me what I'm hoping you are." Kuroka begged.

The silver-haired Lucifer smiled, making the Black Nekoshou sigh in relief.

"It's time guys, so let's give Rias our best, and see her give Riser his worst!" Vali cheered.

Everyone cheered back, with Arthur nodding in agreement.

* * *

Appearing from a magic circle, the MHC arrived to see Rias and her peerage getting ready. Kiba had prepared a fresh sword from his Holy Eraser; Shirone was putting on some workout gloves with cat paw marks on them, her ears and both tails already popped out; and Akeno was sipping some fresh tea, watching Valerie drank some of Rias' blood to power up.

The one thing different than usual, while also being shared among them all, was the crimson outfits that were their team uniforms. All of them generally the same, though a few differences were made for certain members of the team, such as bands around Kiba's knees that granted them protection, Shirone's gloves, and a shoulder cape worn by Valerie.

"Wow, Rias doesn't even look worried about the game." Asia noticed her composure.

"Don't let that fool you Asia, while she might seem fine, I'm pretty sure on the inside it's another story. Although, I will admit calm worry is better than something like hysterical panicking." Tiamat remarked.

The sound of the door opening is heard, making everyone look to see the members of the Student Council walk in.

"Sorry if we're interrupting anything." Sona apologized.

"No, please come on in Sona. I'm actually glad you could make it." Rias smiled.

"I didn't expect all of you to be here, same reason as us?" Issei asked.

Sona shook her head.

"As another handicap, we've been given permission to help Rias with her strategies. Because Riser's played in an official game, and he already knows Rias well, it was believed this would make the fight more even." She explained.

Tiamat sighed.

"In other words, they're making this as fair as possible, so no one can bitch about the match being one-sided." Tiamat stated without hesitation.

"Yes, that's... actually the best way to put it." Sona confirmed her thoughts.

The Sitri heiress smiled a bit.

"Regardless, it's her first Rating Game. I wouldn't miss it for anything." Sona added.

"Then I promise to make it interesting for you." Rias promised.

At that moment, everyone noticed a magic circle with the Lucifuge crest, with Grayfia appearing from it shortly after. However, unlike most cases Issei had seen so far, the glow only dimmed, instead of the circle vanishing.

"It's almost time, I hope you're ready for this, my lady?" Grayfia asked.

"I am." Rias replied.

Grayfia nodded at that, motioning to the magic circles.

"There are a few last details to take care of, but when they're finished, we'll use this magic circle to transport you and the rest of your team to the battlefield." Grayfia revealed.

Rias nodded her head in understanding.

"Also, you should know that the Great Devils Lucifer and Leviathan will be watching the game." Grayfia warned, catching Rias by surprise.

"Wow, so the leader of the Devils will be watching? Didn't know he had the... wait, did you just say Leviathan? As in, one of the Maou that everyone's told me got killed in the Great War?" Issei was suddenly confused.

Vali turned his face to hers.

"Grayfia's not talking about my father or one of the deceased Maou; she's referring to Rias' older brother, and Riser's older sister. They're both among the seven Great Devils that I mentioned when we spoke about Hell's history." The Hakuryuukou clarified.

Issei's eyes widened, looking at Rias.

"Vali's telling the truth, my brother fought in that war, and played a major role in stopping it." She confirmed.

"The Great Devils were all named after one of the Maou as a title, like a badge of honor. Though it was also to prevent the Maou Clans from suffering worse by making a middle ground." Vali explained, adding the details she withheld the day before.

Hearing that, Issei started to realize the bigger picture.

"I get it, neither Clan is able to stop this because of their respective siblings." He assumed.

Grayfia nodded her head, sighing a bit.

"I'm also guessing that her brother's a total badass, am I right?" Issei wondered.

"Among the Great Devils, he's definitely the strongest. My sister's also one of them, being the one who got the title of Asmodeus, and... that might be a reason for Riser's stuck up attitude. His sister was named the new Leviathan because she was the strongest among the women, so..." Sona answered.

Tiamat groaned as she face palmed.

"Of course, he thinks his regeneration's unbeatable due to his sister." She realized.

Grayfia closed her eyes in response.

"I don't blame him, I was there when she made the action that guaranteed she'd become one of the Great Devils." Grayfia recalled.

* * *

_Flying in the sky, with bird-shaped wings made of fire, a blonde-haired Devil took a storm of magical blasts, only to regenerate even faster than they hit her. The one known at the time as Alanira Phenex._

_Grayfia, wearing her normal clothes, noticed the blonde Devil dive at the ground, towards the enemy forces who held Phoenix Tears._

_"No way, is she-" Grayfia gasped._

_The ground exploded with bright flames, incinerating the entire field of Anti-Maou Faction Devils. Standing in the middle of it was Alanira, who was holding all of the enemy's vials of her clan's signature creation, giving the Old Maou Faction both another edge, and a huge opening for their forces to strike the enemy army._

* * *

Grayfia's eyes opened as the flashback ended.

"She didn't just damage the enemy side, but rather than destroy the enemy's Phoenix Tears, she managed to take them all for our side. Among the Female Devils, the only female Devil that outranks her is Lady Lilith." The Gremory stated.

"Let me guess, Phoenix Tears are like they are in myth?" Issei guessed.

"That's right, and like the actual fire birds, the House of Phenex can make them. The main difference is it's a bit harder for the Phenex Clan to make them since it isn't innate. I'd say they heal similarly to Asia's Twilight Healing, but with a few differences." Vali confirmed while explaining their nature.

Rias looked worried.

"Riser won't have any on hand, will he?" She asked.

"No, as this is an unofficial Rating Game, the use of Phoenix Tears won't be allowed. We've warned Riser any use of them will be an immediate disqualification." Grayfia reassured her.

The redheaded Devil wiped her brow, sighing in relief.

At that very moment, the magic circle turned red, signaling the field was ready.

"It's time everyone." She stated.

Rias and her peerage walked onto the magic circle, soon looking at their friends.

"Wish us luck." Rias requested.

"Yeah, kick that scumbag seven ways from Sunday!" Saji cheered.

Rias smiled at that before they were sent over.

"Come on everyone, let's get to the Council Room." Sona stated, taking the lead.

Everyone quickly followed her.

* * *

Rias and her peerage arrived in the alternative space for the Rating Game, soon noticing they were still in the old school building.

"Well, looks like they gave us another handicap." Shirone noted.

"Really? How many are they giving us just to make things _fair_?" Valerie questioned with worry.

At that moment, they heard the announcer's voice reach them. Said announcer was revealed to be a man in a purple suit, with dark gray hair that was dyed purple in a fluffy area among what was a buzz cut of hair, and a goatee on his face.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Welcome everyone! I'm Naud Gamigin, and I'm the host/referee of the Rating Games! Today, we have the unofficial Rating Game between Riser Phenex, and a Rias Gremory!**

An unseen crowd, who were all watching the game through a live-feed screen, cheered in response.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
The game will officially start after a 30-minute grace period, so each side can have a chance to set up the field, and prepare for their first moves. With that being said, good luck to both sides.**

Rias took a deep breath, giving a serious expression.

"Well, looks like it's time to make our first moves." Rias stated.

She quickly gave each of her retainers glowing magic orb, who placed them in their ears, revealing they were special intercoms.

Rias then lays out a map as they begin planning, while Riser prepared from his team's base.

* * *

Back at the real Kuoh Academy, Sona and Vali's peerages were both examining the map as they saw it.

"The enemy base is just across the way, cutting through the school grounds might be quick but it won't be an option. They'd be seen coming, and end up setting ducks." Vali commented as she analyzed the map.

"What about sneaking through the track field? If they went to the back, the element of surprise would be on their side." Saji suggested.

Tomoe shook her head.

"Not a good idea, as Riser knows that's the most obvious point of entry." Tomoe explained the problem.

"Most likely he'd place Knights, or Rooks with strong mobility there, and if I remember right..." Tsubasa remarked as his one Rook came to mind.

"That's right, his one Rook is the fabled Queen of Rooks, so at least one of them qualifies." Tsubaki confirmed.

Sun Wukong's descendant blinked at that.

"How'd she get such a nickname?" Bikou asked, scratching his head as he did.

"Simple, while she's only a Rook, she's got the skills of a Queen." Sona revealed.

Hearing that, Saji gave a worried look.

"That's not good, and it doesn't leave them with many options... wait, I think I've got an idea! The gym's in the center of the entire field, adjacent to Riser's home base, and not too far from them. More importantly, they could use it as a diversion." Issei suggested as he pointed to the gymnasium.

Sona thought on that, soon getting an idea.

"Rias, listen closely." She said through a magic circle.

* * *

Hearing the idea that the Sitri heiress gave her, Rias nodded her head while her peerage noticed.

"OK, we've got our plan." The redheaded Gremory stated.

"Shirone, think you can handle getting in there and locking it down?" Rias inquired.

The White Nekoshou nodded her head.

"Now, let's start setting up the defensive perimeter with our familiars. Akeno, prepare some illusions, and Kiba? I need you stationed at one of them." Rias ordered.

Everyone holds out their hands and summons their familiars, who quickly rushed out to do set the traps. While they were out doing their work, the Heiress of Gremory turned towards her Dhampir Bishop.

"Valerie, I'll need you here with me, best you stay by my side if things go south. Before that, go spread some mist in the area that Kiba's being sent to." Rias ordered once again.

"Understood." Valerie responded, walking to the forest.

The preparations continue until a bell signifying the 30-minute time grace period was over.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
There's the bell! So, let the Rating Game... Begin!**

With that signal, everyone moved into position. With Shirone standing by the Gym's walls, Akeno on the roof top of one building, and Kiba hiding in part of the forest. Rias took a deep breath as she alerted her peerage.

『"Shirone, once you get inside the gym, a confrontation will be inevitable, so be sure to follow the plan. Kiba, get ready. Akeno, stand by to move."』 Rias warned before ordering the others.

"You got it Rias." They all replied.

Rias smiled, ready to initiate their own plan of attack.

『"Alright, then commence operation "Phoenix into Ashes." Go out there, and show no mercy to Riser, because he won't show any to you."』 Rias announced.

Everyone moved out in response.

* * *

Shirone quickly entered the gym, hiding behind the curtains as she sensed four people inside.

"They're here..." Shirone said quietly.

The lights suddenly flickered to life, getting the White Nekoshou's attention.

"Smells like Gremory filth! Come out, come out, wherever you are!"

Shirone soon walks into view, knowing stealth wasn't gonna matter anymore.

Seeing her opponents, she made out a Chinese girl with black hair, wearing an open orange qipao dress that lacked any underwear based on the sight of her cleavage; a pair of green haired twins carrying large bags, wearing gym uniforms; and a blue haired girl wearing an orange obi, and a white haori under a red happi coat.

"Alright, so who am I facing exactly?" Shirone asked.

"I'm Mira, and I'm a Phenex Pawn." The blue-haired girl began.

"I'm Xuelan, a Phenex Rook." The Chinese girl followed.

"I'm Ile, and I'm a Phenex Pawn!" The first twin exclaimed.

"I'm Nel, and I'm also a Phenex Pawn!" The second twin exclaimed.

Shirone focused her senses on the quartet, soon noticing the powerful energy in Xuelan.

"I see, so you're the rumored Queen of Rooks." Shirone realized.

'How'd she figure that out without even seeing Isabela first?' Xuelan thought in surprise.

The White Nekoshou flipped off the stage, revealing her ears and tails, surprising all of Riser's pieces. As she landed before them, the Gremory Rook held up a finger.

"Time to let this cat out of the bag." Shirone stated.

Shirone used her Youjutsu to write some symbols, instantly releasing a mist that created an illusionary forest, trapping Xuelan inside.

"What is this?" Xuelan demanded.

"Sorry, but I've gotta take you out first, so no distractions allowed." Shirone answered.

* * *

Meanwhile, in one area of the forest, Riser's two Maid Pawns, and the one who looked like an Arabian belly dancer, were all traversing through some fog as they attempted to reach the Gremory base. The only problem they had? They were lost.

"Damn, this fog is so thick that we won't be able to see anything." Burent grumbled.

Right as she said that, the first of the traps, a few magical spears, fired off at them. Seeing the trap coming, they all dodged it.

"A trap? Did they really think such a cheap trick would work?" Shuriya laughed.

"The Gremory's must be dumber than I thought." Burent remarked.

"A cute trick from a Rating Game virgin." Marion smiled smugly.

* * *

Xuelan began trying to strike Shirone with a flurry of kicks, and a few punches, but the Nekomata was able to dodge them all. Gritted her teeth, she gave a mighty shout, she used one kick to launch another faster than the White Nekoshou could react.

"Sorry, but that won't be enough against me." Shirone smirked.

Right as it seemed the kick would land, Xuelan saw her just suddenly appear somewhere else, like a TV's feed slightly skipping a scene. The Phenex Rook showed surprise at that.

"What? How did she..." Xuelan wondered aloud as she tried to figure it out.

Trying again, she rushed at Shirone, making her kicks became more swift and fierce. However, right as she went for a big strike... Shirone dodged it, and used her tails to lock her in place, causing her to gasp.

"Might wanna grit your teeth." Shirone warned.

Shirone used her tails to pull Xuelan towards her, before decking a strong right hook to her face. While the Rook of Phenex nearly lost balance, she managed to stay on her feet, wiping her cheek.

"Nice one." Xuelan admitted.

However, that brief moment made her eyes widen as Shirone slammed a left hook into her gut, disorienting her briefly. The White Nekoshou used that brief moment, and hit a specific few pressure points, making Xuelan scream as she fell over, unable to move.

"Who the hell are you? Tell me!" Xuelan demanded.

Shirone smiled, making a paw motion.

"I'm Shirone Toujou, and I say... meow." Shirone responded, winking at the last part.

She dispelled her Youjutsu illusion, turning to see the twins as they readied their chainsaws revving at full throttle. As they charged, Shirone quickly back flipped away from their slashes.

"Why are you running pansy kitty?" Ile asked.

"You not a fan of chainsaws?" Nel inquired.

"No, I'm questioning Riser's sanity for letting two children have chainsaws." Shirone sighed.

The two kept repeatedly shouting "Slice!" as they chased her, only to sense Mira near her. As the Phenex Pawn tried to strike her with her staff, the White Nekoshou jumped over it, surprising the blue-haired Pawn.

"No way..." Mira breathed, surprised she saw it coming.

The twins soon jumped after her.

"Slice them up! Slice them up! Slice them up!" They chanted together, ready to do just that.

"Too bad, this is a no-slicing zone." Shirone smirked.

She formed two hinotama in her hands, surprising the twins before she threw them at them. Both twins were hit, flinging their chainsaws across the room. Right as she landed, Mira thrust her staff, hoping to land a blow while she was open... only for Shirone's tails to grab it.

"Uh oh!" Mira sweated.

Shirone's tails snapped it, and soon Mira felt herself take a kick to the gut, making her eyes widen as she fell to her knees. While all four of them were down, Shirone contacted Rias about the situation.

"Rias, I've incapacitated everyone in the gym. Do I have the green light?" Shirone asked.

『"Sona warned me about Riser's Queen, so let Riser know that Akeno's not the only one he should be afraid of."』 Rias replied, smirking a bit.

Shirone nodded, right as Riser's pieces got back on their feet.

"We can't lose to this dweeb!" Ile panted.

"If we do... Lord Riser's gonna be pissed off!" Nel panted as well.

They recalled their chainsaws, Mira grabbed both halves of her staff, and Xuelan set her hands on fire. All of them glowed with an intense yellow aura.

"You won't get away this time!" Xuelan shouted.

"It's time to die!" Mira shouted.

"Let's slice off her tails!" The twins shouted together.

As all four charged her, Shirone readied her right fist, and coating it with Touki, she smashed it through the floor. The ground broke apart, causing all four to lose their balance as they did.

"See you on the flip side." Shirone smirked.

She raises both hands, and clasped them together was she combined her Senjutsu and Touki together, then slammed it into the ground again. The entire gym's structure began to crack... and then it exploded!

Ile, Nel, Mira, and Xuelan all went flying as this happened, surprising Riser.

"This can't be!" Riser gasped.

In moments, all four of them vanished in blue light.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Three of Lord Riser's Pawns, and one of Lord Riser's Rooks. Retired!**

_[Rias Gremory - 5 Pieces | Riser Phenex - 12 Pieces]_

A viewing screen, which the select few watching the game were looking at, showed all four of their pictures gray out. As this was happening, Riser was growling at how he had an entire fourth of his forces eliminated so easily.

* * *

Back in the Student Council room, everyone cheered at Shirone's victory against four opponents.

"Alright, that's my little sister!" Kuroka cheered.

"Just to ask, were they all glowing blue?" Issei asked.

"That's the retirement system at work. Like real Chess, a piece will have to leave the board under the right conditions, where they go to a recovery field." Sona explained.

"Ah, so this is how you keep a player from dying, or jumping back in unless a special rule allowed it." Issei realized.

Arthur looked at the screen, examining the situation.

"She dealt Riser a major blow, but now he'll launch everything at her." He noticed before looking at the Sitri heiress.

"Do we have a plan to react to this?" Arthur asked.

Sona nodded her head.

"We do, but we need to wait for Akeno and Kiba to deal with their ends." Sona confirmed.

She put a hand near her ear.

"Rias, listen closely."

* * *

Back with Shuriya, Marion and Burent, they were taking out the remaining traps. With a blast of magic, Marion destroyed the last one.

"Do you really think the Gremory's believe these stupid traps will stop us?" Marion wondered.

"Who cares, they're showing us we're on the right path." Shuriya replied without worry.

Burent suddenly noticed something.

"That's their home base, isn't it?" Burent asked, pointing it out.

The three all headed towards it, but soon it faded into the fog, causing a magic barrier to trap them within the area.

"What is this!?" Marion shouted.

"Damn it... those smaller traps were just to make us drop our guards for this one." Burent realized.

At that moment, Kiba began walking into view.

"Hello ladies, you gals looking for some company?" Kiba inquired.

"How'd you make a trap this elaborate? There's no way you could have done this on your own." Marion demanded.

"And you're right, but it seems you've forgotten you're not just fighting our manpower, but Sona Sitri's brains. I believe you were told of the handicaps before this match began?" Kiba answered as he realized they didn't.

Shuriya chuckled a bit, glaring at him with a smile.

"I hate to burst your bubble blondie, but even with that kind of edge, do you think you can take all three of us in this limited space?" Shuriya asked in an attempt to shake his confidence.

Kiba made a determined expression, drawing his sword.

"Why don't we find out?" Kiba decided, not fazed by her words at all.

"Well, then I guess the Gremory's are about to lose their first player." Marion smirked.

Shuriya spun a bit, making her scarf stretch out to hit his legs... only for his leg bands to give their armor effect, surprising the trio of Phenex Pawns.

"If you think my legs aren't protected, then I'm afraid you don't have that many options." Kiba warned.

Gritting their teeth, the tree all unleashed fire magic towards the Knight of Gremory. In response, Kiba spun his sword overhead, readying his new technique from Training Camp.

"Time for you three to be the first to face my new technique." Kiba declared, stabbing it into the ground.

" **Sword Birth!** "

The ground ripped apart as a wave of swords shot out of it. The trio gasped in horror as their flames was shredded, and then the swords hit them, sending them flying before they hit the ground.

In mere seconds, all of them vanished in blue light.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Three of Lord Riser's Pawns. Retired!**

_[Rias Gremory - 5 Pieces | Riser Phenex - 9 Pieces]_

More cheering went off as their pictures faded away, making Rias smile as they had already taken out seven of Riser's pieces, while she hadn't lost any of hers. Riser growled in anger, unable to believe the results he was seeing.

* * *

As everyone watched from the Student Council room, Yuuma looked at the heiress of Sitri.

"Hey, Sona? Would you say Rias is winning?" She asked.

"She's doing good, but I wouldn't say she has the advantage just yet. Riser still has more pieces, and both Shirone and Kiba have fought, even if just a little. They cannot afford to be careless or overconfident right now." Sona summarized the current standings.

Reya hummed a bit, looking at the situation.

"Sona, do you think it's likely he might actually condense his remaining forces near his base? His Queen is his strongest member, and with what she could do, she wouldn't even need to get near any of Rias' pieces." Reya wondered.

The Sitri heiress thought about that.

"Let's try that theory, Shirone will be able to hear her coming if it's true." Kuroka advised.

"I agree, from what Akeno told me, Yubelluna's called the Bomb Queen for both her usage of explosive spells, and the fact she can cast them at an incredibly fast speed. If she gets any of the others, they're done for." Vali agreed.

Sona nodded, and tapped her ear.

"Rias, I need you to send a message to the others before I tell you what your next move should be."

『"What's that?"』 Rias inquired.

"You see..."

* * *

Rias showed surprise at that, and nodded.

"Shirone, Kiba, Akeno... Sona thinks that Riser's Queen is on the move, stay on guard for her. If you spot her, I'll tell you the next-" Rias warned.

An explosion entered her ears, making her gasp.

"Shirone!?" Rias called out worriedly.

『"I'm fine, and Sona was right on the mark."』 Shirone replied.

Back where Shirone was, she just narrowly managed to avoid Yubelluna's explosion spell, but knew she was still in danger with her present.

"It's time to give up the fight little kitty." Yubelluna taunted her.

She prepared to fire another spell... only for lightning to strike her, making her scream as it burned across her body.

"Sorry, but I wouldn't hurt my cute Junior if I were you."

Both of them looked to see Akeno descend into view, making Shirone smile.

"Thank you Akeno, I don't think I'd have made it out at the rate things were going." Shirone said in gratitude.

"No problem, now go meet up with Kiba, I'll take care of this trash." Akeno replied.

Shirone nodded, and quickly rushed off to find Kiba, with Yubelluna ignoring her entirely. Now that she was faced with Akeno, she wanted to face off with an opponent she actually wanted to fight against, and was a bigger threat.

"I've been wanting to fight you since what seems like forever, Priestess of Thunder." Yubelluna smirked.

"Oh, have you? That's sweet, but the pleasure's truly mine, Bomb Queen." Akeno giggled with closed eyes.

At that moment, Akeno opened her eyes.

"So, I think it's only fair to make you the first opponent that faces this power." Akeno announced.

Right after she said that, her ten Fallen Angel wings appeared alongside her single pair of Devil wings, revealing her true heritage to everyone.

"I am the daughter of the Shuri Himejima, and the cadre Baraqiel! However, I am also the Devil Queen of Rias Gremory... Akeno Himejima!" The Gremory Queen announced.

Combining her lightning with her Fallen Angel powers, she unleashed Holy Lightning towards Yubelluna, mixing it with some of her ice magic. The Queen of Phenex unleashed her own bombing spells, creating a huge wave of explosions in the air.

* * *

Back in the Student Council, many of each peerage showed shock, only a few being aware Akeno had Fallen Angel blood.

"She's... a Fallen Angel?" Saji said in disbelief.

"I knew she came from the Himejima Clan, but I didn't realize she was a hybrid, looks like Rias had an ace saved up her sleeve all this time." Tsubaki remarked.

"Despite being one myself, I had to learn through Tiamat's training." Yuuma admitted.

Vali took a deep breath, making Issei notice she seemed... shaken.

"Vali?" Issei asked worriedly.

"Baraqiel... all this time, your daughter's been alive, I wish I had known this." Vali said, slightly tearing up.

Ruruko soon cheered.

"With her holy power, Yubelluna's toast!" Ruruko exclaimed.

"As long as she stays in the game, Rias has a good chance of winning this, so let's hope Yubelluna doesn't beat her... Riser and Ravel will be hard to beat if they take her out." Tiamat warned the others.

* * *

Shirone quickly met up with Kiba in the athletic field's storage room.

"Rias, we're both currently in the storage room, what should our next move be?" Kiba asked.

『"Since Yubelluna was sent out to try hitting us one by one, Riser's likely gathered all his pieces by his base. Due to that, the way into the back should be unguarded. I need you all to get over there, and see if Riser has all seven of his pieces there or not."』 Rias explained.

"You're hoping you can sneak through, aren't you?" Shirone realized.

『"I am, but we have to consider the possibility that Akeno might be overpowered, so it'd be unsafe for me to stay here. If that's the case... I'd be defenseless."』 Rias confirmed as she listed the potential dangers.

The two realized the same problem she did, and both nodded.

"Well, I guess a risky plan should be safer than no plan, let's do it." Shirone decided.

"Let's show them what the Occult Research Club can do." Kiba replied.

Both of them bumped their fists.

* * *

Shirone lead Kiba out onto the field, and then... her ears twitched.

"You sense something?" Kiba asked.

"Sona called it right, they're all here... get ready." Shirone whispered.

The Knight of Gremory readied his sword, right as the two saw a woman wearing orange armor, and a bandage wrapped around her head, appear from a sudden cloud of dust that formed on the field.

"I am Karlamine, a Knight in the service of Lord Riser! To be perfectly honest, for you to walk out into the open battlefield makes me question your sanity. Although... far be it for me to refuse an idiot who's reckoning!" Karlamine announced her arrival, drawing out her sword which glowed with light.

Kiba took a step forward.

"I am Kiba Yuuto, a Knight in the service of Lady Rias, and I sure hope you're ready, because I've been looking forward to facing another Knight!" The Knight of Gremory looked excited, readying his sword.

Karlamine smirked at that reply.

"Very well said. En-garde, Knight of Rias Gremory!" She shouted.

Kiba and Karlamine both rush at one another, clashing and colliding their blades so fast, Shirone was only able to see it because she was a Nekoshou. At that moment, she sensed something nearing her teammate.

"Kiba, behind you!" Shirone warned.

Kiba turned as Riser's other Knight swung her large broadsword at him, forcing him to duck, and flip out of the way.

Soon, they were joined by a pair of Nekomata twins with contrasting hair colors, wearing revealing school uniforms in their team colors; a woman in an orange kimono, her eyes currently closed; a woman in a masquerade mask, wearing an orange coat; and finally, Riser's younger sister, Ravel, who was wearing an orange version of her usual dress.

"Oh, that Karlamine... her head is filled with nothing but swords, swords, swords! It's freaking ridiculous!" Ravel sighed, looking at Kiba.

"I thought he was a cute boy, but turns out he's a sword freak too." The Phenex Bishop sighed.

At that moment, she raised an eyebrow towards Shirone... without anyone realizing that Rias snuck right past them, with Valerie following right behind her.

"And what am I even looking at? Some abandoned cat that Rias took in? She has horrible taste if that's the case." Ravel remarked, her hand under her chin.

Shirone's head has an angry vein form on it.

"I'm gonna make you pay for that soon enough." Shirone warned.

"Isabela? Take care of her, will you?" Ravel requested.

Riser's second Rook took the stage, getting Shirone's attention as she readied herself.

"My name is Isabela, and I am a Rook in honorable the service of honorable Lord Riser Phenex. Prepare yourself to fight... Rook of Rias Gremory!" Isabela rushed at Shirone, who readied herself.

Isabela threw out her fists, with Shirone dodging them easily. Isabela noticed she was using her space-time manipulation to dodge, and then realized something.

'Sorry, but that's not gonna work twice.' Isabela smirked.

As another blow like that came up, Isabela thrust out her foot, making Shirone gasp as she was kicked in the gut.

"What... how did-" Shirone coughed.

"Manipulating time even a little is impressive, but it does you know good if someone can realize where you'll move." Isabela revealed, still holding her fist in Shirone's gut.

Shirone laughed a bit, getting the Phenex Rook's attention.

"Good to know, but you dropped your guard as well." Shirone replied.

Isabela soon noticed her arm had a familiar pair of white tails wrapped around it, and Shirone had her fist glowing white.

"Oh crap..." Isabela realized as her fist swung at her.

She screamed loudly, feeling the burst of Senjutsu instantly make her disappear.

"Isabela!" Ravel shouted in shock.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
One of Lord Riser's Rooks. Retired!**

_[Rias Gremory - 5 Pieces | Riser Phenex - 8 Pieces]_

Shirone panted a bit, still feeling the strike to her gut linger through her body.

"It seems we'll need to face her all at once." Mihae realized.

"Oh Ni, Li? Show them what a real Nekomata can do." Ravel ordered, smirking at the tired Nekoshou.

The two lunged at her, while Mihae readied a spell from her hands.

Meanwhile Kiba and Karlamine, Kiba's blade managed to devour the light from her blade... only for her to spin around, shattering it as the light was replaced with fire.

"My sword!" Kiba exclaimed.

"You've been disarmed, this battle is over!" Karlamine announced.

"I'd like to disagree." He replied.

Swinging his sword handle, a blade of ice formed.

"What!?" Karlamine gasped.

Kiba swung his blade against Karlamine's, shattering it as it devoured the flames. Humping back, she drew a dagger, then jumped overhead as wind spun around it.

"You may have beat fire and light, but let's see you counter wind!" She shouted.

Kiba swung his sword out again, and the blade shattered to let another replace it, catching Karlamine's attention as she was forced down. Soon, her wind was devoured by the blade.

"Could it be... you're creating those swords? What kind of Sacred Gear do you have!?" Karlamine demanded as she realized it.

"This is the Holy Eraser, using it lets me create cursed swords at my will!" Kiba smirked as he answered.

He slammed the ground, sending a Sword Birth towards her. She managed to dodge it, but now had less confidence over her chances of winning.

At that moment, an explosion went off.

"What was that?" Shirone asked.

"Shirone, up there!" Kiba shouted as he saw it.

They saw Rias with her wings out, carrying Valerie as they landed on the rooftop... with Riser on the opposing side!

"Riser?" Shirone gasped in horror.

"He must have anticipated our move..." Kiba realized.

Rias panted a bit, looking at Riser as she kept her face looking confident.

"So, you expected my plan, nice to see you as vulgar as ever." Rias stated.

"A rookie should never underestimate someone with experience." Riser replied smugly.

Rias charged her power.

"Well, expect this!" Rias shouted.

Rias released her Spiral of Destruction, damaging most of his body, which quickly healed as flames burned over them. He gave the same smug look as always, not even looking fazed at her attack.

As Rias growled a bit, Valerie stood beside her, ready for anything.

"Princess of Ruin, Priestess of Thunder, Sephiroth Graal, and the Holy Eraser... such grand sounding names when together..." Ravel listed the Gremory team's signature powers.

A huge boom is heard from a distance.

"However, we are phoenixes! And you cannot defeat us!" She remarked, giving a smug look.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Lord Riser's Queen. Retired!**

_[Rias Gremory - 5 Pieces | Riser Phenex - 7 Pieces]_

That instantly got everyone in Riser's peerage to express surprise, as that only meant one thing.

"Akeno... she managed to beat Yubelluna!" Valerie exclaimed happily.

* * *

Going back to the moment in question, both Akeno and Yubelluna were seen flying overhead, panting as they looked at each other's battered forms.

"I didn't expect the Priestess of Thunder to be so strong, but... your magic must be nearly depleted." Yubelluna commented while she felt her large chest heave from her deep breaths.

"Never fear, I've had someone train me, so my magic levels are still perfectly high." Akeno replied, smiling a bit.

Yubelluna didn't respond, but easily saw Akeno was nearing a certain spot in the Tennis court's cage... only for the Queen of Gremory to laugh a bit.

"What's so funny?" Yubelluna asked.

"Nothing, just the fact you think I didn't notice where you've been leading me." Akeno replied as she smiled with closed eyes.

Yubelluna's eyes widened, realizing Akeno knew of the trap.

Unfortunately, the Gremory Queen used that moment to get behind the Phenex Queen, and held out her hand as fire formed behind it.

"I'll admit, it was a fun battle, Bomb Queen." Akeno smiled before she fired it.

The flames hit Yubelluna, making her crash into the gate, and then the ground. One of Yubelluna's magic circles appeared, causing the explosion it made to retire the Queen of Phenex.

* * *

While everyone was distracted, Akeno sent a message to her teammates.

『"Kiba, Shirone, can you buy me a minute? I think we can take out the rest of Riser's team with just one attack."』 Akeno inquired.

Both of them nod, prompting Shirone to make Youjutsu symbols.

"Stop her, now!" Ni shouted.

"Don't let her finish!" Li added.

As Riser's pieces rushed at the White Nekoshou, Kiba formed a wall of swords around her, guarding her from their attacks. As the sword wall shattered, Kiba noticed Akeno nearing the field.

"She's here!" Kiba alerted to Shirone.

"OK!" Shirone replied.

Unleashing her Youjutsu field, the battlefield started distortion to the eyes of Riser's team, leaving them disoriented.

"W-what did she do?" Siris questioned, trying to regain her focus.

Akeno soon flew overhead, charging some lightning.

"Do it now!" Akeno ordered.

" **Kasha!** "

A large white wheel formed around Riser's peerage, making Shirone grunt as she used all her strength to hold it.

" **Sword Birth!** "

A field of swords popped out around the group, making a forest of blades, and limiting everyone inside.

"They're all yours!" Both of them announced.

"Right, it's time to end this." Akeno replied in gratitude.

She charged her holy lightning with the fire magic that came from her Himejima heritage.

" **Firebolt Strike!** "

A large burst of fiery lightning smashed into the ground, hitting the remaining six members of Riser's team all at once.

Everyone felt the intense force of Akeno's attack hit them, slowly making them disappear in blue light, one by one. Eventually, only Karlamine had yet to disappear, looking at the trio in complete disbelief.

"I don't understand, how could we lose!?" Karlamine whimpered, finally vanishing alongside the others.

The smoke cleared, showing Ravel regenerating from the attack.

"I can't believe you actually pulled off something like that, you Gremory's are all insane!" Ravel shouted, clearly a bit pissed off now.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Two of Lord Riser's Pawns, Two of his Knights, and one of his Bishops. Retired!**

_[Rias Gremory - 5 Pieces | Riser Phenex - 2 Pieces]_

Shirone sighed a bit, looking at her.

"And here I was hoping we clipped your little birdie wings." Shirone remarked.

"Excuse me?" Ravel asked, her eye twitching.

"You heard me, after all... this little stray cat? She sunk her claws into your entire team." Shirone dug her words deeper.

Ravel growled before she released flames from all over her body.

"Alright, that's it! My brother can deal with Rias, but I'm taking you all myself!" Ravel announced.

Naud gasped upon hearing that.

Ravel unleashed flames to surround the trio, while Akeno readied more lightning.

"Hopefully, this doesn't take too..." Akeno replied.

Suddenly, she slumped a bit, feeling her holy energy exhausted.

"Akeno, are you alright?" Kiba asked.

"That last attack, I think I used too much of my holy energy... I'll need some time to recharge before I can use it again." Akeno replied.

And with that, the main advantage of their team was gone.

* * *

Everyone in the Student Council gave worried looks, especially Tiamat.

"This isn't good. They have more members, but both of the Phenex siblings aren't gonna go down easily, and Rias is only going to be in a worse position if both sides regroup on the roof." Sona realized.

"Winning's still possible, right?" Momo asked.

"It is, but overwhelming Riser's gonna be harder now... the holy elements were to overwhelm her mind, weren't they?" Le Fay inquired.

Tiamat closed her eyes, lowering her head.

Seeing that action alone, everyone realized that was what made Akeno the team's lynch pin, and how her needing to recharge it left their team in a very bad position.

"I get the feeling we might have to go with Plan B at the way things are going..." Vali realized.

This got everyone's attention as Issei saw her holding the flier she got from Yumina last week.

* * *

Valerie's eyes turned red as she released a burst of fog towards Riser with her left hand, healing Rias with her right. Unfortunately, Riser's flames quickly dispelled the small amount she could unleash at him.

"Might as well resign darling, you've lost." Riser said smugly.

Hearing this, the Gremory heiress glared at him.

"That's what you think! Try all you want, but you will not intimidate me!" Rias retorted loudly, starting to glow.

" **Aura Break!** "

Her body glowed a bright red, unleashing a wave of power that forced Valerie to shield her face.

Riser smirked a bit, almost as if he expected this.

Rias unleashed a focused beam of her Power of Destruction, razing through Riser's body while he constantly heals... unfortunately, but the time she used up both her Clan abilities, Riser healed without any signs of being too overwhelmed.

"Honestly, you're only making yourself look pathetic right now. Checkmate." Riser stated with full certainty he had already won.

"I refuse... to give up, this is... my only chance to escape this marriage..." Rias stated as her fatigue began to show itself.

At that moment, Riser got an idea, and used his flames to separate the two apart. Seeing what he was about to do, Naud gasped, but knew he was powerless unless the right situations happened... the one part of his job he hated.

'Maybe I'm wrong, he isn't that desperate to win with his scores... is he?' Naud hoped.

Unfortunately, reality proved him wrong in an instant. Riser began to brutally attack Valerie with his flames, making her scream as they burned her faster than she could heal herself... if Riser had even let her do that.

"Riser, get away from her!" Rias screamed, horrified by the sight.

However, Riser didn't listen to her. He stopped the flames, showing Valerie was only steaming from the fire, which is why the retiring system hadn't kicked in when it did. She slumped to her knees, barely able to move.

Meanwhile with the others, Ravel knocked them all back with her flames, and while they were still standing, it was clear that they were struggling. Ravel was more powerful than she appeared from first glance, most likely from having such a famous sister as a role model.

"Time to end this! I just hope this attack isn't too extreme, although if she dies from it, then it'll only be labeled an accident!" Riser exclaimed, making sure Rias heard him.

Rias' face soon went into a panicked look, realizing what Riser was about to try.

"Valerie!" Rias screamed.

Just as Riser was about to deal another strike...

"Stop it! I resign, just let her go!"

At that moment, the rest of her team all showed shock, finally seeing Valerie's currently state.

Ravel just stared before she closed her eyes. Although, if someone looked close enough... her smile seemed somewhat forced. Riser on the other hand just smirked, looking at Rias whose face was full of tears at what had made her lose.

It was the most horrible thing anyone watching could see... and, what would be Riser's final mistake.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Lady Rias' resignation... has been recognized, Riser Phoenix wins.**

Naud's voice had cleared showed that he didn't accept the victory on a personal level, but he couldn't do anymore because Rias hadn't realized she shouldn't have resigned.

With that, the bell announcing the game's end sounded off.

* * *

Back in the Student Council room, everyone's reactions varied, however... the gem reaction?

Issei let his anger rule him over as he punched Sona's desk, smashing it to pieces. Sona sweated a bit she saw his aura flaring out, realizing that Issei wasn't just angry, but outright appalled by what he saw.

"That... horrible... bastard! Forcing her to resign, by threatening to kill Valerie!?" Issei screamed.

He turned to look at everyone.

"I thought he was just a jerk, but this alone has completely changed that! I don't care what I have to do in order to stop it, but I am _not_ letting this marriage happen under any means!" The Sekiryuutei roared, his body flaring with actual flames for a moment.

At that moment, everyone finally felt Issei's aura explode, shaking the entire room.

"Issei, your anger is completely justified. What Riser just pulled? While he only avoided it due to a loophole from Rias choosing to resign before he did it... that was an illegal action in the Rating Games!" Tiamat said quietly, yet burning with rage.

Yuuma showed surprise.

"Wait, you mean he technically cheated?" Yuuma said in horror.

"He did... while deaths are seen accidents, it only applies if anyone from either side, or the judge himself, fails to realize an action will be fatal to a certain player. Riser on the other hand? He was well aware that what he did could have risked Valerie's life, or at least looked like it." Tiamat explained.

Gritting her teeth, she summarized it simply.

"Basically, to make a small story short? Killing with the intent to kill is something that's **never** tolerated!" The Dragoness screamed.

At that moment, Vali held up the flier she received from Yumina, finally realizing what it was for.

"Sona, did Riser plan for anything if he won the game?" Vali inquired.

"A small party, why do you ask?" Sona answered with a confused look.

Vali took a deep breath, looking at her peerage.

"Come on guys, it's time for Plan B." Vali stated with a serious look.

Hearing that, even the normally shy Asia, and incredibly timid Yuuma, gave faces as if they understood what their King needed from them. Something that, due to what they just saw, let them ignore their usual hesitations.

'I get it now, this is Sirzechs' last resort to save his sister from Riser, without risking the people of Hell turning against him.' Vali thought as she activated the flier.

Sona's peerage watched as Vali's group disappeared.

"Vali, please... whatever it takes, save Rias." Sona said to herself, hoping for a miracle.

* * *

Around two hours later, a bunch of Devils were at the party where Riser would announce Rias as his bride to be, including Sona's peerage. Ravel was seen talking with other guests, with the rest of Riser's peerage absent due to their wounds being nursed.

"As if my brother would have lost to a Rating Game virgin like her." Ravel bragged, although somewhat forced.

From afar, all the members of Rias' peerage were all present in dress outfits, Valerie having since been healed from her Sacred Gear. She was filled with guilt, feeling like she let the entire team down.

"I'm sorry I couldn't do more guys, it's my fault we lost..." Valerie apologized, her eyes closed as she looked down.

"Don't give up yet Valerie, we're not gonna let this even be close to over." Akeno reassured her.

"Yeah, we'll get another shot, somehow." Kiba agreed.

"We'll let it end only when we want it to." Shirone said.

Valerie sighed, unable to share that confidence... which made the others all lose the brave faces they were putting up, as even they didn't know how they could get out of this.

Right at that moment, Riser appeared before the guests in a blaze of fire, wearing a fancy white suit.

"Greetings renowned Devils of Hell. On behalf of the House of Phenex, Riser would like to thank each and every one of you for coming today." Riser greeted.

Ravel turned her head away, looking somewhat guilty.

"This is a historic day for the world of Devils, as two great dynasties are about to become one. For I, Lord Riser Phenex, shall wed Lady Rias of the illustrious House of Gremory!" Riser announced as everyone looked at him.

At that moment, he moved his right arm behind him.

"And now, I present to you... my bride! Rias Gremory!" He exclaimed,

Rias appeared from a magic circle, wearing a wedding dress, making her entire peerage sigh at the sight. However, right when she touched the ground...

"Sorry, but I'll have to object to this union!" Vali exclaimed.

Rias suddenly gasped at that, while multiple Devils showed confused, only for the door to bust open. The sight of a few guards flying through were seen as Issei was seen, the Boosted Gear in his hand, which surprised many.

"No way, that guy is the current Sekiryuutei!?" Ravel shouted in surprise.

"So, was that good enough?" Issei asked.

Vali and the rest of her peerage walked through, the silver-haired Lucifer smiling.

"I'd had preferred you broken part of the walls, but I guess this works." Vali answered.

Riser growled a bit, unable to believe what was happening.

"Seize them!" Riser ordered, causing more guards to appear.

Yuuma instantly formed a few holy spheres, causing all of the guards all stop as she threatened to fire.

"Sorry, Riser Phenex... but Rias isn't giving you anything she doesn't wanna give! Not while I'm here to stop it!" Vali exclaimed, pointing a finger at him.

"How dare you, I'll make sure you-"

"That you'll stand down."

Everyone froze at that, while Vali gave a smile.

Three figures walked into the room, making every Devil go still as they did. The first was Sirzechs, wearing his suit as a Great Devil; the second was Alanira Leviathan, the older sister of Riser, and Ravel, who was wearing the female version of the Great Devil outfit in a purple/pink color scheme. However, it was the last of them that left all the Devils frozen in place.

While she was dressed for the occasion, and therefore not looking as she normally did... it was a woman with long black hair, tied in a mix of an up-do and a ponytail, with the rest of it flowing down her back. Her eyes were a deep sapphire blue, and she wore a very revealing black dress that fully revealed her voluptuous figure, and gargantuan breasts that Issei noticed were the same size as Vali's, surprising him a bit.

"It's really her..." Sona couldn't believe she was here.

"Lady Lilith... in the flesh!" Rias breathed in shock.

That's right, the woman standing before everyone was none other than the wife of Lucifer, the first Human woman prior to becoming a Devil, and the Queen of Hell herself! Lilith looked at the scene before her, and then looked at Vali with a smile.

"Lady Lilith, I can explain this!" Riser stuttered as fear filled him.

"No, you won't explain anything, I'd like our little guest to be the one that explains things... after all the guards stand down." Lilith replied, emphasizing her demand.

"But, Lady Lilith-" Riser tried to say.

The Devil Queen's eyes closed, unleashing a much stronger version of Vali's aura. Speaking of the Lucifer Heiress, she was the only one in the room that wasn't affected by it, likely as a result of being related to her.

"I'm sorry Riser, did you say something?" Lilith questioned in a chilling tone.

Riser instantly shut up, leaving Lilith look at Vali.

"I see Yumina managed to deliver that flier to you, glad to see you could make it." Lilith smiled to the surprise of many.

"Lady Lilith, what is the meaning of this!?" Riser demanded.

"This is a party isn't it? Is it wrong for me to invite my own daughter to the festivities? I'm sure everyone remembers two years ago, when I announced my adoption of an orphaned Devil." Lilith answered.

Most of the Devils showed surprise, while Rias and Sona quickly realized what others didn't.

"Uh... surprise?" Vali waved, giving an awkward chuckle.

"I... I... I..." Rias stuttered, her mind overwhelmed by the revelation she just heard.

Alanira cleared her throat, getting everyone's attention.

"Young Devil, may we know of your name?" Alanira inquired, looking at Vali.

Vali took a deep breath, recalling what Tiamat told her during the training camp about revealing who she was on her own terms, and made her decision. For the sake of saving Rias... she would finally reveal who she was.

"My name is Valiana Lucifer, the current Heiress to the House of Lucifer!" Vali revealed as she unfolded her wings.

The entire room gasped as they saw all them, verifying her statement.

"Riser, I'm here to stop this engagement! After seeing the Rating Game's result, I cannot, and will not accept it!" She screamed, pointing at him.

"How dare you, it's the final result that counts!" Riser said.

"Sorry, but I have to agree with her... _little brother_." Alanira said, glaring at Riser.

Riser froze as he saw his sister glare at him.

"I saw the entire game, and honestly? I'm appalled by what you did to achieve victory. Regardless how serious you were, for you to threaten to kill your opponent's retainer, and abuse a loophole to make Rias forfeit from something that would have automatically given her the win? Honestly, I'm ashamed of you right now, much less how you hid that fact from all your guests!" Alanira stated.

All of the guests began murmuring, looks of surprise on their faces as Riser began to sweat.

"Very well, since you seem to be against the result... what is it that you expect to do, Valiana Lucifer?" Sirzechs inquired, looking her in the eyes.

Lilith smiled, knowing exactly what her daughter was about to do.

"Rias is my friend, so as a result, what I'll do is this. Riser Phenex..." Vali announced, pointing at him.

"I challenge you to a Rating Game!" Vali announced.

* * *

**Oh yeah, you heard Vali right! The surprise twist is that instead of Issei challenging Riser, we're having a second Rating Game between them! What better way to showcase her peerage's first fights in the story than to have them all happen together? Either way, she's no longer unknown to the people of Hell, and since the Lucifer Clan's still viewed negatively... how will she deal with that?**

**Well, now you know who Vali's adoptive mother is, and it's none other than Lilith! If you've seen the clues throughout the season, you'll notice she was the only relative who could be this, as Rizevim married after he was banished, and Vali has never mentioned her Grandma being part of her childhood. Because of that, Lilith was the only relative who could adopt her.**

**For anyone who asks why I didn't have Phoenix Tears in the match? Well, because I feel those forced Rias to lose, making it the one part of the Riser arc I hate. Either way, I still had him win, but I decided not to have anyone in Rias' peerage retire to show the efforts of Tiamat's training. Basically, it's like what I did with making Yuuma a separate character from Raynare.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

**A/N: The Gremory Clan's bloodline ability works like the scene in Season 2, Episode 6; where Rias releases a surge of power after Issei uses Transfer on her.**

* * *

**Vali's Peerage** **:**

**King - Valiana Lucifer**  
Queen - Issei Hyoudou  
Bishops - Le Fay Pendragon, Asia Argento  
Knights - Arthur Pendragon, Unclaimed Knight  
Rooks - Bikou, Kuroka Toujou (Mutation Piece: x2 Multiplier)  
Pawns - Yuuma Amano (x2), Six Unclaimed Pawns

* * *

**Rias' Peerage** **:**

**King - Rias Gremory**   
**Queen - Akeno Himejima**   
**Bishops - Gasper Vladi (Mutated Piece: x4 Multiplier, Sealed), Valerie Tepes (Mutation Piece: x6 Multiplier)**   
**Knights - Kiba Yuuto, Unclaimed Knight**   
**Rooks - Shirone Toujou, Unclaimed Rook**   
**Pawns - Eight Unclaimed Pawns**

* * *

**Sona's Peerage** **:**

**King - Sona Sitri**  
Queen - Tsubaki Shinra  
Bishops - Momo Hanakai, Reya Kusaka  
Knights - Tomoe Meguri, Unclaimed Knight  
Rooks - Tsubasa Yura, Unclaimed Rook  
Pawns - Saji Genshirou (x4), Ruruko Nimura (x4)

* * *

**Bust Size of New Female Characters** **:**

**Yubelluna - 95 cm**

**Mihae - 85 cm**

**Karlamine - 83 cm**

**Siris - 88 cm**

**Xuelan - 94 cm**

**Isabela - 91 cm**

**Ni and Li - 86 cm**

**Ile and Nel - 70 cm**

**Marion - 89 cm**

**Burent - 84 cm**

**Shuriya - 81 cm**

**Mira - 73 cm**

**Alanira Leviathan - 103 cm**

**Lilith Lucifer - 110 cm**

* * *

**Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter** **:**

**【** **Alanira Leviathan** **】**  
 **The Great Devil in charge of the Rating Game Department, the original Heiress of the Phenex Clan, and the second strongest Female Devil.**

* * *

**Pairings List** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Realizing their feelings for one another  
Ddraig/Albion - Married**  
 **Tiamat/Fafnir - Married**  
Saji/Sona - Master and Retainer  
Gasper/Valerie - Best Friends


	9. Chapter 9

**Alright, the time has come for part one of the Rating Game between Riser and Vali! I hope you're all excited for this, because they aren't gonna be holding anything back to make up for it! While their team may only be half the size of Riser's, they've got twice as many reasons to win, so let's see how Riser does when faced with not one, but two angry Dragons. I'd say three, if it wasn't for the fact that Tiamat's too powerful to partake in Rating Games.**

**Best part of this Rating Game? There's gonna be a lot of special guests in the Devil World, so you'll see some faces that you recognize, some you don't expect, and even a few that are story original, like Alanira. Considering that this is the first time a Lucifer has ever been in a Rating Game in-universe, this is a Rating Game that rivals a professional game, making it one that few want to miss.**

**Here's something important that I feel I should explain before we begin. Last chapter, I had it stated that Alanira is considered the second strongest of the Female Devils, so I'm gonna explain my reasoning for that. In canon, Rias mentioned the Phenex Clan as a whole has great scores in the Rating Game, and since Ruval is among the Top 10, that sets a certain standard for how strong she'd be as the original Heiress.**

**Oh, here's one last thing that I feel is very important? Vali and Riser's fight will NOT be a one-sided victory for the former. There's two reasons for this, though the primary one is that I _hate_ one-sided fights unless they're completely necessary, which I consider is only for a new character (usually villains), or a power-up gained through unnatural means.**

**For the secondary reason, it's because unlike the Vali from canon, this one isn't a battle maniac, and actually hates fighting when it isn't her only option. Even if she's mostly recovered from the trauma inflicted on her psyche, Rizevim's impression is still set on her, which is why she only fights when she has to, not because she can. Due to this, she's not as strong as her canon self, as she lacks the experience he has from constant fights.**

**This is why the Rating Game will be a two-part special, aside from letting the rest of her peerage share the spotlight. Just know this, while she won't take down Riser without effort, that doesn't mean he'll walk over her either. The Vali of this story is still very strong, and will give Riser some trouble when the right chance appears before her. Plus, you'll be seeing Issei's training paying off, especially after a certain scene before the game starts ;)**

**Now, with all of that out of the way? It's time to kick this chapter off!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

**[]** \- Ddraig Talking

**«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

**「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

**【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

**⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

**Evil Piece Swap**

**When a Devil reincarnates someone using an Evil Piece, that Evil Piece acts as part of their heart, which keeps them alive, leaving them normally unable to be changed. However, if a retainer runs away to become a Stray, or if their master dies for any reason, the Evil Piece's special attributes are rendered void, only leaving the power that keeps them alive.**

**Although there are Strays that become monsters other Devils have to hunt down, most Strays that follow proper protocol, or return to Hell either by choice, can be assigned under a new King. However, this method isn't able to be done freely, as only Ajuka Beelzebub, and a few specialists he's trained, are able to perform the procedure.**

**By altering the properties of the inactive Evil Piece, it allows a new one to overlay with the old, or simply register the retainer to their new master in the form of a trade that absorbs Evil pieces of an equal amount. The best-known case of a retainer who's undergone an Evil Piece Swap is Kuroka Toujou, when she joined Vali's peerage after being pardoned of her crimes.**

**When an Evil Piece Swap is required for one with a Mutation Piece, it requires a trade with another Mutation Piece of equal value.**

* * *

**_Season 1, Riser Arc: Chapter 5 – Phoenix to Ashes, Part 1_ **

"I challenge you to a Rating Game!" Vali announced.

Aside from the four powerful Devils standing before her, everyone was shocked by the heiress of Lucifer issuing Riser to another Rating Game, only hours after he just finished the one he had with Rias.

"And why should I accept? I've already claimed what I won, so why would I even consider risking it?" Riser asked, appalled by Vali's request.

"Hmm... a Rating Game between a Dragon and a Phoenix." Lilith said with interest.

Riser turned to the Mother of all Devils upon hearing that.

"Sirzechs, Alanira? What do you think? Doesn't such a Rating Game interest you?" Lilith inquired.

Riser sweated more, realizing what might happen.

"With how my brother won his match with Rias, I'd like him to prove he can actually win fairly, so I'm in favor of Vali's proposal. What about you Sirzechs?" Alanira agreed, looking at their redheaded leader.

"Yes, I would like to see the full power of the Sekiryuutei if he's now allied to the Devils through our young Heiress here." Sirzechs mused over the idea.

At that moment, he made his decision.

"Valiana Lucifer, I hereby approve your request to challenge Riser to a Rating Game." Sirzechs announced.

Riser's eyes widened, as now he had no right to refuse.

"Thank you! Also, I prefer to be called Vali, if that's not a problem with you." Vali bowed lightly.

"Very well then, Vali. Since you're fighting my brother for the right to help a friend, what would you like if you win?" Alanira inquired.

"You can't be serious! Giving a Lucifer a-" An old Devil shouted.

That very Devil felt a burst of the Ethereal Twilight shoot straight past him, but it wasn't Vali that had used it... as Lilith was caster!

Everyone suddenly got nervous as Lilith's rage aura returned, though this she had her eyes were open, and her pupils were glowing threateningly. The old Devil who spoke out felt his legs buckle as she focused her gaze towards him.

"Let me make this clear... this is my daughter standing before us, meaning any insults aimed at her are ones also aimed at my husband. Therefore, if I hear anyone speak that way about her again within my presence, they will be punished without exception!" Lilith warned.

With just that one reply, the "Strongest Woman in Hell" had completely silenced the remaining opposition to the conditions of the upcoming Rating Game.

"So, what would you like Vali? Perhaps for your Clan to be cleared of the derogatory status it received due to the actions of the Anti-Maou Faction leaders?" Alanira assumed.

"No." Vali replied simply.

This caught the former Phenex heiress' attention, blinking in surprise.

"What I want is for you to clear the names of the other Maou Clans, because unlike mine, everyone already knew Rizevim's true nature before the war. My friends among the Maou Clans have suffered discrimination for too long... so, they deserve to be freed from it more than my clan does!" Vali stated, putting a hand to her chest.

The guests all showed surprise over the Humility she was showing.

"I'm fighting to help a friend, not benefit myself. As such, I'm going to earn the right for the Lucifer Clan's name to be cleared by earning it. If you decide I've done that after this game, then go ahead, but that's through your choice alone." Vali continued to show her humility, surprising even more Devils.

Alanira smiled at that, realizing that was quite in-character for Vali.

"You're a Lucifer, and yet you're not afraid to throw away your Pride for the sake of others... I respect that." Alanira replied with closed eyes.

"I agree, and for that reason alone, your victory shall also have the Lucifer Clan be freed of all discrimination by my personal request." Sirzechs declared, making Vali's eyes shine upon hearing it.

"Lady Alanira, and Lord Sirzechs... thank you." She replied, giving a bow of respect.

Sirzechs smiled a bit at that, it was rare to see a Devil act as noble as an Angel would.

"Oh, and to the Sekiryuutei, otherwise known as Issei Hyoudou? Let Tiamat know we want her watching my brother, I still don't completely trust he'll be fair without someone keeping an eye on him." Alanira requested.

"Uh... yeah, I'll do that." Issei promised.

That request made sense, as Tiamat had told him hoq she intervened in Rating Games whenever a serious violation happened, since she was too powerful to directly fight in any Rating Games herself.

After all, if she joined their Rating Game? She'd be the only one that they needed to fight Riser.

"Now, with all of that decided, it would be a shame to just simply end this party when we're already here. So, let us use it celebrate both the upcoming game, and the public reveal of the Devil Princess." Sirzechs suggested.

At those words, the guards were dismissed, making Vali sigh in relief. Issei went to congratulate her, only to see the terror she was hiding come to the surface.

"Issei, do I look like I'm about to faint right now?" Vali whispered, shaking like a leaf.

Issei held her close, rubbing her back as he smiled at her.

"That was very brave of you, Vali. We're all extremely proud right now." Issei reassured her.

"A-alright, if you say so." Vali replied as she managed to calm herself down.

The two soon saw Rias, Sona, and both their peerages walk up to her own. While Rias still seemed worried, everyone else looked relieved, with none of them seeing a certain black-haired Devil walking towards them.

"That was totally bad ass." Akeno giggled.

"Yeah, wish we had known you'd do that. We could have joined in." Shirone smiled, ignoring her sister's overprotective hugging

"Vali... I don't know what to say. You exposed your secret, just for me." Rias said softly.

Vali chuckled a bit, rubbing her head a little, right before she felt Lilith hug her from behind. Issei nearly jumped at her sudden appearance.

"Look at my little Devil Princess, being so brave in front of everyone." Lilith cooed, nuzzling her cheek.

"Mom, stop it! Everyone's watching!" Vali giggled.

Aside from the original four members of her peerage, everyone looked at the two, unsure how to react to what they were seeing. After she hugged her daughter enough, Lilith looked at the group.

"How about we all go into a room where we can talk privately?" Lilith quickly suggested.

* * *

Eventually, all three peerages were inside the room where Rias had been fitted into her wedding dress, with Vali smiling as her mother was sitting by her.

Lilith had ditched all of the finery she had been wearing earlier, revealing her usual appearance. Like Yumina, she looked a lot like Vali, though in her case? Her hair was much messier while also being a bit longer, going to above her kneecaps, and it wasn't tied at all. Her curves weren't as thin either, though she didn't look any less beautiful than her daughter because of it.

She was wearing a loose white shirt with a button-up top, though it was unbuttoned because her massive breasts made it impossible to button it (and she actually wanted to show off her cleavage), a red vest with a blue hood, which had a golden Lucifer Crest on both sides; and black-colored jean shorts that were short enough that they looked like bikini bottoms.

"I feel dumb, when you said someone in your family adopted you, I should have realized that your Great Grandparents were the only other family you had. " Issei chuckled, realizing how obvious it had been.

Now that Issei had seen Lilith, he could easily see where Vali got her beauty from. Though he still felt Vali was the more beautiful of the two.

Vali chuckled a bit, rubbing her cheek.

"Well, if it helps you feel better? It still hasn't fully sunk in for me. Despite that, I'm really happy to call Lilith my mom." Vali admitted.

Lilith nuzzled Vali in response, making the Lucifer Heiress giggle.

"I'm happy too. Because of that living cancer of the world that I gave birth to, it never felt like Lucifer and I had a child. Adopting Vali let us finally be parents!" Lilith smiled, letting her affection flow out.

Rias and Sona blinked, surprised by the Mother of all Devils' affectionate side.

'Who knew that Lady Lilith wanted to be a motherly figure that badly...' They thought.

At that moment, the black-haired Devil looked at Issei, easily recognizing who the boy was. Getting a closer look at him, she gave a friendly smile.

"How rude of me, I should have realized you were Issei Hyoudou." She smiled.

"Guess you've heard about me through Vali?" He replied, feeling a bit nervous.

While the Devil Queen looked at him, she suddenly gave a slight nod, but the delay made Issei think that it wasn't towards what he just said.

That, and Vali gave a light blush when she noticed it.

"Anyways... Lucifer and Lilith helped me out a lot when I finally came to Hell, and met them. The reason what I just did even worked was because Sirzechs knew it was his last hope for getting Rias free of her marriage." Vali mentioned.

Rias showed surprise at that.

"I had your niece slip in a flyer to Vali the day before Riser showed up. I knew that people would question who I adopted at some point, so with your current situation? We found a way to kill two birds with one stone." Lilith explained.

The redheaded Gremory blinked before smiling a bit.

"Thank you, Lady Lilith." Rias bowed.

"Don't be so formal, I prefer it for people to refer to me by just my name. Besides, Vali's already doing such a thing herself, it's why she helped save everyone in her peerage." Lilith replied, waving her hand to the side.

This got everyone's attention.

"Well... I knew I'd need to share this story eventually, so I guess now's as good a time as any." Vali sighed.

Lilith rubbed her back, prompting the Lucifer Heiress to begin with a deep breath.

"It all started sometime after Lucifer kicked my grandfather out of Hell. During this time, he met a Devil that would be my grandma, who I've never met, and eventually had a son with. After some time, that son met a Human woman, and before long? I was born. However, my life wasn't a happy one. Rizevim, he was... horrible, abusive, and cruel. He made my father be the same, by making him simply fear me, leaving my mother as the sole light in my life."

"I was forced to fight people, treat everything like an enemy, and nothing like a friend... even though I was only a child, he trained me to become a weapon. It all failed because my mother kept raising me the right way, until finally, the day came where I told him I wouldn't do what he asked of me. His response to this? He gathered both my parents, and murdered them right before my eyes."

For everyone who was hearing this story for the first time? They all gave horrified reactions, with Rias' peerage and Tomoe's expressions being ones of empathy.

"There was a chance I could stop it, but at that moment... I realized how much he had damaged me, because I was too scared to do anything. Having nothing left to hold me back, I ran away from him with every ounce of strength I could muster, but only managed to escape him through pure luck. As I laid in a forest alone, battered, and nearly broken, I was eventually found by Yuuma's father."

Yuuma made a sad expression, recalling this part of her story from a time her dad told it to her.

"Seeing my current state, he knew that wherever I came from had left me with plenty of scars. Knowing I needed help, Azazel promised me that he'd find me a new home, a way to help me recover. At the time... I was lost, dead inside, and I wasn't sure if I had anything to live for. However, I was then brought to Kuoh Town, and met Issei for the first time. I don't know how, but just seeing Issei? It's as if a breath of life was breathed into me."

Rias and Sona knew Vali's story wouldn't be happy, but... now they knew the stories about Rizevim had been under-exaggerated.

"Issei was the reason I became who I am now, his friendship helped wash away my pain, and slowly overcome the trauma my grandfather put on me. Even after I learned he was the Sekiryuutei... he promised that he would protect me, and eventually I realized I wanted to do the same. That's when I left on a training journey across the world when I was only 10, where I met most of my peerage."

"Finally, that lead to her meeting me here, and bringing us to this moment." Lilith finished for her.

It was a lot to take in, but... now everyone was aware of how much Vali had to bear. The fact she was the cheerful girl they knew today only proved the fortitude she had shown upon revealing herself as a Lucifer.

"How did you recover from all that trauma!?" Saji questioned, feeling flabbergasted.

Vali gave a playful chuckle at that.

"Um... if it's OK to ask, just what made him use you like a weapon? You make it sound like your parents were just... there, to him." Ruruko questioned.

"Simple, because I had a Sacred Gear, and he used me as the equivalent of being its host." Vali answered.

Her hands trembled, making Lilith rub her back.

"Yet that wasn't the worst of it... he made it clear how much authority he had when he showed me a power he gained to replace the Ethereal Twilight that was given to Lilith, which was a way to cancel out Sacred Gears through simply touching them." Vali continued.

Everyone gasped at that.

"That's right, a power that was based off the one he inherited from me he calls the Sacred Gear Canceller, and that really worries me. Just what terrifying things is Rizevim doing every day without our notice?" Lilith explained.

"What my Sacred Gear is, you'll learn soon enough in the game, I just hope you'll share your strength with me when we face him." Vali stated.

At that moment, Issei puts his hand on top of Vali's.

"We're with you all the way. Riser's going down, and he's going down hardcore!" Issei smirked confidently.

Seeing their Queen's action, the rest of the MHC did the same, one by one, until all eight hands were stacked on top of each other. Vali was surprised as they did this.

"Y-you can count on me!" Yuuma declared.

"My sword is at your side." Arthur promised.

"Yeah, we've got your back." Le Fay smiled.

"I'll be praying for our victory no matter what." Asia replied.

"That bastard hurt my sister, now let's return the favor." Kuroka smirked.

"It's fighting time!" Bikou exclaimed.

Vali gave a warm smile as she saw this, and at that moment... they all raised their hands into the air.

'You've found good friends, Vali.' Lilith smiled.

However, there would be one other challenge before the Rating Game that would stand in their way before they were truly ready to fight as a team.

* * *

There was only a day before the Rating Game, and Issei was currently standing in a section of the MHC's Clubroom, getting lost in thought as he looked at house-based object that was linked to Shinto myth.

'Everything's changed in just a matter of days... I learn my best friend's a Devil, a Fallen Angel kills me and forces me to be revived as a Devil, now I have a little sister figure in Asia, and I've met the other members of Vali's peerage, all while learning that my right hand has one of the strongest beings in the world living in it.' He thought.

He took a deep breath, holding his right hand in front of his face.

'And yet, none of that compares to the fact that I'm starting to wonder how I really see Vali... actually, where do I stand with the others? Am I just considered Vali's Queen to them? Do they see me as anything beyond that?' He kept wondering, making a worried expression.

**["Partner?"]** Ddraig questioned, starting to worry.

Unfortunately, Issei was so lost in thought, the Red Dragon's voice wasn't reaching him at all.

Sighing a bit, he looked at the sky.

"Now that I think of it... where do I really stand with Matsuda and Motohama? No, not just them, how much do Katase and Murayama actually see me beyond their cousin? Have I been blind because something's changed, have I finally had a veil of lies start lifting because I see more to question it?" He wondered.

His fist tightened, and his fist began shaking.

"Damn it... who do I know what's true or not? I know that Vali and Rin's friendship with me was genuine, but... but..." Issei questioned, shaking a bit.

"Interesting, it seems you're not as simple as we thought you were."

Issei's eyes widened as he turned his head, causing him to see Kuroka and Le Fay standing across the room. The shock made him fall on his butt.

"Uh... have you been there since the beginning?" Issei asked, sweating a bit.

Le Fay giggled, while Kuroka briefly stuck her tongue out. Issei paled as it was clear that meant they had.

"Great... that doesn't only happen in fiction..." He sighed, awaiting them to say something about what he had just blurted out about them.

"You haven't ever considered how any of us think of you, have you?" Kuroka remarked.

"Yeah, you only think... or rather, it seems like you can only think about Vali." Le Fay replied, kneeling by him.

At that moment, someone else walked by the door.

"Then again, we're just as guilty, because we never considered what you've been going through." Asia mentioned.

Issei turned to see her at the door, seeing her walk in.

Before he knew it, the others all joined in, with only Vali missing among the MHC members in the room.

"Everyone..." Issei breathed.

"It's been clear to us even before we first met that Vali is very important to you... though if you ever want to know where the two of you stand together?" Arthur stated.

"How should we put it? Just like she had to heal from her trauma, you need to heal from how you perceive yourself." Bikou stated.

Issei looked confused, until he saw Yuuma kneel in front of him.

"When you and I first met? Well... I don't know, despite agreeing to the date, you almost seemed scared to try genuinely interacting with me. It was as if you forced yourself to go along with things. I never understood why, not until now." Yuuma explained, looking guilty.

"No one here's to blame, how can you understand something you weren't there for? Not even Vali can say she was there that day." Le Fay replied.

Issei was confused, until Yuuma looked at him directly.

"Even now, despite learning the truth... you're still hurting about all the time people treated you like you didn't exist, and I bet my sister killing you only helped play a part in it." She stated, gaining an even more guilty look.

Issei's eyes widened, feeling like something in him shattered... a wall of confusion to be precise. The worst part about it?

Yuuma was right.

"All these people... they saw me like some kind of pariah, a living disease... and had no idea how much it hurt! When I met Rin, things finally felt like they healed... but then he moved away, and I never saw him again. Vali came next, but she left for some time, and I was so lonely! And then, right as it felt like things were changing, your horrible monster of a sister killed me!" He said with a shaky voice.

Yuuma began shedding tears, wiping them from her face.

"Suddenly, everything became a question again. Even if I still trusted Vali... now I knew she wasn't what I had believed her to be. Nothing I knew felt right anymore, and now I'm afraid of everything! Then, just when Asia made me feel like it was just temporary... she killed Asia, like it was some higher power tormenting me in every way it could! I don't even know how I want to define what I want to be with Vali, because I'm afraid it might go after her!" He cried, closing his eyes as his voice shook.

"Oh Issei..." Asia sniffled.

She hugged him, making Issei gaps as he opened his eyes.

"Don't cry anymore Issei, because I swear I'm your friend... no, you're like the big brother I never had!" Asia admitted, shedding tears as she smiled.

Issei gasped at that, seeing the honest glimmering in her eyes.

"Asia..." He breathed.

"Not just her, I'm also your friend." Yuuma smiled, sniffling a bit.

"Yuuma?" He replied.

"I'm still hurt over what happened with my sister, but... you never blamed me for accidentally letting you get killed. What I feared most was having to kill my own sister, and hating myself, but you destroyed that worry right before my eyes." Yuuma smiled.

Issei felt his mouth quivering.

"You have all of us too." Le Fay smiled brightly.

"All of us are here because of you, as Vali would have never found us if you hadn't found her." Arthur agreed, showing a rare smile.

"Not only that, but you gave Shirone the push she needed. You gave me back my sister." Kuroka replied, wiping a tear away.

Bikou chuckled, playfully hitting him on the back.

"If she hadn't been there, then I'd have done something that I'd regret. I was even there when she achieved her Balance Breaker, and when I saw her do it, there was nothing to make me doubt it was because you gave her the strength to break her trauma at that one moment." Bikou smiled.

Issei's eyes shook, and their words towards him? He could see their honesty.

"Everyone... thank you. I've been so stupid, not seeing the obvious picture that I should have, and I nearly lost myself." He smiled, wiping his tears away.

**["There we go, looks like Vali saved you the same way you saved her."]** Ddraig smiled.

"Huh?" Issei blinked.

Ddraig gave a slight chuckle, and continued.

**["Albion told me this... when you met Vali, she suddenly felt a spark of hope. I've seen it myself, deep in your heart, that such a powerful force shines like a bright star. Even from the first day you denied the war of the Heavenly Dragons; it's for that reason I believe you'll be the greatest Sekiryuutei that ever lived."]** Ddraig revealed.

Issei's eyes widened.

**["Red Dragon of Domination... that's one of the many titles that have been given to me. However, that hope is a great power, and Vali in turn helped you with her own powerful flame. A flame known as courage, which is what gave you the strength to become stronger after she went on her journey. Just as she will deny Supremacy, find your own path. Become the Red Dragon... of Courage!"]** Ddraig encouraged, placing his bets.

"You're putting that much faith in me?" Issei asked.

Ddraig gave a hum of approval, while the Sekiryuutei saw the rest of Vali's peerage give him smiles that confirmed their shared belief in him.

With that, his worries faded away.

"The Red Dragon of Courage... alright, that's what I'll reach for! No matter what!" Issei promised.

* * *

After another day, the Rating Game had finally come, and everyone getting ready as they waited for Lilith to pick them up.

"Today's the big day..." Vali breathed.

At that moment, everyone noticed someone come in through a magic circle, making Yuuma gasp as she saw her parents walk out of it. Seeing the Governor General was also a big surprise for some of her peerage.

"Mom? Dad?" Yuuma exclaimed.

"We heard about the Rating game, so we came to wish you luck." Penemue smiled, rubbing Yuuma's head.

Yuuma blushed a bit, gaining a bit more confidence.

"Be safe out there, but most importantly... make sure that Phenex doesn't have a chance in Hell!" Azazel exclaimed.

"We'll already be there, so that's a guarantee." Issei jokingly replied.

Right after saying that, everyone saw the Lucifer Clan's magic circle in black/purple, which quickly revealed itself to be Lilith's.

"Are you all ready?" She asked.

Vali looked at her and smiled, nodding her head.

"Yeah, all of us, more than ever." Vali smiled, looking at Issei with confidence.

"That's right, we'll win this game." He replied.

Seeing this, Lilith showed surprise before she changed her expression into a warm smile. It was clear from seeing these two what they'd be for each other.

'You're the only boy I trust her to, because you've earned that right, so I hope you make her happy.' She continued smiling.

At that moment, she held up a hand, forming a magic circle that created a bunch of uniforms, making Vali gasp.

"Those are..." Vali realized.

"Team uniforms for your match. While you may be a Lucifer that lacks it on an individual level, show your team's pride through these outfits." Lilith confirmed as she gave a wink of encouragement.

Vali took them, giving her mother a warm smile.

"Thank you, we'll wear them proudly." Vali smiled, taking them.

Soon enough, everyone in Vali's team were wearing the outfits, which were mostly white, having blue as their secondary color, and a bit of Silver. In a sense, they represented Albion, and the signature silver-hair of the Lucifer bloodline.

"Alright, take my magic circle over to the battlefield, I chose a special location for this came." Lilith told everyone.

Vali nodded before turning to her team, and gave her inspirational speech to them.

"Riser's shown no respect for Rias, and he won't show any for us. Most of all, Hell itself is currently against us due to how the people see me right now, for just my name alone... however, we are the Mythological History Club, as well as proud members of the House of Lucifer! So, let's show that cocky bird that not even an immortal fire bird can stand against a Devil among Devils!"

"Yeah!" Everyone cheered.

They all walked into the magic circle, making Lilith smile as she followed them shortly after.

* * *

Vali's peerage soon found themselves on their chosen Rating Game field, which was a castle floating in part of Hell's sky.

"This is nothing like the last battlefield, where are we?" Issei wondered.

"A replica of a place that's very historic to the Devils. This castle's original form was the prison that God put my other in, where she met Lucifer, and where the first Devils were created." Vali revealed.

Her whole peerage was surprised by this.

"Y-you mean... this is the place where all of Hell was..." Yuuma stuttered in awe.

She blinked a few times.

"I think my confidence just shrank back to normal..." Yuuma whimpered as she got completely nervous.

As Kuroka looked around, the Black Nekoshou showed interest.

"So, we're fighting on the grounds of your heritage, eh? I bet Lilith chose this battlefield to let you prove yourself on the same field Devil kind began." Kuroka mentioned excitedly.

"Huh, guess that would make sense." Vali realized.

A tower rose behind them, representing their home base. The MHC looked up at it, and in response, they saw many magical screens form across the landscape.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Welcome, one and all! Today we have an official Rating Game for you all, but this time there's a rare treat in store! As always, I'm your Naud Gamigin, here to give you all the action!**

Vali's group saw the screens showing them to everyone in the crowd, along with. Among them, Vali saw some of the big-name heirs, current Household Lords/Ladies, some friends of hers, and many more important people.

"Whoa... seems like all the biggest names are watching this, and I bet that includes _those_ bastards." Vali remarked, with Issei wondering who she was specifying.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
This Rating Game will between Lord Riser, third heir to the House of Phenex! His opponent, the recently revealed heiress to the shamed House of Lucifer, and the adoptive daughter of our Devil Queen... Valiana Lucifer, or just Vali as she prefers!**

The crowd begins to cheer loudly, and Naud gave a toothy grin.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
For today's battlefield, we have a recreation of the fabled Prison Castle of Damnation, former prison of Lilith Lucifer, and where the Devil race was born! Lady Vali's base is on the castle's lower field, while Lord Riser's is on the castle's the upper field.**

"The upper field? Hold on, doesn't that give him the advantage?" Le Fay asked worried.

Hearing Le Fay's worries, Naud wagged his hand.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
You have a valid concern there young one, but not to worry! This Rating Game has a flying restriction, so you can only go so high off the ground! Being higher or lower doesn't do anything, aside from changing which direction you have to look towards at the time.**

Le Fay gave a sigh of relief, wiping her forehead.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Before we begin, we have some very special guests who are watching! Allow me to introduce to you the Seven Great Devils!**

A screen showed Sirzechs, Alanira, and five others which included Sona's older sister. All of them were wearing their usual job outfits, with their colors and slight design aspects differing depending on the individual's preferences, and Clans of origin.

"So, those five are the other Great Devils?" Issei said in awe.

"Yeah, and I think it's obvious which one is Sona's sister, considering the strong resemblance that Rias and Riser both have with their siblings." Yuuma remarked.

The first was a beautiful girl with long, black hair tied into twin tails and violet eyes, clearly identifying her as Sona's sister. She had a child-like body, albeit with large breasts. She was the Great Devil in charge of Foreign Affairs, Serafall Asmodeus.

The second was a handsome young man with light blue eyes, and green hair that is slicked back. He has a mysterious aura around him which seemed to make him seem devilish even by a Devil's standards. He was the Great Devil in charge of the Technological Department, Ajuka Beelzebub.

The third was a tall man whose head is completely bald and has a sharp, spiky goatee on his chin; with a fairly bulky build... who was also currently asleep, making everyone give an awkward look at him. He was the Great Devil in charge of Military Affairs, Falbium Mammon.

The fourth was a man with a graceful face, grey hair, and grey eyes, possessing a fierce, yet kind, and honorable look on his face. He was the Great Devil in charge of the Educational Department, but also the reigning Champion of the Rating Games: Diehauser Satan.

And finally, the fifth and last of the group was a beautiful young woman with long, wavy, cherry-blossom colored hair, with two odd strands that stuck out, being styled like two curved Demon horns. She was the Great Devil in charge of the Agricultural Department, Roygun Belphegor.

"I didn't expected people who looked so... well, normal." Asia mentioned as she looked at them.

"Considering that these six were all normal Heirs until the events of the Devil's Civil War, normal them looking normal makes sense." Vali replied to her, looking as the screen changed again.

Who was shown next was someone Vali had expected to be watching the game.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
And now, here's our featured guest! She's the one who showed interest in this Rating Game, chose the battlefield herself, and is Vali Lucifer's vert own adoptive mother... it's our retired Queen of Hell, and the strongest Female Devil, the great Lilith Lucifer!**

Lilith was shown on screen, waving her hands towards the crowd as she gave a warm smile.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Now, before we begin, Lilith herself has some words to say.**

Standing up, Lilith cleared her throat as the speakers shifted over to her.

**【** **Lilith** **】** **  
To all Devils here today, as you are likely aware of by now due to Naud's words, this is my former great granddaughter and now daughter in this Rating Game. Despite being her mother, I'll be watching this as if she were any other Devil.**

She soon gave a smile, pointing at her.

**【** **Lilith** **】** **  
So, prove to all of Hell that even as a Human/Devil hybrid, you truly possess all the strength you've inherited from your father! Show the entirety of Hell why you deserve to be called its Princess!**

Hearing this, Vali's eyes began to water with tears of joy at Lilith's words.

"I will." Vali softly told herself.

"You're lucky to have her, Vali." Issei smiled warmly.

With both sides ready, Naud picked up his microphone, and began saying the words everyone was waiting for.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Now, let the Rating Game... Begin!**

Immediately after hearing this, Vali pulled up the battlefield map.

"Alright everyone, here's the plan. Riser's not gonna make the same mistakes with us, and we can't risk any of us fighting alone." Vali started.

She pointed at the stairway area that connected the main paths between the two bases on the giant castle.

"Issei, I want you and Yuuma to take the flight of main stairs towards Riser's base. Bikou and Le Fay, branch off at the left flight section. Kuroka and Arthur, you'll take the right. Asia will stay here with me, and luckily, I've got a plan set for anyone who comes here."

"Got it!" Everyone nodded.

From there, the Lucifer Heiress detailed the plans she had for everyone, and they were amazed by what she had planned. Before they split up, Vali took a deep breath before she finally said one last thing.

"Alright everyone, let's do this!" She exclaimed.

Everyone soon headed off towards their respective paths, with the intent to win this Rating Game.

* * *

Le Fay and Bikou reached the top of the left path's stairs, soon finding themselves faced with Siris, Marion, Burent, and Isabella.

"So, you'll be our first opponents. My congrats for having the courage to challenge us..." Isabella praised.

At that moment, she readied her battle stance.

"But now, for the sake of our honorable Lord Riser? We must and will defeat you!" She shouted.

Siris drew her sword, while Marion and Burent brought out daggers. They all took a battle stance, which prompted Bikou to take out his staff, and Le Fay to summon her wand.

"Bikou, I'll take on Siris. Can you handle the other three until I give the signal?" Le Fay asked, having formed a plan with Bikou on the way up.

"Sure thing! Plus, I'm excited to fight multiple opponents, and see how they resist." Bikou said as he swung Ruyi Jingu Bang overhead.

He quickly stopped, having readied himself, and then he jumped into the air.

" **Flying Nimbus!** "

The signature cloud formed underneath him, and then he flew at the Rook, and the two Pawns of Phenex. At the same time, Le Fay twirled around, summoning her broomstick into view.

She sat on it, and then flew towards Siris.

"Really, a magician against me? Forgive me when I crush your hopes and dreams!" Siris screamed loudly.

Jumping high into the air, she dived down, swinging her massive blade at the Bishop of Lucifer. However, to her surprise, Le Fay simply tossed her wand at the right spot, parrying the blow successfully.

"What? T-that was just pure luck!" Siris shouted, refusing to believe Le Fay did that on purpose.

Siris swung sideways, but just like before, Le Fay managed to parry it.

The Phenex Knight couldn't believe her eyes, and just continued to slash without restraint. Unfortunately for Siris, no matter which way she swung her blade, or how much speed she picked up each time, even if she thrust her blade forward... just by moving her wand a certain way, Le Fay managed to parry to blow.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Amazing! Le Fay is actually parrying all the sword strikes, this isn't something I ever expected from an ordinary Magician, or even a Bishop for that matter!**

"Impossible! You're just a Magician, there's no way you can counter a sword like this!" Siris shouted.

"Sorry, but that logic doesn't work when you're facing a Magician that comes from the Pendragon Family." Le Fay giggled.

Siris' eyes widened at that, swinging even faster, but still no success.

"You're definitely a good swordsman, but the Pendragon Family's trained both mages and swordsman for generations, so I've had sword training for just these kinds of situations!" Le Fay revealed, holding out a hand in an "L" shape.

The Knight of Phenex roared in fury, prompting Le Fay to jump overhead before she landed behind Siris, her broom appearing where she landed.

" **Flash Rain!** "  
" **Savage Rain!** "

Siris instantly began being pelted by a swarm of magical bullets, which were a mixture of Black and White Magic. She held up her sword like a shield, but still felt the force of the young Bishop's magic pelt against her, eventually overwhelming her.

Meanwhile Marion and Burent rushed at Bikou, who was flying around on the Flying Nimbus, and dodging the two without much effort.

"Your service is so slow, I'm not eating at this restaurant again!" Bikou joked.

"Never turn away during a fight!" Isabella shouted, throwing a punch forward.

The Monkey Man held up his finger, stopping the punch with a slight ripple of Prana, which made her gasp in surprise. Right as Marion and Burent tossed their daggers at Sun Wukong's descendant, the descendant of Sun Wukong held up the Ruyi Jingu Bang replica, and began to spin it.

" **Extend!** "

It did just that, and the staff's sudden increase in size struck both Pawns hard, while Isabela was similarly knocked back from the force. As she skidded across the ground, Bikou rose the staff by its tip, smirking at the Phenex Rook.

"Not a worry when I don't need my eyes to sense your presence." Bikou replied with a snicker, countering her recent warning.

* * *

Riser watched the situation from his base at the top half of the castle. Despite how things were going with his pieces fighting against Bikou and Le Fay, he was still fairly confident, as they were handling themselves, and his other pieces' movements.

"She's no less of a Rating Game virgin than Rias is, Riser doesn't think he'll have to do much this time." Riser smirked.

He watched as his sister, Ni, and Li all quickly head towards Vali's base. Issei, and Yuuma unaware that they had passed them by as they kept going up... which threw Riser off.

"What exactly are those two doing?" Riser wondered.

He was so focused on that, he didn't see Vali noting his sister's group coming, and whistling as she tapped her ear.

* * *

Back with Le Fay and Bikou, the whistle reached their ears, prompting the two of them to charge towards to their respective opponents.

"They're charging right at us, what an amateur mistake." Burent smirked.

She and Marion prepared to strike Bikou as he neared them, with Isabella close behind them. Meanwhile, as Le Fay got closer to her, Siris prepared slash down her sword.

"Switch!" Le Fay giggled.

A magic circle appears underneath them, but then they switched places, causing both fights to quickly do the same.

"What!? Siris exclaimed in disbelief.

"What did they do!?" Isabella shouted.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Holy Shit! Do my eyes deceive me, or did Le Fay just swap them around to pull them all into a feint? Either way, Riser's Team has been caught off guard with no answer to this surprise!**

Bikou smirked as that moment, coating his Ruyi Jingu Bang with a heavy layer of Prana.

"Now, time for Hell's version of a Heavenly force!" Bikou announced.

Bikou thrust the extending staff towards Siris, and while the Phenex Knight tried to defend with her sword... the intense power of the impact smashed it into pieces!

"My sword!" Siris gasped in horror.

"Sorry, but this Knight's lost her steed!" Bikou shouted.

The Ruyi Jingu Bang soon struck her in the chest, making her scream as her body vanished.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
One of Lord Riser's Knights. Retired!**

_[Valiana Lucifer - 8 Pieces | Riser Phenex - 15 Pieces]_

The crowd was silent at first, but then began cheering as Siris' picture grayed out.

"No, Siris!" Isabella shouted.

"I have something to tell all three of you." Le Fay stated.

Seeing Le Fay near them, the three began to charge, only for Le Fay to freeze the ground under them.

"Don't slip." She giggled.

At that moment, the three all felt the part of the battlefield they were standing on rise up, causing them to all slip from the ice. They tried to fly, but when their wings popped out, they were instantly locked by a magic circle. Le Fay whistled as she held up a magic circle representing fairy magic.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Amazing, Le Fay just managed to guarantee they'll be automatically retired for falling off the battlefield!**

"She did what!?" Burent exclaimed in disbelief.

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Marion shouted.

All three fell off the field, eventually falling far enough they were all automatically retired.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Two of Lord Riser's Pawns, and one of his Rooks. Retired!**

_[Valiana Lucifer - 8 Pieces | Riser Phenex - 12 Pieces]_

The crowd cheered once again, their excitement building.

Le Fay landed near Bikou, who smiled at her. Flashing a thumb's up, the Pendragon Magician returned it with a peace sign.

At the same time, the crowd watched as Ravel, Ni, and Li head towards Vali's base. As they did, the sight of Issei rushing past them, with Yuuma right behind him, caught the trio's attention.

"Those idiots completely walked by us, taking the base and promoting will be easy!" Ni shouted mockingly.

"Let's get them, Ni!" Li exclaimed.

Ravel took to the air with her fiery wings, while the Nekomata twins ran underneath her. Seeing the coming, Vali simply smiled, tapping her ear in response.

"Do it, Issei." Vali whispered to him.

* * *

Riser was in shock over what just happened. He lost four of his pieces, and didn't even know that neither Le Fay, or Bikou had been holding back until the very last moment, letting their bait and switch strategy succeed without a hitch.

"What the hell? What is this!? Riser doesn't like what's happening right now!" Riser seethed with anger at the result.

『"No way, this can't be!"』 Ravel cried out in surprise.

Riser was surprised by her scream.

"Ravel? Ravel, what's going on, tell me!?" Riser demanded as lost his cool.

『"T-there's..."』 Ravel replied.

* * *

Ravel, and the Nekomata twins, were standing before Vali's base, with a wall of flames too high for them to cross by flight blocking in their way.

"There's... a giant wall of flames blocking her base, and they're reaching up to the altitude limit! We've been completely cut off!" Ravel explained.

『"What? But how can this be!?"』 Riser screamed in denial.

Vali giggled at that, hiding a small flame in her hand, letting the crowd know who the ace of magic was in her peerage.

"Alright, now for another surprise." Vali decided.

Forming a magic circle, Issei noticed a crest Vali placed on his hand flash, getting him and Yuuma to stop running.

"That's our cue!" Issei smirked.

"O-OK, let's do it Issei!" Yuuma replied as she mustered her courage.

The magic circle soon phased through the wall, surprising the trio as Yuuma scared the Nekomata twins away with spears of light, while Issei stood before Ravel.

"No way, you were just behind us!" Ni shouted.

"Did they plan all of this?" Li asked worriedly.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Ooh, another sneaky move by Vali! She's surprising us, and Riser, which is leaving her impossible to predict! A nice show from this newcomer to the Rating Games!**

Vali soon tapped her ear, whispering to Issei once more as she showed a confident smile.

"Issei, show the crowd, and Riser's peerage that this game isn't gonna happen like they expect it." Vali stated.

Issei nodded, soon walking near Ravel.

"Come on, let's do this." Issei stated.

"Do this? Oh please, I have no intention of fighting you." Ravel waved off, making Issei laugh a bit.

"What's so funny to you?" Ravel asked with irritation?

Issei stopped laughing, looking at he directly.

"I'm surprise you feel the need to lie about yourself, that's all." Issei stated.

Ravel's eyes widened at that.

"I saw the Rating Game, and when you finally fought, I saw the real you. Even I saw you clearly didn't like what your brother did to win, but you keep up the act because you became his Bishop for some reason. It's obvious that whatever brought you into his peerage, it wasn't your choice, or he made you join in a way you realized too late to undo what you did, and made you regret it. More than that, you've had to play the way he's wanted." Issei stated as he broke down Ravel's walls.

"S-shut up, you don't know a thing about me!" Ravel shouted, trying to deny it.

Issei went silent at that.

"You're right, I don't know a thing about it." Issei agreed.

Ravel showed surprise at that, and that's when Issei looked at her, smiling brightly.

"That's why I'd like you to show me! Fight not as Riser's Bishop, but the real you who I bet respects the older sister who rose to such a high place! Show me who Ravel Phenex is!" Issei requested.

Ravel blushed a bit at that, and hearing those words... something within her went off.

"F-fine, if you really want to lose that badly, then I'll gladly show you my strength!" Ravel finally gave in, fire burning around her.

Issei held out his Boosted Gear, which glowed brightly in response.

"Glad to hear it, and now? This is my response to it." Issei smiled.

'Y-you can do it, Issei.' Yuuma said, showing her faith in him.

Taking a deep breathe, the Sekiryuutei released his next words at the loudest volume his lungs could release.

"Hey, everyone in Hell, listen well!"

Everyone did, especially the members of Rias' peerage.

**【** **Issei** **】** **  
I may know how to use a sword, but I'm nothing compared to Kiba!**

Kiba listened closely at that.

**【** **Issei** **】** **  
While got a lot of natural talent like Akeno, but I'm still no genius at it, and I still can't fully control it!**

Akeno smiled a bit at the compliment.

**【** **Issei** **】** **  
Kuroka has taught me how to use my Chi, but I still don't have the skills that she and Shirone possess!**

Shirone blinked at that, wondering what this was about.

**【** **Issei** **】** **  
And I don't have the power to heal, or any special tricks in the same way as Valerie!**

Valerie was surprised by the praise she was given.

Many of the Devils watching were confused over what Issei was trying to do, even Ravel wasn't sure, but Issei's next move made it clear.

**【** **Issei** **】** **  
However, I will give everything I have to become the strongest Queen, and a High-Class Devil for Vali's sake! For that reason, I will master the powers that can destroy the gods themselves!**

Reeling his hand back, the moment of truth came, right as the Red Dragon began laughing in excitement.

**【** **Issei** **】** **  
Ddraig, let's do it!**

**["You've got it, partner! Now I'll show you my determination!"]** Ddraig smirked.

The glow on the Longinus' gem flashed brightly as Ddraig's eyes did the same, making everyone in the crowd stare in shock at the incredible power that was being emitted.

**["Welsh Dragon: Balance Breaker!"]**

The entire crowd gasped at that, while Riser's eyes widened in horror at the revelation. Ravel herself let out a small gasp.

"He's already achieved his Balance Breaker? Just what has Vali been teaching this boy!?" Ravel couldn't believe this boy had it already with how he looked.

Issei's scale mail formed around him, with the sound of Ddraig roaring as it fully equipped.

"This is the power of Issei Hyoudou, the current Sekiryuutei, and Vali Lucifer's Queen!" Issei exclaimed with every fiber of his will.

**["Balance Breaker: Boosted Gear Scale Mail!"]** Ddraig announced.

The crowd went completely silent at this, with Vali and her peerage all smiling at the sight before them.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
I... I don't believe it, I heard rumors when the game was decided that Vali's Queen was the Sekiryuutei, but this is the proof! More than that, he has his Balance Breaker! What an incredible ally Hell's obtained!**

Ravel looked in awe as Issei stared at her.

"Come on, I've shown you who I am, so don't hold anything back!" Issei exclaimed.

**「** **My Hero Academia: You Say Run** **」**

'This boy, he's... he's nothing like my brother. They're both Devils, but yet this boy... he's more like...' Ravel thought.

At that moment, she closed her eyes, drawing more of her fire.

"I guess I don't have a choice if you're truly the Sekiryuutei!" Ravel replied, taking into the sky.

Issei smirked, taking to the sky as his wings unfolded.

"Glad to hear it!" He replied.

Issei charged up a sphere in his hands, and then thrust his left fist forward. The sight of his Scale Mail growing a blaster on it was soon seen.

**["BOOST!]**

" **Dragon Shot!** "

The blaster shot out like a small burst, which smashed through Ravel's body. Although she quickly regenerated, she was left in shock by the power he used, prompting her to draw her flames into one spot.

"That won't be enough to take me down!" Ravel shouted.

Swinging her arms up, she slammed them back down, unleashing a wave of flames that hit Issei. He screamed as they hit, grunting from the pressure.

"Yeah, now you're finally looking like yourself!" Issei smirked.

"W-what?" Ravel blushed.

It surprised her, but... Issei seemed to be enjoying fighting her, and for some reason?

The same was true for her.

"I'm gonna make sure to give it my all, or I'd disrespect my opponent!" Issei exclaimed.

Ravel's eyes gasped at that, and it started to click to her.

"Respect..." Ravel said in shock.

**["PENETRATE!"]**

Issei punched through the flames, his wings propelling him through the sky. At that moment, Ravel dispelled the flames, spinning to make a spiral of fire, which wrapped around the Sekiryuutei's body, forcing him to the ground.

"Issei!" Yuuma called out.

"She's open!" The Nekomata twins announced.

Yuuma saw them about to hit her, and immediately formed out two holy spears to counter them. Spinning around, many holy spheres suddenly shot at the two, moving faster than them.

"No fair!" Ni complained.

Meanwhile, back in the air, Issei shot back up to strike Ravel, who was knocked back a bit.

**["BOOST!"]**

"This is the first time I've had a real opponent to fight, I'm guessing the same is true for you?" Issei inquired.

"Don't know why I'm telling you, but... yeah, it is." Ravel replied, smiling a bit.

At that moment, both of them charged at each other again. Ravel unleashed a powerful flame, which shaped itself like a phoenix racing itself forward, right as Issei readied his fist. Everyone watched as the fist in question had its armor grew large and heavy in that one spot.

" **Crimson Flare!** "

Issei smashed his fist into the fiery attack, and struggled a bit, but that pushed him even further.

**["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"]**

Flames began pushing his fist forward as he gave a might shout. At that moment, he smashed through the attack, rushing at Ravel before hitting with all his might. With that, she finally hit her limit, and began falling towards the out of bonds area.

"Ravel!" The Nekomata twins shouted.

Issei immediately dived towards Ravel, managing to catch her right before she was retired, surprising everyone except his teammates as he did. Ravel suddenly opened her eyes, seeing her current state.

"You alright?" Issei asked.

"W-what? But, if you let me go, I would have been retired!" Ravel shouted like he was an idiot.

"I have no need to do that, after all... this match will unshackle you from your own chains, so you deserve to stay here until the end." Issei replied with a smile.

Ravel blushed again, feeling Issei put her down.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

Issei soon looked at the Nekomata twins.

'This boy, he truly isn't anything like my brother... Issei Hyoudou, just who are you? And why does it make me happy to think about it?' Ravel thought, blushing as she unknowingly gained respect for the Lucifer Queen.

"Nice job Issei, now we just need to wait for the right moment." Vali smiled.

Issei quickly passed by them, heading up the stairs. Seeing this, the Nekomata twins blinked, but then noticed that Yuuma and the wall of flames had disappeared, and left Vali was wide open for an attack.

"Quick, while she's vulnerable!" Ni whispered.

"Right!" Li agreed.

The two rushed at her base, but before they could get anywhere near it, a blast of Prana cut them off. Looking up, the two flinched as Bikou dropped from the Flying Nimbus.

"Sorry, but you're not nearing my King." Bikou smirked.

Spinning his staff, he formed a new barrier to protect the base before holding his staff out.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the room where Lilith, and the Seven Great Devils were all watching, trying to figure out what Vali was doing. She had been quite unconventional, including how her Pawn suddenly vanish during the middle of a battle.

"So, what does everything think?" Serafall asked.

"Well, I can say that she's not afraid to take any risks, the fact Issei didn't let my sister be eliminated was a fairly big shock in itself... and yet I fully understand why he did it. Thanks to him, I think she'll finally find the courage to be herself." Alanira answered, praising the efforts of Vali's peerage.

"I agree, while Riser has more experience, Vali isn't letting herself hesitate because of it, enough that Riser didn't expect those two big moves she played." Ajuka remarked.

Falbium silently nodded, and then... fell asleep again.

"Falbium, please try to stay awake." Sirzechs sighed, having to shake him awake.

Roygun tapped her chin for a moment, and then turned to Lilith.

"Hey Lilith, is it just me, or did we not even see where her Pawn disappeared to?" Roygun questioned.

Lilith giggled at that, surprising the seven.

"Diehauser, do you have a theory about that?" Lilith inquired, still holding her giggle's smile.

"I do, but I'll withhold from sharing what it is."

All of them kept watching, only Lilith aware of what her daughter's plan was.

* * *

Upon reaching the top of the right flight of stairs, Kuroka, and Arthur, stood before the gathered remainder of Riser's Pawns.

"So, you're that kitten's older sister, I can't wait to get revenge for our defeat." Mira said, readying her repaired staff.

"Slice! Slice! Slice!" Ile and Nel chanted, readying their chainsaws.

Arthur shook his head at the two.

"You couldn't beat Shirone, and yet you think you can beat me? I'd like to see you try." Kuroka smirked.

She formed her magic circle, creating a mixture of sage and demon magic.

Once it was ready, she fired it off at Riser's Pawns, only for Shuriya to jump into its path, and spin around.

Her ribbons glowed brightly, dispelling the attack once it hit her.

"Oh?" Kuroka blinked.

"The blondie knight never got to see it, but my ribbons dispel any non-physical attacks. That means your little tricks won't work on me." Shuriya smiled smugly.

Kuroka giggled a bit, and flexed out her fingers.

"You think that magical ability is all you have? I'm sorry, but you're sorely mistaken." Kuroka retorted.

As that was happening, Mira began a rush at Arthur, prompting him to dodge her constant staff thrusts. After a few seconds, he noticed the twins rushing at him, having prepared to take him from behind.

"Get ready, blondie!" Mira shouted.

"Yeah, we're gonna slice you up!" The twins shouted.

Arthur dodged them again, swinging Caliburn to pick up dirt and blind the three. The trio of Pawns all screamed at the dust that got stuck in their corneas.

"Damn you!" They all shouted.

"You're way too easy to read, and that's your greatest weakness." Arthur started, immediately holding up his unbreakable blade.

The twins heard their chainsaws break from contact.

"No way!" The twins shouted.

Arthur soon appeared behind them, surprising the two as she charged at their vulnerable backs.

"I won't fall to something so simple." Arthur warned.

He rushed at all three of them, while at the same time, Shuriya was forced on the defensive as Kuroka began to move around the area at incredible speeds. Kuroka quickly showed her strikes still made a threat as she slammed her fist into the Phenex Pawn's gut.

"How...?" She coughed.

"Get ready little dancer, this cat has more than just 9 lives, and she's ready to use all of them!" Kuroka smirked.

She motioned her finger, alerting Arthur to something.

Both of Vali's teammates rushed at their opponents, only to see them all smirk as a familiar magic circle appeared below their feet.

" **Take.** "

An explosion went off at that moment, covering both of them within a large explosion. The crowd gasped at the sight, with Yubelluna was seen from a distance, having been the one that caught them in her trap.

"Two down." Yubelluna declared.

"That'll show them." Shuriya smirked, her fellow Pawns joining her.

All of Riser's Pawns gave victorious expressions, soon going down the stairs... completely missing the fact that Naud didn't announce anyone's retiring, and a sudden gash in the air where Yubelluna's attack had struck.

* * *

Vali heard the explosion, and realized it wouldn't be much longer.

"Bikou, we've nearly got everything set up" Vali alerted the Monkey Man, making him look at her.

"Got it!" Bikou replied.

As he swung his staff at the Nekomata twins, the rest of Riser's Pawns finally caught up to him. He kept a confident look as he stood his ground.

"Bikou, I'm here!" Le Fay.

He looked up, seeing the Lucifer Bishop zip on her broom, holding a vial of Phoenix Tears.

"What the?" Mira shouted.

Mira had been one of the two holding Phoenix Tears, and realized hers had been stolen. Landing near Bikou, the Bishop of Lucifer used it on himself, restoring his energy.

"Nice going Le Fay." He praised.

"Of course, it won't be long until everything comes full circle." Le Fay smiled, forming an "O" shape with her hands.

At that moment, Vali noticed a ripple nearby, and grabbed Asia.

"Hold tight Asia, it's time." She warned.

"OK, I trust you." Asia replied.

Vali took into the air, tapping her ear as she gave a loud whistle. Her entire peerage heard this, getting Issei's attention from where he was on the stairs, as well as the closer members of Riser's Team.

"Everyone, we're ready, time to show this crowd the "Twin Dragon's Heaven" plan in its full glory." Vali whispered.

Ravel noticed Vali was up to something, while Vali smirked.

"Riser, are you listening? Because it's time you that know this entire game... I've been controlling every move you male, and now the time has come for me to make my real first move!" Vali announced, surprising everyone.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
That claim is... I'm not sure, but I think we're about to find out!**

At that moment, Vali held up her left hand, revealing the Divine Dividing to everyone. To say that everyone was surprise was a complete understatement.

**「** **High School DxD HERO: Potential Awakened** **」**

"I don't believe it, she's got the Sekiryuutei as her Queen, and she's been the Hakuryuukou all along?" Saji exclaimed.

"My god, no wonder she was used by her grandpa like she was... she had one of the Longinus." Akeno stated, amazed at the sight.

Lilith smiled at the sight.

"Show them Vali, this is the first step in creating Hell's future!" Lilith shouted.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
T-the Divine Dividing? No way, the heiress of Lucifer is the Hakuryuukou!?**

The Longinus glowed brightly, causing everyone in Riser's Peerage to lose all the confidence they had built up to this moment.

"Quick, we've got to stop her!" Mira shouted.

"Too late!" Vali replied.

She screamed as she held the Divine Dividing into the sky, causing her glow to blast out as a full flash.

**("Vanishing Dragon: Balance Breaker!")**

The white scale mail armor formed across her body, followed by her staring at Riser's Pawns as they saw the Balance Breaker of a second Longinus reveal itself in the current Rating Game.

**("Balance Breaker: Divine Dividing Scale Mail!")** Albion proclaimed.

At that moment, Vali felt Asia clinging onto her onto her back as her wings morphed. All of Riser's peerage stared in worry as part of them opened up to reveal blasters.

**("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!")**

Asia whimpered as Vali drained some power from her, but held onto her tightly as she bore all of it.

**("RELEASE!")**

" **Dragon Booster!** "

Screaming loudly, she fired twin bursts of energy from her wing blasters.

"Oh, no you don't!" Shuriya shouted.

All of the Pawns countered by uniting their flames to make a giant fireball that intercepted the blasts.

"Yuuma! Kuroka! Arthur! Do it now!"

The Phenex Pawns showed surprise at that, causing Yuuma to unfold her wings, showing she had used the rubble to hide. As for the other two, Kuroka dispelled a ripple she made using her Youjutsu.

"A little advice? Don't do a victory dance if you don't hear the announcer mention your opponents retired." Kuroka smirked.

Riser's Pawns all paled at that, realizing their error too late.

"ISSEI!" Vali screamed out.

Hearing his name, the Sekiryuutei turned around, once again forming his Scale Mail's arm blaster. However, this time, he poured in a ton of Senjutsu to power the blast.

**["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"]**

Aiming at the Phenex Pawns, he pulled his hand back.

**["EXPLOSION!"]**

" **Dragon Shot!** "

The red beam struck the Pawns from the opposite side, and knowing what was about to happen, Ravel and Vali's peerage all fled the area.

"Here we... go!" Issei and Vali shouted in unison.

They screamed louder as their two attacks blasted out their full strength, soon pushing the fires away as the powers of the Red and White Dragon within them began melding together.

The mixture enveloped all of Riser's Pawns, who all screamed as they disappeared one by one.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Six of Lord Riser's Pawns. Retired!**

_[Valiana Lucifer - 8 Pieces | Riser Phenex - 6 Pieces]_

For everyone in the crowd, they went completely silent... then cheered loudly.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

Riser couldn't believe his eyes, with just one move... Vali had completely turned the tables, and all his predictions had been shattered by the reveal both Heavenly Dragons were now his opponents.

"This can't... it can't be happening! Riser isn't supposed to lose unless it's on purpose!" Riser breathed in denial.

At that moment, all of Vali's peerage rushed up towards his base.

"Get ready Riser, because you're next!" Vali declared.

* * *

**Oh yeah, take that Riser! You made everyone move thinking you were in control, but Vali just proved you had been playing right into her hands! I wanted a way to truly shock him in this battle, and with a combination of Yuuma hiding in plain sight, Issei managing to overpower Ravel, and his Pawns failing to realize Kuroka and Arthur hadn't been announced as retired? That was exactly what happened.**

**Also, not only is Roygun on the same level as the Devil Kings, but Diehauser is also a Great Devil, being the one to take Satan position among the seven! I figure he's strong enough for it, and he got the Satan title because as the Rating Game Champion, he has to be on a similar level to Sirzechs, as all the Great Devils are also Super Devils.**

**Then there's Issei and Vali showing some Triaina and CCP traits, which is because Issei won't have either power up as a result of being a Queen, and some other ideas/reasons I can't share due to spoilers.**

**Also, you've likely noticed I avoided having Ravel get retired, and she's starting to feel something for Issei. I'll say know that this is just admiration, because Issei and Vali will have already become a couple before she'll be able to associate it with love. Like Yumina, Ravel will have importance later on in the story, though not for a while.**

**For how Lilith acts in this story, I hope I people like her characterization. I figured that since Lilith was originally the planned wife of Adam, that would make her the most human Devil of all, making her someone who easily understands Vali. Now, for Vali's grandma? I don't have any plans for her, and haven't even decided if she's dead or alive, so don't expect her to be mentioned again for a while, if ever.**

**Well, this is it... next chapter, we aren't just gonna finish the Rating Game, but the entire first season. There's gonna be a lot that happens next chapter, but there's one event that will stand out more than any other. I think some of you will already have a good idea of what I'm implying, but you never know, and as such, we'll let next chapter see how it all comes together.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

* * *

**Vali's Peerage** **:**

**King - Valiana Lucifer**  
Queen - Issei Hyoudou  
Bishops - Le Fay Pendragon, Asia Argento  
Knights - Arthur Pendragon, Unclaimed Knight  
Rooks - Bikou, Kuroka Toujou (Mutation Piece: x2 Multiplier)  
Pawns - Yuuma Amano (x2), Six Unclaimed Pawns

* * *

**Rias' Peerage** **:**

**King - Rias Gremory**   
**Queen - Akeno Himejima**   
**Bishops - Gasper Vladi (Mutated Piece: x4 Multiplier, Sealed), Valerie Tepes (Mutation Piece: x6 Multiplier)**   
**Knights - Kiba Yuuto, Unclaimed Knight**   
**Rooks - Shirone Toujou, Unclaimed Rook**   
**Pawns - Eight Unclaimed Pawns**

* * *

**Sona's Peerage** **:**

**King - Sona Sitri**  
Queen - Tsubaki Shinra  
Bishops - Momo Hanakai, Reya Kusaka  
Knights - Tomoe Meguri, Unclaimed Knight  
Rooks - Tsubasa Yura, Unclaimed Rook  
Pawns - Saji Genshirou (x4), Ruruko Nimura (x4)

* * *

**Bust Size of New Female Characters** **:**

**Serafall Asmodeus - 100 cm**

**Roygun Belphegor - 99 cm**

* * *

**Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter** **:**

**None**

* * *

**Pairings List** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Realizing their feelings for one another  
Ddraig/Albion - Married**  
 **Tiamat/Fafnir - Married**  
Saji/Sona - Master and Retainer  
Gasper/Valerie - Best Friends


	10. Chapter 10

**I'm truly surprised with myself, this story has barely been up for a week, and yet we've already made it to the end of Season 1! I honestly expected it to take much longer in getting here, but I guess not. I must be really underestimating my writing skills. *shrugs* Well, I it just means that I'll have the start of Season 2 ready sooner than I expected, so I guess I better start planning :)**

**To give you an idea of what Season 2 will bring? First off, we'll finally be seeing more about the Demons, who've only been mentioned at this point... although it's kinda justified I guess, since normal Angels didn't show up until Volume 4's events, having no reason to be present at the time. *chuckles* Also, you'll see Vali's peerage gain new members like Rias' has, but that's all I'll say for the moment.**

**Either way, I'm glad everyone has been along for the ride we have so far, and in case it takes a while for the first Season 2 chapter to come up? If you happen to be a fan of Date A Live, I'm making another story based on that. It'll be my second major story project, and the DAL counterpart to this story, which I've decided to name: "Date a Re:Live."**

**And I have something I need to slightly apologize for about last chapter. Mainly, about the scene with Issei and his fellow Peerage members, as that might have felt like it came from nowhere, and I was going to explain why it was what it was. As you're already aware of, Issei was ignored by all except Irina and Vali as a child, and that had a heavy effect on him.**

**When Irina had to move to England, and Vali went on her training journey, he wasn't happy at all, even with the knowledge Vali would eventually return one day. Prior to her return, the only people who counted as friends were his cousins in the Kendo duo and their boyfriends. So, when Raynare killed him, he learned about Vali being a Devil related to Lucifer, and started to realize he might love her?**

**It was then that all of those years of stress from the loneliness finally overwhelmed him, and he began to have doubts. Combine that with how I felt he hadn't really had a proper instance to form a friendship with Vali's peerage, and I felt the need to create that scene to amend that issue, even though there was no Raynare Curse to affect him. That, and I feel that he needed to face that before he could confess to Vali.**

**On that note, I mentioned last chapter that there was a surprise in this chapter, so if you don't remember about that? Well, now you do. I can't say what it is, as that's too big of a spoiler, and is very deep in the chapter. Some of you may have already figure it out, but I'm still not gonna give it away for those who haven't, so for those who don't... *smiles* hope you enjoy it.**

**Now, before we officially begin, since it's probably no surprise what happened to God and Lucifer in story, you may be wondering how Lilith currently ranks in the hierarchy of Hell's government. Well, she's actually the official leader of Hell, but... no one knows this. Why you might ask? Simple, because the only way Lilith can take over Hell is if Lucifer were to die, meaning publicly revealing she's the leader would confirm he's dead.**

**Because of that, Sirzechs is the technical leader of Hell, by acting as her figure head. This is why Sirzechs permitted the Rating Game when Lilith stated she'd like to see it, that was her way of telling him she verified the game, and to have his word make it official through him. While she still has some influence, people don't know she actually has the highest influence right now.**

**Speaking of which, to anyone that asks how much power Lilith has as Hell's leader, and how much power she's believed to publicly have at the moment? On a public level, she's only second to Sirzechs, but can still stamp down certain decisions of the Bael Clan. For her actual level of authority? Zekram's claim that the Bael Clan is the real leader of Hell in canon is completely false. Despite that, Lilith can't fix the King Piece issue because of... *coughs* reasons.**

**Well, enough of me blabbering, it's time to resume the Rating Game!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

**[]** \- Ddraig Talking

**«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

**「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

**【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

**⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

**King and Queen Bond**

**As there is no Evil Piece for a King, there's a secondary power to a Queen Piece to benefit the master of a peerage, giving the King the same benefit. As such, the Kings have the same boost, although their boost is triply strong. However, it also makes choosing their Queen the same as choosing their familiar, making it one of the most important choices a Young Devil will need to make.**

**What makes the choice of a Queen matter so much is that the King and Queen's power have a level of synchronization between them, meaning that a Devil can't just choose a random person as their Queen, no matter how powerful they are. If a King and Queen's abilities are too powerful, can't get along, are unable to work together, etc., or a mix of all this... their clashing natures will actually _hinder_ them.**

**For examples of King/Queen pairs with good synchronization, there's the pair of Issei, and Vali; Rias, and Akeno; and then Sona, and Tsubaki. Rias and Akeno are both wizard types who use powerful spells, Sona and Tsubaki both manipulate a specific element (water, and metal respectively), while Vali and Issei have a strong bond formed from their childhood. Due to these relationships, their synchronization empowers both sides.**

**Not all synchronizations are labeled under a hit or miss, it can even be in a more neutral territory where it works, but not enough to give the two pair the best benefit as the above examples. Such a King/Queen pair is between Riser and Yubelluna, since most of Riser's peerage just does what he says, leaving Yubelluna able to act more in ways that would have resulted in a better bond.**

**This part of the Queen Piece was designed by Ajuka to act as a form of balance, to let Kings get a benefit, while helping them to make a responsible choice.**

* * *

**_Season 1, Riser Arc: Chapter 6 – Phoenix to Ashes, Part 2_ **

Riser couldn't believe his eyes, with just one move... Vali had completely turned the tables, and all his predictions had been shattered by the reveal both Heavenly Dragons were now his opponents.

"This can't... it can't be... Riser isn't supposed to lose unless it's on purpose!" Riser breathed in denial.

At that moment, all of Vali's peerage rushed up towards his base.

"Get ready Riser, because you're next!" Vali declared.

Riser growled at that, feeling insulted.

Already having a strong lead in reaching him, Issei ran up the main flight of steps, focusing all of his boosts towards his feet. The rest of his team was following him, quickly catching up to him. Right as got near the top...

**["Issei, stop!"]** Ddraig warned.

Issei did, narrowly avoiding one of Yubelluna's bomb circles. The Sekiryuutei noticed the Phenex Queen hover near him, making him scowl underneath his helmet.

"You dodged that one, but let's see you dodge these!" Yubelluna said with a smug look.

More magic circles formed around him.

" **Take!** "

They all exploded, making her smirk at the heavy smoke she left behind.

"How the mighty fall." Yubelluna smirked.

"Really? Was that actually supposed to hurt?" Issei asked.

Yubelluna showed surprise as Issei walked out of the smoke, without any damage whatsoever.

"No way, that's impossible!" Yubelluna shouted.

Issei crossed his arms, while Ddraig snickered in response.

**["Honestly, you should really know better to think a little explosion would affect the Sekiryuutei when I'm a Dragon that commands flame!"]** He retorted.

Yubelluna growled at that, while Issei took to the skies shortly after.

"Besides, I'm not gonna lose to a Queen like you!" Issei exclaimed before flaring out his aura.

The Phenex Queen felt herself pushed back as Issei remembered what Vali told him back in the seventh day of training camp.

* * *

_Issei listened to Vali as she explained how to fully use his Queen Piece._

_"Even if certain traits are preferred for someone more than others, you still have to make them work in unison, just like how one best uses a Queen Piece in chess. Although, there's also the bond between a King and Queen that matters." Vali explained._

_"What bond?" Issei asked._

_"Right, I didn't tell you this yet because we haven't gotten any notice of having our own Rating Game in the near future, but maybe this upcoming game might mean we'll be in one sooner than I expected." Vali recalled._

_Taking out their bento boxes, they began eating today's lunch, while Vali started explaining._

_"See, since we Kings lack an Evil Piece for ourselves, our Queens are how we gain our Evil Piece enhancements. This is what makes the Queen of every peerage the Devil that's second-in-command. The main difference is the effects are tripled on us, but at the same time... you can't just make a random choice." Vali explained as she ate a rolled omelet._

_"Why is that? Is it like how Tiamat told me that a Familiar's one of the most important choices for a Devil, and something like a Green Slime would reflect poorly on your standing?" Issei inquired._

_"The same, but with even more weight. See, a King and Queen need to have a strong bond, and a certain synchronization between. A King and a Queen need to have similar powers in at least one area, like Rias and Akeno both being wizard types; a good relationship; and they need to be able to work together. If you choose the wrong Queen, it will only hinder you because of such a terrible bond." Vali verified._

_Issei gave a flat look at that, wondering what kind of people made that result... it kinda terrified him._

_"We have a good bond, right?" Issei asked._

_"The Queen Piece itself shows you, take a look." Vali smiled, holding it out._

_Issei looked, and gasped as he saw a "100%" listed._

_"No way, it's fully maxed out!" He exclaimed in shock, but also joy._

_Vali giggled._

_"While we do have a strong bond, our Dragons likely help since they are mates." She added._

_"Doesn't seem too sound of a theory when you remember our predecessors aren't like us." Issei reminded her, chucking a bit._

_Vali soon began laughing with him._

* * *

Yubelluna soon caught herself, growling a bit.

"How dare you, I'll defeat you to show how inferior you are to Lord Riser!" Yubelluna screamed.

She formed more explosions circles, while Issei simply kept dodging them all.

**["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"]**

"Let's see who really brings the boom!" Issei exclaimed.

Issei held out his hand to make a red magic circle, unleashing eight hinotama from his hand, all of which exploded as they quickly hit Yubelluna. As it knocked her back, Issei suddenly appeared before her.

"What the-"

Yubelluna didn't even get the chance to respond as Issei smashed his fist against her face, and flinging her across the field. She tumbled a little before she smashed into the wall, making its structure collapse on top of her.

"Damn it, I didn't think the Sekiryuutei was so powerful already, but that won't matter soon enough." Yubelluna smirked, making Issei raise an eyebrow.

" **Mine Field!** "

A brief flash of Yubelluna's magic circles appeared across the battlefield, making her chuckle as he was trapped, with his teammates closing in to set off the field of explosions she had just created. Seeing this, Issei just shook his head.

"That's it?" Issei asked.

"What do you mean by that's it? There's no way you can get out of this without risking yourself, or your team mates!" Yubelluna roared, feeling he was mocking her.

Ddraig rolled his eyes.

**["Really? You honestly think this can stop us? It doesn't matter if we can't see them, not when we can set them off ourselves!"]** Ddraig announced.

Yubelluna's eyes widened, while Issei smirked.

"Now you're talking me language, time to turn up the temperature!" Issei agreed.

Giving a mighty shout, Issei smashed the ground, forming a magic circle to unleash some fire into the ground. Fiery quickly formed across the ground, causing every one of Yubelluna's magic circles to reappear as they prepared to explode.

"You'll still be hit, and even that many is too much for you to handle!" Yubelluna warned.

"Says who? Because for me, I say I'm the real dynamite around here!" Issei countered, soon making his aura flare.

He screamed as his body unleashed a mighty flame, causing the flames of the resulting explosions to be absorbed into his fire. The Bomb Queen began shaking in fear, seeing another of her most powerful techniques rendered useless.

"Impossible!" Yubelluna shouted in disbelief.

At that moment, a red glow shined before her, followed by Issei slamming her entire body the very blaze he collected. She was hit hard, and tumbled across the ground once again, with all the debris from before having melted due to the heat.

"Heh, I didn't think I'd have to, but I guess I'll need to use this." Yubelluna said weakly, grabbing her Phoenix Tear.

As he prepared to use it...

"Switch!" Le Fay exclaimed.

The Phoenix Tear vial was suddenly replaced with the empty one that was stolen from Mira, making the Phenex Queen's eyes widen.

"No!" Yubelluna screamed in panic.

Issei looked behind him, smiling as he saw the rest of his team catch up.

"Good job Le Fay, your timing was perfect." Issei praised.

"Thank you." Le Fay smiled.

The Bishop of Lucifer tossed the vial to Vali, who poured it over Asia. The Twilight Healing user felt the power she let Vali take from her earlier be restored as her stamina recovered.

"Feeling better?" Vali asked.

"Yeah, thank you." Asia smiled happily.

"Damn it..." Yubelluna grunted.

Looking at her team, Vali decided their final move as Asia healed up any injuries they had.

"Bikou, I want you to stay here with Asia and keep her safe. Join us in case anything comes up that requires us to call you. Yuuma, I want you to deal with Yubelluna, it's time you see your true potential." Vali explained.

Yuuma was surprised by that, while Bikou nodded.

"Count on me, Vali!" Bikou agreed.

"I... I... I... alright. If you believe in me, I'll try!" Yuuma decided as she found her resolve.

Vali smiled, and soon turned to the rest of the steps.

"For the rest of us? Kuroka, Arthur, and Le Fay... I want you to face Riser's remaining Rook, Knight, and Bishop." Vali decided.

"So, that means you and Issei..." Kuroka realized.

"Yeah, the two of us will go take him down ourselves, though I'm going to make the finishing move no matter what." Vali smiled in confirmation.

Issei nodded his head in agreement.

"Yeah, for this Rating Game, it's better that the King makes the move that brings us Checkmate." Issei stated.

Vali smiled at him, then looked straight ahead.

"Let's go!" Vali exclaimed.

Everyone took on their roles, with Bikou stay behind alongside Asia, and Yuuma going after the downed Yubelluna, who was starting to get back up.

"Damn it, they leave me to be fought by you... a mere Pawn? How insulting!" Yubelluna growled.

**「** **DanMachi: Heroic Desire** **」**

"Believe in yourself Yuuma, believe... believe!" Yuuma exclaimed.

Forming a holy spear in her hands, she tossed it forward, only for Yubelluna to dodge it. Holding out her staff, she created a magic circle, making Yuuma scream as it exploded on her.

As the Phenex Queen smirked, thinking she had won... Yuuma waved her hands, panting as she pushed the smoke away, surprising Yubelluna as the Fallen Angel stared at her. She was covered in ash, her hair got a little messed up, but she was mostly fine.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Whoa! Looks like this Pawn refuses to be taken by the Queen, and now she's ready to strike back!**

Yuuma rushed at her, her Fallen Angel wings flapping as she did.

"Believe!" Yuuma screamed as she swung her hands down.

She created a storm of holy spheres, which rained down against Yubelluna with incredible force.

'No way, is she getting stronger!?' Yubelluna thought with surprise.

"That was..." Yuuma breathed,

At that moment, her eyes widened in shock, realizing something about her strength in pair with the words Vali had told her earlier.

"Wait, is this what Vali meant? Have I... always been this strong?" She gasped.

That's when it hit her... Raynare, she had always made her feel so scared. All this time, she was had been too scared to truly realize her strength, the power that came from her parents.

Clenching her fists, she created another holy spear.

"I can do this... I can do it!" Yuuma repeated, rushing at Yubelluna faster than ever.

Yubelluna created more magic circles, but this time, Yuuma found herself managing to evade them in advance, which surprised the Phenex Queen. Readying her spear, she threw it forward.

While Yubelluna attempted to dodge it, the spear still got her knee, making her lose balance as she felt the burn.

"This isn't possible!" Yubelluna screamed.

"Vali, Issei, Asia, Bikou, Le Fay, Kuroka, Arthur... Thank you for showing me my strength, that's why I promise not to let you down, because I am a Pawn from the House of Lucifer!" Yuuma screamed.

She immediately fired a large holy sphere into Yubelluna's chest, making the Phenex Queen gasped as she was launched back, and slowly disappear.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Lord Riser's Queen. Retired!**

_[Valiana Lucifer - 8 Pieces | Riser Phenex - 5 Pieces]_

Seeing what she accomplished, she fell to the ground.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

The crowd went into a heavy uproar, with even Naud's cheering slipping in. Asia healed Yuuma, making her look at her teammates with a weak smile.

"Hey guys, did I... finally become strong?" Yuuma asked her friends.

"You always were, and now everyone knows it." Bikou smiled, giving her a thumb's up.

Yuuma cried tears of joy, giving a bright smile.

* * *

Back with where Rias' peerage had been watching the game, they all cheered at the sudden turnaround.

"Great job Yuuma, you took her down!" Akeno cheered.

"This game's all yours!" Kiba shouted.

Shirone smiled, knowing she didn't need to say a word.

"They... they're gonna do it, they can win!" Valerie said happily, feeling they had a chance.

Rias gave a hopeful look, and nodded.

"You can do it, everyone. Win this." She smiled.

* * *

With Lilith, and the Six Great Devils, the Devil Queen began clapping her hand in excitement.

"Alright, that was impressive!" Lilith cheered.

"Hmm... I don't know why, but I swear that this isn't the first time I've seen Vali's sole Pawn, why is that?" Alanira wondered aloud.

"Easy, that's the sole child of Azazel and Penemue there. I mentioned how he raised Vali for a while after she got away from Rizevim, and after a little incident a while back, she decided to become part of Vali's peerage." Lilith revealed.

Sirzechs made a confused face.

"Lilith, Azazel and Penemue have two daughters, not just one." He remarked.

At that moment, the Queen of Devils froze up.

"Oh... Sirzechs, did you not get that report from Rias?" Lilith questioned.

Sirzechs suddenly made a worried face.

* * *

Meanwhile, in another section of Hell, a few of big-name figures were watching the Rating Game as a group.

The first was a gigantic, bipedal purple western Dragon with sharp yellow bull like horns, wearing black armored pauldrons that extend down to his arms, and a loincloth decorated with metallic accessories. He was the Rook of Lilith, a member among the Rating Game's Top 10, and an Ultimate-Class Devil: Blaze Meteor Tannin, one of the Dragon Kings.

Beside him was a fairly young-looking Devil with gelled hair, which was in a red/blue mixture; he had a blue left eye, while his right eye was red; and he gave out a mysterious atmosphere like that of Ajuka Beelzebub. He was the former aide of Lucifer, the chairman of the Magician Guild's group known as Grauzauberer, as well as the founder of the Magician Guild itself: Mephisto Pheles.

Finally, the last person in line was a man who appeared in his twenties, and looked to come from Northern Europe, being the most human looking of the group. He name was the found of the Magician Guild's group known as Rosenkreutzer, a reincarnated Devil of the Mammon Clan, one of the Rating Game's Top 10, and considered the strongest Reincarnated Devil to have been a normal human: Rudiger Rosenkreutz.

As they all watched the battle near its end they began giving their opinions.

"She's doing quite well for someone who's never played in a Rating Game before, and I don't think it's just her bloodline, considering she's a Human/Devil hybrid." Mephisto praised, his mouth smirking with interest.

"Her team has a strong bond with her, and they're trusting every move she makes, not even letting a fair of things going wrong affect them. Not to mention that huge feint she gambled on." Rudiger agreed, still focused on the game.

Tannin gave a slight smirk.

"So, these are the hosts you've possessed this time... I'm quite impressed, Ddraig, Albion." Tannin remarked.

"You haven't even seen everything they can do just yet."

Tannin turned around, noticing Tiamat appear in her human form.

Seeing this, Tannin decided to do the same, taking the appearance of young man with dark-purple hair with yellow streaks, also having a noticeable connecting to his hair; light purple eyes, and wearing a black, sleeveless workout shirt, with tan khakis.

"Tiamat, I assume you've got more to share with me about them? I heard how you finally became a Devil's familiar. Clearly based on this, it's the boy fighting on the battlefield right now." Tiamat inquired.

"I do, you should know that Ddraig and Albion believe these two won't just be the best Sekiryuutei and Hakuryuukou we'll ever have, but they might just do something that will change everything... including the curse their earliest hosts plagued them with." Tiamat responded.

Tannin's eyes widened in surprise.

"Are you serious?" He asked, trying to be certain he wasn't hearing things.

"Oh, the surprise doesn't end there, I don't know why, but based on what I've seen from Issei..." The strongest Dragon King neared Tannin's ear.

She whispered something, which made Tannin's eyes widen for two different reasons.

"You're kidding me!" Tannin said in disbelief.

"I kid you not, but now that begs the question... am I actually right? For now, all I just said is my own personal theories, but if the Divine Dividing chose to bond with the great granddaughter of Lucifer, then I don't think it's impossible for the Boosted Gear to have done a similar thing." Tiamat replied with full seriousness in her voice.

The two continued watching, hoping to see more signs of what the current generation of the Heavenly Dragon's hosts were capable of.

* * *

After a lengthy trek, Vali's team managed to reach Riser's base, with the Phenex Devil glaring right at her. Standing beside him was Xuelan, Kalawarner, and Mihae, the last members of his team aside from Ravel, who by all means had technically resigned after facing Issei.

"You, how dare you hide that you hold the power of the White Dragon! Do you know how much you've disrespected Devil kind with that fact!?" Riser screamed angrily.

"Funny, pot meet kettle." Vali retorted.

Riser raised an eyebrow at that, while Issei and Kuroka smirked a bit.

"By all means, no Devil would respect me right now, not with the way my Clan's currently viewed, so they wouldn't have any reason to care about what I did unless it was a bane to them. Besides, I think most know how you threatened Rias with what was clearly a rule violation makes you no better, especially if your own sister calls you out on it!" Vali countered, pointing her finger at him.

With that comment, Riser completely lost it as his anger took over, and flames flared out of his body.

"How dare you! Xuelan, Karlamine, Mihae... take them down!" Riser roared out his order.

All three of them rushed ahead.

"Kuroka, Arthur, Le Fay! You know what to do!" Vali ordered.

They all nod, rushing to clash with their respective opponent's, and forcing them across different parts of the battlefield. Riser gritted his teeth as that left Vali and Issei to face him, with Vali walking forward to take the lead.

* * *

As Arthur charged at her, Karlamine drew her sword as it set itself aflame.

"Let's see how you do against me, Knight of Vali Lucifer!" Karlamine shouted, jumping overhead to swing it down.

"Very well then." Arthur replied.

Arthur gripped Caliburn tight, and then swung it forward, clashing against her blade as it shattered in an instant. Skidding back a bit, and falling onto her butt, the Knight of Phenex's eyes shook.

"What... just happened?" Karlamine breathed in surprise.

Arthur bowed a bit.

"I am Arthur Pendragon, the Prince of Camelot. Which means the weapon I hold is my family's sacred treasure." Arthur answered while introducing himself.

"What? No way, then that's..." Karlamine realized how screamed she was at that moment.

Charging all his power into his sword, he instantly swung it down, making Karlamine instantly retired from the force of the strongest Holy Sword.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
One of Lord Riser's Knights. Retired!**

_[Valiana Lucifer - 8 Pieces | Riser Phenex - 4 Pieces]_

Arthur took a deep breath, sheathing his blade in victory.

* * *

Xuelan rushed at Kuroka, sending a flurry of kicks towards her as the Black Nekoshou used her Space-Time manipulation to blink away from each attack. The Phenex Rook growled as she evaded her without trying.

"Stop running, you coward!" Xuelan shouted.

"Coward?" Kuroka repeated.

Xuelan saw her reappear, and shot a kick at her, without the intent to dodge... only for Kuroka's tails to instantly wrap around it, and her body. At that moment, the Black Nekoshou gave her a cold look that froze the Rook of Phenex with fear.

"Let me tell you something, a Rating Game's not like Chess when it comes to actual fighting, it's like a battle in an actual war. Do people play fair in war? No. Do they give you turns in war? No. Do people listen when you ask them to do something? It's. Always. No!" Kuroka glared at her intensely.

"I'll have you know I faced something like that, enough you've probably never killed someone, even out of self-defense. You want fair? Then don't play the Rating Game!" She screamed angrily.

She smashed her fist into Xuelan, releasing her tail's grip around her before swinging a chop down on her head, instantly knocking her out, making her quickly retire.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
One of Lord Riser's Rooks. Retired!**

_[Valiana Lucifer - 8 Pieces | Riser Phenex - 3 Pieces]_

Kuroka huffed a bit, taking a deep breath to calm herself, glad she got that out of her system.

* * *

Mihae held up her hand, unleashing magical blasts towards Le Fay, who dodged them using her broomstick. Le Fay spun around, soon holding out her wand to fire a few magical bolts, prompting Mihae to guard with a barrier.

"I'll admit, you are quite the talented magical user." Mihae complimented.

"Thank you, but I haven't used what truly makes me a magician yet. Time for a Custom Spell." Le Fay replied, holding her hand up.

Mihae showed surprise at that, with the Lucifer Bishop quickly creating a magic circle of her own.

**⟨** **"Frozen earth, manifest from the depths! Let your freezing be more silent than the absence of sound, roaring like a blizzard, and making all heat stop..."** **⟩** Le Fay began chanting.

* * *

Seeing what Le Fay was about to do, Serafall squealed loudly, showing her fondness of being a magical girl for all to see.

"She's using a Custom Spell, the specialty of Magicians!" Serafall exclaimed.

"I've never seen a Magician of her age pull that off, that says a lot about the talent of the Pendragon Family's magical teachings." Beelzebub remarked.

"Amazing... just listen to the song she's chanting behind that aria." Roygun praised.

Lilith smiled a bit, standing up as she laughed a bit.

"Vali, this peerage you've gathered... now, show them Vali, break the cage holding back the future!" She exclaimed, giving a bright smile at the sight.

* * *

**⟨** **"Create this world of ice, and become a zero that can freeze even the Sun!"** **⟩** Le Fay chanted her spell's area.

" **Endless Blizzard!** "

Mihae suddenly felt a powerful blizzard push against her, slightly freezing her body from the cold. As she looked at Le Fay, she closed her eyes and sighed, realizing she had overcome her.

The blizzard's force soon intensified into a wave of ice, making her vanish as she retired.

"Good luck, Lord Riser." She apologized.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
One of Lord Riser's Bishops. Retired!**

_[Valiana Lucifer - 8 Pieces | Riser Phenex - 2 Pieces]_

Le Fay jumped off her broom, pumping a fist up as she cheered.

* * *

Riser showed shock as he heard the rest of his pieces disappear, leaving him alone to fight against Vali.

Growling heavily, his body flared up with his clan's signature flames, with only one thought crossing his mind... that he was Riser Phenex, a Devil nobleman who had the power of the immortal fire bird's flames living within him, and he would _not_ lose to her, he couldn't lose!

"You won't beat me you damn rookie, I am Riser Phenex! The flames of a phoenix that my ancestor inherited flows within me, compared to me, you are nothing!" Riser screamed with rage as he dived towards.

Vali caught him as he rushed at her, only to toss him away with little effort.

"I don't care, and truth be told, I'm not letting the fact that I'm a Lucifer define me! However, unlike you, I have even more of a reason to win!" Vali shouted before holding out her hand.

**("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!")**

Riser screamed as he felt his power being sucked away.

"And why's that!? Because you're not able to call yourself a pureblood? Because you'll never be able to call yourself a true Devil? Because people will judge you on who you came from?" Riser taunted.

"Those words can't hurt me, because I've already endured far worse." Vali replied, not even raising her voice this time.

Riser and everyone in the crowd suddenly froze at that, her words catching them off guard.

"Have you, or even most of the people in this crowd, ever considered how lucky you've all been with the lives you lived? I don't think any of you have ever looked at how horrible things have been for so many. My friends in the Maou Clan saw their own families cut down before their eyes, and forced to not just be made the Heirs they'd have never been by normal means, but suffer discrimination for even having the Maou's blood, just because one of their own took everything they knew."

"And it isn't just them... the Extinct Clans who live among us without anything they once owned. They're mocked for losing their pureblood, but no one seems to get they were trying to survive, doing all they could so their powers lived on, and part of the legacy they had didn't die with them. They didn't have a choice, because they wanted to preserve that, as they considered keeping those parts of Hell's history alive."

"Then we have the very Civil War that happened between the Anti-Maou Faction and our own, and most of you never went onto the battlefield. You never got to see the horrors that were present. Imagine how many people, including the Great Devils you all respect so much, had to see their friends and family die... they might smile, but imagine the pain they have. Riser, for you, that includes your own sister."

Riser felt a bit of sweat dripped down his cheek.

"Look at that, and then ask yourself what I've had to go through, because in my view... all I just said is nothing compared to living under the roof of the Worst Devil that ever lived, to know that he and I share the blood of Lucifer, and that having that honor did nothing to grant me a good life while I was under him. Being the Hakuryuukou meant nothing, because I was just treated like the weapon it could be used as."

"My grandmother wasn't even there, and I don't even know if she'd have been a good person, or was just as sick as Rizevim is. My father was no different, he was just like him, and I was treated just as awfully. The only one I had for me was my mother, the only comfort and light in my life, and you wanna know what happened to her? She's dead, and I wasn't strong enough to save her!"

The crowd was horrified by that, and those who had been against her this whole match? Hearing this made those insults and hurtful words they spoke mark them as horrible people because they had crossed a line they didn't know existed.

Riser was still shaking, his stuck-up attitude quivering, with even his downed peerage listening in the retirement area sharing those feelings.

"I may have had a Longinus given to me at birth, and I may have had the blood of Lucifer to grant me the strengths tied to his bloodline, but from how I had to live for the early parts of my life? It didn't mean squat, the things everyone here values didn't protect me. Despite that, I fought my way here, and I'm standing before this crowd at this very moment. Maybe no one will ever accept me, but... despite what people see me as, I will protect Hell from him, and anyone else that threatens it!"

Many gasped at what she said.

**「** **High School DxD HERO: Potential Awakened** **」**

"So, go ahead everyone... think of me how you like, but that won't change the fact I will protect the Devils, and our birth land! If Rizevim returns, I'll make him regret that I was born, that one of his attempts to hurt Hell will become what protects it! That's why I'm standing here, ready to fight against you, Riser! I'm here for everyone and everything that gave me the strength I have now! That's why, I will prove that I can become a symbol for all Devils!"

And with that, many in the crowd struggled to hide their tears, feeling touched by what the Princess of Hell just said to them.

'This... this girl... just what kind of fire is burning in her? How can it still burn after all she's gone through!? Is this the same thing that made Alanira as strong as she is?' Riser questioned, feeling like all his boasts had fizzled into smoke.

"Now, show me what you fight for Riser! Show me what your drive is!" Vali exclaimed, rushing forward.

She dashed ahead with incredible speed, and immediately threw her hands out.

" **Twilight Tempest!** "

She blasted out her signature power as a powerful gale, striking Riser hard as he was thrown back. His flames immediately began healing him, but everyone noticed he wasn't focused like he was before.

* * *

From the spot that the Great Devils were watching, this surprised them.

"What's wrong with Riser?" Belphegor.

"It was Vali's words. After hearing them, he's finally starting to see how fake his bravado and power is... just was I was hoping for." Alanira answered.

Everyone looked at her.

"He's always had it easy because of his power, and you making him believe that made him invincible. However, now he's hearing the descendant of Lucifer say her power meant nothing, and yet she's still fighting onward." Diehauser realized.

Lilith smiled, looking at the match.

"Vali's starting to change him, and for the better, just by letting him see someone with an actual drive to use those powers for." She stated.

The Devil Queen could finally see it... the first step to changing everything.

* * *

From where they were watching, Rias and Sona's peerages noticed what was happening to Riser.

"It's almost like... Riser's losing his will to fight back." Sona remarked.

"Wait, do you think that means what Vali said to everyone actually had an effect on him?" Valerie questioned, unable to believe such a thought.

Rias stared at the battle before her, her eyes shining as she did.

"This is... he's acting more how I expected him to before I met him the first time." Rias breathed.

Everyone looked at her.

"Truth be told, the problem I hadn't wasn't the marriage itself, it was..." She admitted, recalling a memory from the training camp.

* * *

_Vali stood by Rias during one night of training camp, where she talked about her problems with her._

_"Because of my title, I'm always seen as Rias, the heiress of the Gremory household. I'm never seen as just Rias, something that became the reason I'm happy to live here in the Human World." Rias admitted._

_"Does that mean you're angry at your brother for having to become a Great Devil?" Vali asked._

_The redheaded Devil shook her head._

_"No, I understand why he had to take that role. Just like the Great War, if things went differently, neither of us could have been born." Rias replied._

_The silver-haired Lucifer nodded at that, knowing it was a valid point._

_"What hurts about my engagement to Riser is because of that. When he sees me, it's like I'm just a trophy, and not who I am. Most of the Devils who were engaged when I was younger always talked like that... so seeing Riser being the opposite of that hurt. Maybe, if he had seen me as Rias-" She confessed._

_"You don't hate him, but you hate how he sees you, and that's scary... isn't it?" Vali summed it up._

_Rias nodded her head._

_At that moment, the redheaded Devil felt a hand on her shoulder, causing her to see Vali giving her a reassuring smile._

_"Know this, I understand how you feel. A last name is just that. We all like you for who you are, as does your peerage, and Sona... that's why I have a dream. One that will restore the realm my great grandpa worked so hard to create, and will keep situations like ours from ever repeating, so we're never seen by the names we bear." Vali declared._

_Rias smiled, feeling relief from hearing this._

* * *

Rias kept watching, wondering what would happen.

Riser unleashed a small tornado around Vali's body, which the Hakuryuukou looked at before sighing, and doing the same. The light half of her powers flashed out, making him feel something.

He quickly realized what it was as the effects of his winds vanished, showing he just used the Worthlessness part of her Ethereal Twilight.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Vali just locked out his wind powers, that's one third of his elemental arsenal gone!**

"Now, take this!" Vali shouted.

She held her hand up before diving at the ground, slamming it hard.

" **Twilight Wave!** "

A huge wave of twilight fired out of the ground, and rose over Riser before it crashed down, making him scream as he was tossed back.

**「** **Insert Song Interrupted** **」**

Everyone stared as he regenerated, yet barely responded as he stared at the sky.

"What have I even been trying to do? Just win games, do I have nothing grand beyond that? Am I truly that weak because of it?" Riser questioned, his confidence starting to flicker into its final embers.

"Is that all it takes to stop you!?" Issei shouted.

He looked up as Issei walked into view, his voice making it clear he was not happy with how he was acting.

"You've won all these Rating Games regardless of how, and have the power to regenerate! Yet all it takes to shake you was hearing a truth that made you suddenly realize how false your bravado has been? Are you really showing us that you're really that weak!?" Issei questioned angrily.

"And what do you want from me!? I don't even know what I'm fighting for, and your King already seems to already have all the answers!" Riser shouted.

"Then find your own drive, here and now!" Issei retorted.

Riser growled, getting in his feet as he stared at the Sekiryuutei, pointing at him.

"And what makes you so certain it's that easy! Just what's your drive if you claim it's that easy to find one!?" Riser demanded.

"My drive is... it's..." Issei answered, feeling his face sweat and his limbs shake.

Initially, those watching thought he didn't have one, but then they saw how his mouth was moving, and realized he had one; the problem was he was struggling to say it, but what could be so hard to say here and now?

"What drives me is... not some grand dream, or a reward of some kind... it isn't something unique, or only achievable by the path I'm walking..." He continued.

"Issei?" Vali replied, feeling worried what he was about to say.

"My drive is something anyone can have, but it's also one of the hardest things to truly obtain because even if it's everywhere, the forms it takes are what define us all! My drive is to fight for Vali no matter what, because I'm..." Issei continued.

He took a deep breath, and knew there was no turning back from what he said next.

" **Because I'm in love with Vali Lucifer!** " He screamed out with all his might, causing his aura to flare brightly enough for everyone to see it.

Vali's eyes widened at that, while everyone went completely silent from the shock.

"Issei... what did you... just say?" Vali breathed at nearly a whisper, feeling like her heart could burst at any second.

He turned to the Lucifer Heiress, dispelling his helmet.

"For the last few days since you came back, you've been on my mind in so many ways that it's been driving me crazy, but... I remembered when we met. Seeing that day again, I realize why I reached out to you. Even if you don't feel the same way, no matter what happens, I will fight for you because I love you, now and forever!" Issei declared and promised together.

"Issei..." Vali cried, shedding tears.

Just like Tiamat had told her during the Training Camp... hearing Issei's feelings, she now knew hers. Removing her helmet, she stood up to face Issei.

"Of course, that's why... that's why I was able to keep living that day. I didn't just find a friend, or a light within the darkness, because it was so much more. What I found... my soul mate!" Vali said, crying tears of joy.

Issei's eyes widened at that.

"Vali, then... does that mean-" Issei asked.

"I love you too, Issei!" She answered with all her passion.

Staring at the scene, Riser's eyes shook in surprise at what Issei had just said... just love was his drive? He needed only a simple reason like that.

"That's your drive? Truly?" Riser questioned.

Issei turned back to Riser, and nodded his head with no shred of doubt in him.

"It is, because that's all it needs to be!" Issei answered.

Hearing this, the Phenex King stared at everything before him, and then... something in him woke as the fire inside burned brighter than ever before! Signifying this, he ripped off his suit, showing his upper body to everyone.

"Big brother?" Ravel gasped, watching from the screens near her.

"A drive needs to be simple? Alright then, if that's all it is, then... I will negate my own victory condition!" Riser shouted.

**「** **High School DxD HERO: Potential Awakened** **」**

Everyone was surprised by that, but Alanira simply smiled.

"As much as I want Rias, with how I feel at this moment... it doesn't feel right unless I earn it from the bottom up! The old Riser has died, and a new one has been born, because at this moment... all I want is to prove I can fight against both Heavenly Dragons, and prove to myself I can match or beat them!" He exclaimed.

Hearing that, Issei and Vali both smiled, making their helmets reappear.

"Vali, let's win this game together!" Issei exclaimed.

"Yeah, let's give him what he wants and then win this game!" Vali agreed.

Both of them rushed forward, with Riser doing the very same. The Hakuryuukou held her hands out, making them glow as she charged an attack, which prompting Issei to get behind her.

" **Vanishing Divider!** "

Energy blades of blue light fired out of her palms, smashing through Riser's body, but not stopping his charge as his simply let himself heal.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Look at this, Riser's suddenly fighting better than we've ever seen him before! He's found his own force of will, a new level of strength! This truly is a new Riser, having risen from the ashes like a Phoenix!**

The crowd went wild, cheering for the both of them equally now, and surprising a certain few Devils.

'You've done it Vali!' Lilith smiled, seeing the result she hoped for.

" **Burning Phoenix!** "

A flame shaped like the very fire bird in question shot out of his hands, screeching as it slammed into the two Dragon Emperors.

Sliding out of the smoke, the sight of Issei was seen, screaming loudly as he reeled his left hand back. Senjutsu flowed into it, and caused the gauntlet to grow into the Rook-like state he had made it earlier.

" **Crimson Flare!** "

Riser crossed his arms to defend, only to feel Issei's fist smashed so hard that it broke right through all the flames he was using to defend himself. The impact into his gut made him cough out in shock, but he immediately pushed back by flaring up his fire once again.

"Yes, now this is a real battle! Why didn't I actually try to fight before now!?" Riser said excitedly.

"I agree, you finally look like someone worth fighting!" Issei replied, smiling for the same reason.

He pushed back a bit, and the empowered gauntlet reverted to normal, being swapped out with his blaster. Red energy began charging within it as Issei focused on Riser, digging his feet into the ground.

**["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"]**

Focusing his eyes, she screamed as he began throwing his fist forward.

**["EXPLOSION!"]**

" **Dragon Shot!** "

The red burst of energy fired off at Riser, who took the attack, and began trying to overwhelm it with his flames.

" **Burning Wing!** "

He pushed out, making the flames flap out like fiery wings.

"Alright, let's see how you handle this attack!" Riser replied.

" **Raging Firestorm!** "

Riser thrust his hands out, causing his fire to explode into a fiery meteor shower. Issei gasped as he saw it, but before he realized it, Vali appeared before him.

" **Twilight Vortex!** "

The Power of Hole manifested itself as multiple singularities appearing around Vali, gobbling up the attack.

"Here, a little present from me!" Vali exclaimed.

The black singularities disappeared, and then reappeared around Riser, releasing the very flames they had just gathered back at him. He grunted as his body burned once again, healing the damage he took.

Rias stared at the scene, her eyes shaking in wonder.

* * *

_The Gremory heiress looked at Vali, her hair blowing in the wind as she soon lowered her head with a sad look._

_"Worse, even if I get out of the marriage with Riser, there's always another possible heir they'll set me with... one that's the same, if not worse." Rias sighed, feeling she'd never win._

_"Then I'll make it so you can choose." Vali stated._

_Rias looked at her in surprise, as if she had just misheard what Vali said to her._

_"After what I went through, I will not let anyone lose their freedom... not if I can help it, especially if that person is one of my friends." Vali stated, not a hint of hesitation in her voice._

_The Gremory heiress couldn't believe it, how strong Vali seemed to be._

_"Vali..." Rias breathed._

* * *

She felt her eyes water as tears shed out, realizing this sight before her was just that. Vali had kept her promise in a way she never expected.

"Vali, thank you... thank you!" She quietly cried.

Riser got back to his feet, but felt one of his legs buckling to his surprise.

"What's going on!?" Riser questioned.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Uh oh! While the body of Devils from the Phenex Clan are immortal, that's not the case for their minds! It looks like Riser's has been pushed to the edge by all these developments! How will he respond? Will he keep going, and fight until he falls to the ground!?**

Riser heard that, and pushed himself up.

"This is something I decided... no handicap will stop me, I will add that to the challenge I've given myself! If I back down just over this, or ask for a do over, then why did I even bother? Issei Hyoudou, and Vali Lucifer... come at me!" He screamed with all the willpower he could muster.

Both of them nodded, with Vali flying up into the air.

"Here we go!" Vali shouted.

**("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!")**

Riser fought through all of the siphons of his power, flying ahead with all his strength.

"I am a Phenex, and the flames of the immortal bird flow within me! I will not let my hellfire surrender to this!" Riser exclaimed, dashing at the duo.

All of Vali's peerage came into the area, watching closely at the fight, none of them realizing Ravel did the same. However, she seemed more focus on Issei out of the three that were currently fighting.

'Issei Hyoudou... my brother, he's like how he used to be, because of what you said.' Ravel thought.

Her eyes watered as she formed a strong respect for the Sekiryuutei.

"Thank you." She whispered.

" **Kasha!** "

Issei spun around, releasing a ring of flaming Senjutsu from his hand, which struck Riser hard. Its fire began to overwhelm the flames healing the Phenex Devil, but he shouted as he forced the rogue flames away.

The crowd kept cheering for both sides, like they were wishing neither side could lose.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
I don't think we've had a battle like this outside of the Top 10s for ages, this is incredible! I can't believe I'm actually here to see this! And yet, I still can't tell who's actually winning!**

Riser's peerage kept watching from their area, and suddenly...

"Lord Riser, he's changed... and I like it." Xuelan remarked.

"Yes, I agree. This is an example we need to follow once this Rating Game is finished." Isabela agreed.

Riser dived at the duo from high up, unleashing a bright burst of light as he charged at them covered in flames. Issei felt himself getting hit, but simply skidded across the ground, and taking the whole attack head on.

"Come on Vali, let's finish this!" Issei shouted.

"All or nothing!" Vali replied.

Issei screamed as his Touki activated, and he swung a strong uppercut against Riser, sending him flying into the sky. Seeing this, Vali's blasters formed on her wings.

**("IMPLOSION!")**

" **Dragon Booster!** "

The Hakuryuukou prepared to fire the blast, right as Issei slid near her, and held his hand out.

"Here Vali, take it all! Take all my strength!" Issei shouted.

**["TRANSFER!"]**

Vali gasped, blushing a bit as she felt the power flow into her, and charge her beams even bigger.

She finally fired them with a loud shout, which blasted out towards Riser, and hit him with everything they had. Riser's eyes widened as they struck him, and promptly held out his hand to try and take the attack he couldn't evade at this point.

His flames burned across him as his body struggled to heal itself from all of it. Looking straight up, the sight of Issei and Vali fighting together flashed by his eyes.

"This is... the strength of their bond." He smiled, closing his eyes.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

The blast finally overwhelmed him, and he was shot across the sky, making everyone stare as he vanished in midair. Taking a moment, the first one to speak ended up being Ravel.

"He lost, and yet... he was smiling. He accepted his loss!" Ravel whispered, before shedding tears of joy.

Issei and Vali both collapsed onto their knees, with their Scale Mails fading away. Looking at one another, they smiled, and that was all that left before Naud finally called it.

At that moment, Vali's scale mail vanished, and she collapsed onto one leg. As she panted, Naud's eyes shook at the result, taking a few seconds to remember he had to call the Rating Game's result.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
It's all over! In an amazing spectacle, the last one standing at the end of this Rating Game is Vali Lucifer! I repeat, the winner is Vali Lucifer!**

There was silence, and then... a few claps were heard.

At that moment, the entire crowd cheered with full excitement, completely unleashing their emotions at the amazing match they saw. Lilith closed her eyes, smiling as she saw the Devils show an energy she hadn't seen in a long time.

"Finally, we've taken the first step" Lilith said, shedding a tear of joy.

At that same moment, everyone in Vali's peerage rushed over to the two, bringing them into a group huge. Tiamat and Fafnir soon joined in, bringing the ORC and Student Council with them.

"You actually did it, you beat Riser... thank you so much!" Rias cried, happier than she had ever been.

"You're welcome Rias, but I didn't do this alone." Vali smiled in response.

Her entire peerage each gave their own expressions of joy, this victory had been the result of everything they achieved as a team.

"And now I get what you meant that night." Rias sniffled.

Vali smiled brighter, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"That's right, because I didn't just free you from this engagement, I've help Riser become a better Devil." Vali replied.

"Vali, I don't know how I'll ever be able to repay you for what you've done." Rias sniffled, wiping her last few tears away.

Finally, Vali had a certain screen focus on her as she looked at Issei.

"Issei." She said softly.

"Yeah?" He replied.

**「** **Highschool DxD: Omoi, Yosemasu** **」**

At that moment, Vali lunged forward, and grabbed him in a deep hug before doing something she had waited too long to do...

She kissed him, right on the lips.

"Ooh, how bold of her!" Kuroka giggled.

Issei's eyes widened for a moment, but he soon closed his eyes as he kissed her back with equal passion, tasting a sweet vanilla flavor from her that representing her sweetness in purity. Whereas to Vali, she tasted a wild and fruit strawberry from Issei.

Seeing their Devil Princess having found love before them, an applause was heard, alongside many who went "Aww~" at the sight... minus a few who simply glared at the sight. After a minute, the two broke apart, and smiled at each other with a blush.

"I love you Issei, now and forever." Vali smiled happily.

"Same with you Vali, you're the only that I'll ever love." Issei replied with equal joy.

They kissed each other once again, each shedding tears of joy.

**[Look at that, just like with us... only the rivalry replaced with true love and friendship.]** Ddraig smiled as he watched.

**(And we'll be there to help them at every step of their journey.)** Albion smiled as she watched.

As they continued their lengthy kiss, Tiamat and Fafnir leaned against each other, getting a bit misty eyed at the sight. While from where she was, Lilith stood up, watching them with the warmest smile she ever gave towards the two.

'Issei, at this moment... I'm more than certain you've healed the last wounds of her heart. Now, she can truly move on alongside you, and I know you can finally do the same... because you've done more than entrust your hearts to each other. You two each share half of the other's' Lilith thought before walking away, thinking about what would come next.

As she walked off, she saw Sirzechs and Alanira looking at the night sky.

"Beautiful, isn't it? A grand victory that's let the entirety of Hell find common ground with Vali, a maiden free from a curse we nearly forced on her, and two close hearts finally became one." Lilith stated as she walked between them.

"Thank goodness she achieved that, I was worried even she wouldn't be enough for a while." Sirzechs replied in agreement.

Lilith giggled, looking at the former Phenex heiress.

"Alanira, this won't trouble the Phenex or Gremory Clans, will it?" Lilith questioned.

She shook her head, smiling at her.

"Not a bit. The Devil Elders had pressed too hard, so if they try anything, it'll bite them in the butt. Not to mention, our original suggestion was to put Millicas and Siarea into a marriage agreement, because they already have a romance budding between them." Alanira reassured her.

Lilith sighed in relief.

"Glad to hear that, it's a big relief." She replied with a smile.

The three of them looked towards the night sky, appreciating the serenity it was bringing them for this one moment.

"It's truly a miracle, I never thought that both of the Heavenly Dragons would come over to our side." Sirzechs smiled as a good feeling welled up inside of him.

The Queen of Devils closed her eyes, nodding in response.

"I can feel it, the time of a new era, a time of great change... it'll be upon us soon, and I have a good feeling the two of them will be the ones who not only bring it, but lead us through it." Lilith expressed her belief.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

She looked up at the sky, smiling once again.

"Lucifer, are you watching?" Lilith inquired, hoping her message reached his soul.

* * *

Inside what looked to be the throne room of a castle, deep within the Demon homeland known as the Underworld, a female figure's lower half was seen sitting on said throne.

"Issei Hyoudou and Vali Lucifer, the current Sekiryuutei and Hakuryuukou... the two of you are so amazing! Oh, how I would love to meet you both!" She smiled excitedly, having been one of the few non-Devils who had access to watching the Rating Game.

She thought for a moment, and soon realized she could.

"It seems that I can kill two birds with one stone, maybe even a third if this goes well." She realized, making her giggle as she walked out of the room.

Right as she left, the sight of a beautiful teenager girl entered the room. She had pink eyes, which both had a beauty mark at the end closer to her cheeks, and a curvaceous figure with large breasts. Her long, cobalt hair reached down to her waist, being tied in wavy twin tails with some curling, and spilling a lot of hair over her shoulders, and a few long strands going in front of her face.

"Hey mom, dad asked me to-" The blue-haired Demon stated.

She suddenly noticed her mother was absent, making her walk over to the throne as she saw a small note, which she decided to read.

**"Dear Kelsey, this your mother. I've gone to the Human World, and don't know when I'll be back, so make sure you and dad take care of everything until I'm back. Good luck!"**   
**~Cassiel Akumaji**

"What... the freaking... Hell?" Kelsey's eyes twitched.

At that moment, a loud scream was heard from Kelsey's lungs, catching many off guard by the Demon Princess' outburst.

* * *

Meanwhile, up in the realm of Heaven, an extremely beautiful woman with long, lush blonde hair; and a voluptuous figure that rivaled that of Lilith's, but presented in a more Heavenly and non-lustful manner, clasped her hands at the sight of the Rating Game's result.

"I think Michael would love to hear this news, this seems like a good sign. Not to mention, it's been so long since Irina last saw him, so maybe it's time to reunite them!" Gabriel smiled, quickly heading off to find her brother.

At that same moment, a nearby Angel got a sudden report.

"Hmm? What's this?" He wondered.

The Angel grabbed it and then took a look, immediately paling once he saw the news presented on it.

"What? The... the Excalibur fragments, they were stolen by... oh, dear God!" He panicked.

The Angel said before heading the direction Gabriel went, eventually making her hear him trip over. She turned around to see him slowly look up at her.

"Lady Gabriel, we have a problem!" He shouted, every part of his body shaking with fear.

She kneeled to the Angel, helping him up a bit.

"Please, tell me what's wrong?" She asked, realizing it must be serious with how he was reacting right now.

"The... the fragments of Excalibur, we just... we just heard that three of our churches were just attacked, and half of them were stolen!" The Angel revealed.

"What!?" Gabriel gasped, covering her mouth.

Such a revelation was serious, considering the powers the fragments of Excalibur possessed. Taking a deep breath, the leader of Heaven calmed herself, and held his cheeks.

"Tell me, do you have any information on who was responsible?" She asked.

"I do, and... they're the worst possible thief that could steal it!" He answered, still shaking as he did.

Gabriel listened as the thief's name was said, making her eyes widen.

"Looks like that reunion isn't a suggestion anymore... it's a necessity." She realized, releasing a nervous sweat as she did.

* * *

Soon enough, everyone had returned home. Luckily, before they had gone over to Azazel's house, Issei had told his parents that they were going over to watch a new movie at one of their friend's homes.

Hana opened the door, and saw them holding hands, while smiling... and blushing.

"W-what's going on?" Hana asked as she pointed at the two.

"You might wanna get dad, we have something to tell you." Issei replied.

Hana silently did that, and they walked inside.

Eventually, all of them were on the couch, where Issei cleared his throat, prepared to reveal the major news to them.

"OK, the movie that we watched ended up being a romance movie, and..." Issei began their lie, blushing a bit.

He blushed more, prompting Vali to finished.

"We ended up kissing, and then we confessed we were in love to each other." Vali finished, blushing herself.

Both of Issei's parents were frozen in place upon hearing that.

"Yeah, so... we're boyfriend and girlfriend now." Issei remarked, scratching his cheek a bit.

At that moment, his parents reacted by grabbing each other's hands, and crying tears of joy. Seeing it made both of the Dragon Emperors give them an odd look.

"All these years, I worried that this big lug would never get interested in a girl, and give us some grandchildren!" Seiji cried happily.

"Now I get it, he just only had eyes for a single girl! It truly was a miracle when Vali came into our lives all those years ago!" Hana cried happily as well.

"Uh... Issei, should I be feeling weird right now?" Vali asked nervously.

Issei chuckled, nodding his head a bit.

"Wait, they're not saying we should get married right now, right!?" Vali panicked.

"C-calm down, even they wouldn't rush that when I don't know what my plans for the future are just yet! Besides, we just started dating, they don't wanna risk that." Issei waved his hands out as he reassured her.

Issei's parents heard that, and gave a nervous look as they heard their son.

"We're so sorry Vali, we just got carried away because of how happy we were to hear you were together!" Hana apologized.

"Yeah, you've always been like a daughter to us!" Seiji replied.

Vali smiled at that, a light blue on her face to show how happy she was at that moment.

"Don't worry, it's OK, and... to be honest? I really would like to marry Issei one day." Vali admitted, taking Issei's hand in hers.

Issei's eyes widened as he blushed.

"Vali..." He breathed.

He moved his hand until their fingers were intertwined as one.

"Yeah... so would I." He admitted, giving the same warm smile as his new girlfriend.

Seiji and Hana were both crying tears of happiness at the scene, and it was clear as they watched it that these two were the perfect pair for each other. They had the Red and White Dragons, who colors mixed together to make Pink.

The very color that represented love itself.

* * *

After dealing with his parents, Issei slumped onto his bed, finally feeling like he could get some sleep.

"With all that happened in the Rating Game, I feel like I could sleep for days at this point. What about you Ddraig?" Issei asked.

**["I think I'm about to nod off... night."]** Ddraig yawned.

He instantly began snoring before Issei heard the sound fade, something he appreciated about his Sacred Gear.

At that same moment, a knock was heard.

"It's open." He stated.

At that moment, he saw Vali open the door. His eyes widened as she was wearing a new pair of PJs than the old ones she wore. It was a slightly translucent, blue-colored nightie with some white accents, and faded black stars decorating the fabric with a downward red ribbon tied to it.

Issei saw that it highlighted her beautiful figure, but wasn't trying to actively flaunt it to the world. In his honest opinion, that only made Vali look more beautiful in it.

"Hey Vali, is something wrong?" Issei asked.

"No, nothing's wrong, it's just..." Vali answered.

She decided to say the rest by slipping into bed with Issei, surprising him a bit as she pulled him closer. He felt a blush form on his face, and his body warm up as she pulled him close enough that his head was resting on her breasts like they were pillows.

"Vali..." He said softly.

The Lucifer Heiress gave a warm smile towards him.

"Issei, we've slept together whenever I got a nightmare, but that's when we were only friends. You and I are boyfriend and girlfriend now, so I want to be close to you every moment I can... including when we sleep." Vali replied, closing her eyes as she did.

"But, aren't afraid that I might do something? I mean... look at how beautiful and sexy you are? I don't want to make you think I only love you for your body." Issei replied, sharing his genuine worries.

Vali rubbed his head, and shook her head.

"I know you Issei, and you'd never hurt me that way, consciously or not." Vali reassured him, showing how much she trusted Issei.

Vali soon moved his head to look her in the face, her smile not wavering in the slightest.

"Issei, the reason I fell in love with you? Your smile is like a warm ray of sunshine, warming me whenever I see it. Anytime I felt lost, you were there, helping me find my way. To me, you're a light that makes me look forward to tomorrow every time I go to sleep, and to live the fullest every time I wake up." Vali confessed, shedding tears of joy as she did.

Hearing those words, Issei felt his mouth quivering.

"Tell me... why did you fall in love with me?" Vali asked, still smiling at him.

"I... I... I love your innocence, which always comforted me during the hard times. Not only that, but you always supported me, just like how you didn't judge me when I got a fetish for big breasts. You made my heart feel complete just by being there!" He answered, now shedding tears himself.

Vali's tears poured out faster, and she hugged Issei closer.

"See that? What you said right there is exactly what makes me trust you. Your heart is so pure that all my nightmares, every scar my grandfather left me... you've healed all of it, so there's no way you could ever hurt me." Vali smiled.

"Vali..." Issei sniffled.

Both of them kissed each other, fully cementing the eternal, and unbreakable bond they shared.

**‹LEGEND OF THE HEAVENLY DRAGONS: SEASON 1 - END›**

* * *

**There you have it, Issei and Vali are finally boyfriend and girlfriend! Congratulations to them, and for their win against Riser, who Vali actually managed to change for the better! From here on out, Issei and Vali will no longer have the problems they showed during this Season, because their love has finally healed all the painful wounds they bore.**

**As may have already realized in the previous chapter, to make this story different? I decided to add a bit of Volume 10 into the scenes, with Riser getting a bit of Sairaorg's scenes put into him, as I wanted to have him become a better person during the Rating Game itself. He won't end up with Rias, but he'll still become a valuable ally for our heroes in the future, which is a plus of its own.**

**Vali's got a huge goal ahead of her, which I'll elaborate more fully on when we get far enough, more specifically when every other Young Devil reveals their dreams. For now, Vali's efforts have finally freed all of the Maou Clans from the discrimination due to her victory, though I think she did enough during the match that most people would have accepted her regardless of the result.**

**One thing I need to say about Yuuma? After taking Yubelluna's explosion, Yuuma's hair looks how Akeno's did in the first episode of Season 2, when her hair wasn't fully dried off. This will stay since it represents her finally gaining some confidence, having been willing to get ruffled up instead of letting her timidity control her, which is how she beat Yubelluna.**

**There's also the first hint of the Demons having come up, through the Demon Queen and her daughter. I hope you'll all like the two, because I worked hard when I created Kelsey and Cassiel.**

**Well, now it's time to begin Season 2, where the Excalibur arc finally begins, and Issei meets an unexpected face from his past! Also, if any of you are interested in my other full story series that'll start today, Date A Re:Live, then I hope you'll enjoy it, because I submitted the entire Tohka Arc to properly celebrate the story being published!**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

* * *

**Vali's Peerage** **:**

**King - Valiana Lucifer**  
Queen - Issei Hyoudou  
Bishops - Le Fay Pendragon, Asia Argento  
Knights - Arthur Pendragon, Unclaimed Knight  
Rooks - Bikou, Kuroka Toujou (Mutation Piece: x2 Multiplier)  
Pawns - Yuuma Amano (x2), Six Unclaimed Pawns

* * *

**Rias' Peerage** **:**

**King - Rias Gremory**   
**Queen - Akeno Himejima**   
**Bishops - Gasper Vladi (Mutated Piece: x4 Multiplier, Sealed), Valerie Tepes (Mutation Piece: x6 Multiplier)**   
**Knights - Kiba Yuuto, Unclaimed Knight**   
**Rooks - Shirone Toujou, Unclaimed Rook**   
**Pawns - Eight Unclaimed Pawns**

* * *

**Sona's Peerage** **:**

**King - Sona Sitri**  
Queen - Tsubaki Shinra  
Bishops - Momo Hanakai, Reya Kusaka  
Knights - Tomoe Meguri, Unclaimed Knight  
Rooks - Tsubasa Yura, Unclaimed Rook  
Pawns - Saji Genshirou (x4), Ruruko Nimura (x4)

* * *

**Bust Size of New Female Characters** **:**

**Gabriel - 105 cm**

**Cassiel Akumaji - 106 cm**

**Kelsey Akumaji - 103 cm**

* * *

**Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter** **:**

**None**

* * *

**Pairings List** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating  
Ddraig/Albion - Married**  
 **Tiamat/Fafnir - Married**  
Saji/Sona - Master and Retainer  
Gasper/Valerie - Best Friends


	11. Chapter 11

**Alright everyone, the wait for the second season is over! Now, the time for it to begin has come, and the Kokabiel/Excalibur arc is a go! So, I hope you'll pardon the pun, but it's time for this story to draw its sword against Kokabiel. *giggles* Well, since we've gotten that out of the way, it's time to begin this chapter's start notes so we can get to the actual chapter.**

**First thing to know, once we finish this season, the story will finally enter the point I can throw in a lot more original stuff in, one of which is an overall arc that I can't say much about just yet. Right now, we're still on Season 1's formula of following canon events with both minor, and noticeable changes. You might just be surprised with some of the things that happen with Irina, Xenovia, Kokabiel, the terrorist attack, and even Ophis no less!**

**However, I'd say the best thing I can hint to get you excited? This arc is going to bring in a small cameo from a canon character who shouldn't be appearing yet, and a canon ability, so be prepared for anything... or maybe it's more than just one? *giggles* Just keep an eye out, because I might just catch you off guard when you least expect me to :3**

**Now with this all out of the way, I've only got this left to say... let's begin Season 2 everybody!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

**[]** \- Ddraig Talking

**«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

**「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

**【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

**⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

**Lilith**

**Lilith Lucifer is the Mother of all Devils, the Queen of Hell, and the widow of Lucifer since his death in the Great War. She was created long ago by God, being the true first Human woman before Eve replaced her, and created to be not just the perfect female, but the perfect wife for Adam. However, she refused the arrangement because she had fallen in love with Lucifer... something that God did not appreciate.**

**He punished her by imprisoning her with the blackest chains he could create, and then sent her underneath the Earth's crust, which would eventually become the area where Hell would be created. She stayed there for an unknown amount of time, where she suffered from complete isolation and harm from the chains if she ever tried to break free, a fate it seemed like she'd endure forever... until the day Lucifer appeared.**

**After abandoning Heaven, the first of all Angels immediately rushed to her prison, and used his connection to the Holy Light to break the chains, confessing his own love for her as his reason. Feeling her heart melt at the fact the one she loved returned her feelings, Lilith would join him on his quest to fight for freedom, eventually marrying him only a short time after they were transformed into Devils.**

**Eventually, only a short time after Hell was formed, and creating the various Devils alongside Lucifer, she gave birth to Rizevim... an act she'd forever claim as the biggest mistake in her life. Seeing the dangerous signs of him viewing Devils weren't beings representing freedom, and instead creatures that had to be evil, she viewed him as no different from the God, and disowned.**

**When the Great War came to an end, she discovered to her great despair that all her friends were killed, with even Lucifer having fallen in battle... a revelation that utterly broke her. Like the other Great Seraphs, both current and former, she agreed that it was best to withhold this information from the public, and secretly became Hell's official leader until she could find a figurehead to act behind.**

**That day would come when the Devil's Civil War began, backed up Rizevim himself, along with the current heirs of the other Maou Clans, who all agreed with his ideals, and formed the Anti-Maou Faction. Knowing she needed help, she called all Devils to action, including a special few she considered the strongest Devils they had to offer, forming the Old Maou Faction, and successfully repelled them.**

**She named the six Devils who were the strongest as the Great Devils, and entrusted them with the truth of Lucifer's demise during the war, and requested for Sirzechs to act as her figurehead, acting as his successor under the pretense of him retiring. During this time, she was intending to just do her job as Hell's leader, having been completely broken by her losses, and unable to heal... until the day that Penemue arrived with Vali.**

**Learning that she was her great granddaughter, and had suffered heavily under Rizevim for so many years, the Devil Queen finally regained the spark to truly live, and immediately adopted Vali as her own daughter, who was the one good thing that came from Rizevim's birth. Spending time with her, Lilith helped convince Vali of her dreams, and intent to make Hell the place her adoptive father intended it to be.**

**Most of all, she intends to make sure when Rizevim finally returns, Vali will finally have the strength to face him, and win the fight.**

* * *

**_Season 2, Excalibur Arc: Chapter 1 - Sins of a Holy Blade_ **

The scene opened to Issei and Vali, who were in the former's room, peacefully sleeping together as they cuddled close like newlyweds. However, as they slept... something strange was happening, or rather, something strange was happening in Issei's dreams.

"This feeling... impossible..." Issei mumbled in his sleep.

Like Vali had fairly recently, Issei found himself having a unique dream he'd be unable to recall later.

"What kind... of miracle are we seeing..."

And with those words, the dream he was having flashed into view.

* * *

_It was currently in the still dark hours of the morning, and a day that would celebrate the arrival of a Solar Eclipse. In two different areas of the world, a pair of woman were crying, each of them giving birth around the same time._

_Both of them screamed in unison, and at that same moment... the eclipse finally happened, right as the two children were born._

**「** **Tenkai Knights: The Tenkai Wolf Awakens** **」**

_At that very moment, a strange pulse suddenly went off across the world, but no one even noticed it... no one, except every Dragon in the world and the two residing in the Dimensional Gap. They felt the strange energy's visage soon show before their eyes, and their eyes alone. It wasn't long before it was noticed by every Dragon in the world, regardless of where they were._

_"This feeling... impossible!" Crom Cruach gasped._

_On the Dragon Mountains, everyone saw Tannin looking somewhere, somehow aware of the current situation._

_"Tannin, what's going on?" An Earth Dragon asked._

_"I know these powers, but... for it to happen now? Like this?" Tannin answered, though with a tone showing even he was surprised._

_Leaving her home in the Familiar Forest, the nearby creatures all fled as she came into view._

_"Amazing, the next wielders of Ddraig and Albion... they've been born on the same day, and at the same time! This has never happened before!" Tiamat said in awe._

_Yu-Long looked at the Eclipse, wondering if this was related._

_"Two new hosts, born on the moment of an eclipse. It isn't a coincidence, and I feel that I should know why... yet, I can't find the answer." Yu-long wondered._

_"Just what kind of miracle are we feeling right now?" All of them asked._

_At that moment, the eclipse finally faded away, and the crying of the two newborns were seen, revealing them to be Issei and Vali. Their hands reached out into the sky, the former grabbing in the direction of the sun, and the latter grabbing in the direction of the moon._

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

_Grabbing the two celestial objects, silhouettes of their hands showed the sky, revealing they had instead grabbed each other's hands... implying they were that very sun and moon._

* * *

The light of the morning's sun shined through the window, hitting Issei's eyes. Feeling the light hitting him, Issei flipped his head to face the wall.

"Issei, are you awake?" Hana knocked.

Hearing nothing, she opened the door, realizing it was unlocked from Vali having come in last night. As she peaked in, she saw a certain sight, and gave a silent "Aww~" as she saw the newly formed couple sleeping together.

"Those two seem even more adorable when they're sleeping together now that they're a couple." Hana whispered to herself, enjoying the precious sight.

"Honey, what's taking so-" Seiji asked.

Hana shushed Seiji loudly, surprising him a bit as she motioned towards Issei's door. He looked inside, and soon gave the same reaction as her wife upon seeing the two.

"Aww~, almost like they're already married." He remarked quietly.

While that was happening, Issei's phone began ringing, showing his alarm was going off. That made both hosts of the Heavenly Dragons finally wake up to their annoyance, and prompted the Sekiryuutei's parents to leave before they were caught.

After Issei finally got to the phone, he stretched out his arms out, then felt the soft, marshmallow-like feeling of Vali's breasts press against his back, making him look to see the still groggy Hakuryuukou giving him a loving smile.

"Good morning Issei." She smiled.

"Morning Vali." Issei replied.

Vali leaned forward to kiss him, and he passionately returned it. After making out for the next minute to wake themselves up, she looked at him with a smile, while Issei did the same.

"Well, today's the day, isn't it? We're about to tell our classmates we're a couple." Vali smiled.

"I'm gonna be proud to announce it." Issei smiled.

"Me too, although I hope no one ends up teasing us... I keep worrying about that because Kuroka kept doing that about us being an obvious couple." Vali replied, a bead of sweat trickling down her cheek.

Hearing that, Issei chuckled a bit before she joined in.

"Let them laugh, we'll just tease them back by saying one of the best Prince and Princesses of Kuoh are off the market." Issei smirked.

The two laughed once again.

* * *

***Highschool DxD: Opening 2 - Sympathy begins playing***

**(*slow jingle begins*)** On a rocky landscape in an unknown location, the sight of Issei standing by a blaze of light was seen. On the opposite side, Vali seen facing the other way, with a blaze of darkness being the power she stood near.

**(We must rise up again, and fight through the uncertainty!)** Both slowly turned towards each other, each with their signature Sacred Gear gauntlets showing themselves on their dominant hands.

**(Even if we doubt ourselves, we must protect our friends, so the enemy... must be defeated!)** As the music picked up the volume, they punched out at their gauntlets, making the two elements surrounding them flare out before merging, and taking over the entire screen.

**(*heavy drumming*)** The Boosted Gear appears before a wave of magic makes it switch to the Divine Dividing, and then back again in a pattern. The fanfic's logo, **"Legend of the Heavenly Dragons"** , quickly flashed into view before each word briefly sparkled with the drum beats.

**(I've finally awakened from the darkness' endless night, and I just wanted to revel in the day's warming light.)** Rias and Sona open up their respective building's windows, staring outside of them as the wind blows through the sunny skies. **  
(Then experience the dream I've made a reality with you!)** Vali stands on the roof of the Hyoudou Household, staring towards the moon as her hair moves with the night's breeze, followed by the silhouette of Albion sitting beside her.

**(*soft guitar wail*)** The seven blades known as Excalibur are shown embedded into the ground of Kuoh Academy, before showing a divided screen with the Student Council appear on a blue background, and the ORC in a red background.

**(Now this nightmare's manifested before my eyes! This time I'm awake, so I know it can't be a lie.)** Irina is shown before forming twelve Angel wings, and a Halo over her head. Following that, Kelsey shows on the screen, using her hands to make her hair ribbons look like horns as her twelve Demon wings sprouted out.  
 **(We must face it together, and I'm confident that together we'll all make it through!)** An image of an orange-tinted Irina with Excalibur Mimic, and a blue-tinted Xenovia with Excalibur Destruction, appear alongside a blonde girl holding Excalibur Blessing flashes by before Issei's seen running forward, with a silhouette of Ddraig in the background.

**(*guitar wail*)** Kokabiel appears and makes a vicious face in front of the Full moon, unfolding his wings to show all ten as his eyes suddenly turn from white to red, and his teeth become like a shark's.

**(Is it wrong to protect those precious to us?)** A tunnel of purple energy is seen moving from the upper right, to the lower left, and the first to appear is Lilith, who threw out an attack using her Ethereal Twilight.  
 **(No it isn't, so keep them safe!)** She's quickly followed by Azazel, who slides by the screen as he fires off orbs of the Fallen Angel's darkness tainted holy light.  
 **(Time for us to smash away the phantoms of our past...)** Michael comes after him, smiling before his wings unfolded and unleashing a small burst of untainted holy light around him, spiraling around his body.  
 **(As we create a greater tomorrow!)** The last to show up was Cassiel, who gave a silent snicker before moving her arms in a circle shape and creating glowing crystalline orbs that smashed into the screen, creating the following scene.

**(*rapid guitar wail*)** Said scene was Rias is seen standing in a snowy area where she finds a young Kiba, while simultaneously showing Vali as she had her first meeting with Lilith in Hell.

**(Now is the time, now more than ever! We must keep moving forward with our lives on the line!)** Vali is seen fighting against Kokabiel in the dark of a genuine, blue-colored night sky; while Issei fights a female Devil in the dark of an artificial, red-colored night sky. **  
(The more powerful our emotions are, the stronger we become!)** Both make intense faces as their respective Balance Breakers glowed brighter, causing their Scale Mails to be shadowed by a bright glow.

**(*short guitar wail*)** A half black and white sword with red runes going across the screen diagonally, and the sword seen in Issei and Irina's childhood photo, were both shown as they formed the borders between an image of Kiba with a crying face, and the blonde girl holding Excalibur Blessing showing a guilty expression.

**(The freedom for us to hold our ideals, let's make it eternal!)** Soon the sight of a shattering barrier around Kuoh Academy is seen before the sight of Gasper popping out of his box, alongside Irina, Xenovia, and the unknown blonde-haired girl all in Kuoh Academy uniforms. **  
(I will challenge the fate of this world with all of my strength, because I want to live together with you!)** The sight of a nervous Yuuma flashes by, alongside a serious Kelsey who turns towards the camera without issue, ending with the leaders of the Christian Pantheon's Four Factions sitting at a table together.  
 **(Let's form an unbreakable vow, deep from the bottom of our hearts!)** Vali looks up to see an afterimage of Ophis, while Issei looks the opposing way to see the human form of Great Red in the same manner, before they took each other's hands.  
(Promise that you'll never give up on up me, and I promise to never give up on you too!) Issei and Vali stand alongside their peerages and every other living character from the first season, and those soon to appear in this one.

**(*consecutive guitar wails before an echoing finish*)** Finally, a black colored energy envelops the screen as a symbol shaped like six dark red eyes with six slit pupils appeared, which quickly froze to represent it as a colored sketch.

* * *

Sitting at the table together, Seiji took a taste of Borscht that Vali had made for them. As he did, his eyes widened from the taste, being pleasantly surprised at how much he liked the Russian meal.

"So good! I knew you were amazing at Japanese, but this is making my taste buds do the tango!" Seiji praised the meal.

"Thank you, Seiji. I figured if I was travelling the world, I'd bring back some international recipes." Vali smiled.

Issei chuckled a bit, taking a sip himself.

"We should totally use this in our School Festival idea in a few months. After all, we do have the right theme for us to study this stuff." Issei suggested.

"Good idea, I'll talk to Sona about it." Vali replied, adding a note on her phone.

After a bit she remembered something.

"Oh, that reminds me... Hana, would it be a problem if our Clubs and the Student Council came over today? The school's doing its annual cleaning, so we won't be able to meet there like usual." Vali requested.

"Sure, I'd love to meet all your new friends, and this is a good chance to meet them." Hana agreed.

"Uh... you do realize our entire club lives right next door, right?" Issei asked.

Hana and Seiji went blank, making Vali start laughing at their slight embarrassment over missing that fairly obvious detail.

"Well, not to worry, I invited them over for breakfast because today's their first day at Kuoh Academy." She smiled.

At that moment, a knock was heard at the door.

"It's open!" Issei called out.

The door opened up, revealing the rest of the MHC, who were all wearing Kuoh Academy's Summer uniforms. Most of them looked the same as usual, with the minor differences being Bikou was lacking his oriental gear, and Le Fay was without her witch hat.

"I already saw Asia wear hers, but you all look great in those." Issei remarked.

Kuroka scratched herself like she had an itch, making everyone look at her with slight worry on their faces.

"Not used to the material?" Issei asked.

"I'm worried that I might be allergic to you... can someone check if I have a rash?" Kuroka whimpered, lifting the hem of her outfit.

Le Fay looked, and crossed her arms to the Lucifer Rook's relief.

"U-Um... you must be Mr. and Mrs. Hyoudou, a pleasure to finally meet you in person." Yuuma nervously greeted.

"Oh, do you know us?" Seiji asked.

Yuuma nodded a bit, twitching her fingers.

"Y-yeah, you know Vali's guardian, Mr. Amano? The one she calls Uncle Austin?" Yuuma asked.

They both nodded at that.

"H-he's my father. My name's Yuuma Amano, and we never met directly because I was living with my mom, and whenever she came to visit... I was... well..."

Yuuma went red, hiding behind Kuroka as she hit her limit.

"She had an abusive older sister that died recently, so a lot of things frighten her. Be careful and gentle when you talk with her." Vali clarified.

They both give silent gasps, and that's when Vali noticed Yuuma's hair.

"Hey, Yuuma? You never fixed your hair after last night's movie." She mentioned, pointing at it.

Yuuma noticed that, using her phone's camera as a mirror.

"Oh, I guess that movie was so winding, I forgot to fix it when we got back. I'll go get a comb right and-" Yuuma chuckled embarrassingly.

"Actually, you should keep it like that, it kinda shows you're a little more confident now." Issei remarked.

Yuuma bushed a bit, stuttering at the comment.

"I-if you really think so, t-then... I guess I'll keep it this way." Yuuma replied, blushing as she looked towards the ground.

Vali gave a light chuckle, setting a bowl of Borscht for everyone.

* * *

Within Issei and Vali's classroom, the students who had already arrived were seen talking with one another, the usual theme before class started. At that moment, the duo in question walked in, and before anyone knew it, one of the male students gasped.

'And here goes.' Issei thought, giving a silent giggle.

"E-everyone, look!" The student in question said, pointing at the twin Dragons.

All of the students did, seeing the two holding hands.

"Issei's holding... Vali's hand, then... does that mean the two of them are..." A female student questioned.

They all saw the students looking at them.

Using the moment, Vali kissed Issei while everyone watched, making all the boys freeze in shock.

"Dating? Yes, yes we are." Issei revealed.

The entire class shouted, with neither of them having their ears ring a bit, having gotten used to all the girls doing it whenever Kiba showed up. Each set of students ended up crowded around the same gendered member of the couple.

"Yes, the girls win the betting pool!"

"How did it happen?"

"Did either of you say you loved the other? Who did it first?"

"Ooh, tell us about your first kiss!"

"I can't believe it happened this quickly, they really were that close!"

Feeling overwhelmed, Issei motioned his hands, and Vali nodded. The both of them whistled through their mouths, making everyone cover their ears, and give the two a moment to actually respond.

"OK, in the order of the questions we actually heard... we were on a trip with our club that related to us getting trapped by ourselves, yes we did, I said it first, and words don't do justice in describing it." Issei replied.

"And what bet are you guys talking about?" Vali questioned.

The kendo duo looked away, hoping neither of figured out it was either of them. Luckily, before anyone could focus, the bell rang, forcing everyone to their seats as the teacher walked in, clearing his throat.

"Everyone, I've got two big announcements today. As for what those two are? We have a new student, and two new assistant teachers." Their teacher announced.

That caught everyone's attention. The former because of how Vali had only transferred in recently, while the latter was due to the fact they even needed one.

Motioning them to come in, a nervous looking Yuuma came in first, and was she stood by the board... her mouth quivered nervously. Seeing she needed help, Vali held up a message on her notebook that said: "Close your Eyes" in big letters.

Doing that, she turned to write her name on the board... which ended up sounding like nails on a chalkboard, and then turned around with her still closed eyes.

"H-hello everyone... my name's Yuuma Amano, it's nice to meet you. Forgive me for having my eyes closed, but I'm... kind of a shy face." Yuuma greeted softly.

Taking a deep breath, she tapped her fingers a bit.

"Also, while not in a biological manner, I'm also Vali's cousin. Her old guardian is my father..." She added.

"Guardian?" Murayama repeated.

Vali chuckled a bit, rubbing the back of her head.

"I don't talk about it much, but my real parents died when I was young." Vali explained.

Everyone gasped at that, but Vali held out her hands.

"Calm down everyone, and I'd prefer no one dig any deeper than that, everyone's got a few skeletons they'd rather keep in their closest." Vali replied.

"Well said."

At that moment, everyone saw Tiamat walk into the room.

"Hello there everyone. I'm Tiamat, one of your new assistant teachers, and the new Gym Teacher for the girls." Tiamat greeted, using a spell to keep the students from questioning her name.

Motohama instantly scouted her.

"Bust 104, Waist 58, Hips 91!" He shouted, making Murayama sigh.

'He's good...' Tiamat thought in surprise.

Once that was done, the next to come in was Fafnir, with the addition of fake glasses.

"Greetings everyone. My name's Fafnir, one of your new assistant teachers, and the new Gym Teacher for the boys." Fafnir greeted, using the same spell.

And with that, class began as normal.

* * *

Eventually, class came to an end, and before Issei could leave...

"Hey, Issei. You're the VP in that new Mythological History Club, right?" Matsuda asked.

"Yeah, why do you ask?" Issei inquired.

"Then you have to know something about the rumors that have been going on since last night, right?" Motohama asked.

Issei blinked at that, Vali looked towards them with similar curiosity.

"Rumors? What rumors?" Issei asked.

"You really haven't heard about this? Dude, there's been a bunch of crazy sightings, the kind of shit you see in monster and horror movies!" Matsuda gasped, surprising Issei a bit.

"In fact, last night someone got a photo of some giant winged creature as it flew past the moon!" Motohama added.

Now the two Dragons were worried, instantly realizing this was a supernatural problem in the making.

"By chance, do you know who took that photo?" Issei asked.

"Yeah, it was Kiryuu." Katase answered from afar.

Issei flinched at that.

'Great, if the Succubus of Kuoh got it, then she'll likely ask for something perverted before she'll share it with us.' Issei sighed.

"Ooh, did someone call for me?" Kiryuu laughed, waving the photo in her hands.

"Issei, I think that maybe we should just try to find out about this ourselves, I'd rather not risk it either." Vali said nervously.

Issei nodded, right as Yuuma grabbed the photo without anyone noticing, using her phone to get her picture of the photo.

"Hmm... wait, this actually seems kinda familiar to me." Yuuma realized as she looked at it.

At that moment, Kiryuu realized she wasn't holding the photo, surprising her as Yuuma gave it back. Meanwhile, Issei and Vali looked at the latter's Pawn in shock.

"D-did she just..." Issei question.

"Guess when you're as timid as her, stealth is second nature to you." Vali wondered.

Yuuma walked near the two.

"I'll need a while to check some references, but I think I might know what's in this photo." Yuuma stated.

Vali nodded at that, still feeling a bit off Yuuma's incredible stealth.

"If you think you can figure it out, then I'll leave it in your hands, Yuuma." Vali agreed.

* * *

Soon enough, the group was at Issei's home, specifically the living room area. Asia brought out some tea for everyone, with the Hakuryuukou taking a nice long sip.

"Thank you, Asia." Vali smiled.

"You're welcome." Asia smiled back.

As she sat down, Sona's group was helping Yuuma with the photo they had, trying to piece their ideas over what was flying past the moon.

"Hmm... it's definitely not a Stray Devil, there's been no word from the Archbishop." Sona remarked.

"I agree, I'm thinking it might be an Angel or Fallen Angel. Only problem is the image's too blurry for me to see how many wings it has." Yuuma agreed.

"Why would either fly over the town?" Saji inquired.

"Not sure, I'll see if my father knows anything. I just hope it's only a Fallen Angel who simply flew too low during a mission." Yuuma replied worriedly, not completely sure herself.

At that same moment, the ORC was having their monthly total over their pact numbers.

"For this month's contracts... Gasper had 11, Akeno had 10, Shirone had 8, Kiba had 7, and Valerie had 5." Rias revealed.

"Glad to see I'm not too rusty." Valerie sighed in relief.

Finally, Vali was asking about the contracts her group usually got, and any... odd clients they may have gotten since then. Yuuma sat down with the rest of Vali's peerage for this part.

"Those who summon me are usually big-name figures who need some aid, or advice; and those who are part supernatural due to their heritage, who simply need someone they can relate to. What about everyone else?" Vali explained, looking at her Queen.

"Usually I'm summoned by guys. Mostly for some kind of competition, or someone who needs some physical training to help them with an upcoming event." Issei answered.

"My clients are usually those who are struggling with laborious tasks, and need an extra hand in managing them. If not that, I help entertain my client." Le Fay responded.

"For me, I'm usually asked to play cards with someone, or cosplay for them." Asia explained.

"I'm often called to do work similar to that of a butler, or to help those who need practice with any form of swordplay." Arthur replied.

"My clients usually call me for heavy duty lifting, like construction aid." Bikou answered.

"The clients I get usually summon me for things like modeling, or babysitting jobs." Kuroka stated, giggling at the last part.

Yuuma scratched her head a bit, wondering how to define her clients.

"I get some... unique people, which reminds me of my dad, and usually they have requests that relate to that. I've gotten this weird cross-dressing tank of a man who wanted me to somehow become a girl, called himself Miltan." Yuuma revealed.

Everyone tried not to laugh at that.

"Ironically, I think I can help him with that, just gotta wait until my father can ask the magician in the Slash/Dog team to get him information on a spell that can permanently change someone's gender, and change them back if needed." Yuuma remarked.

"Ah, I haven't seen those guys in a while." Vali smiled fondly.

"Oh, you've met them before?" Yuuma asked in surprise.

Vali giggled at that.

"Yuuma, I don't just know them, I helped them during the Utsusemi Incident." Vali revealed.

"Wait, what!?" Yuuma shouted.

The Lucifer Heiress giggled again, and then held a finger up.

"Not only that, but the Absolute Demise's wielder, Lavinia Reni? She just happens to be my older Half-Sister." Vali added.

Yuuma paled at that, while Vali gave a fond smile at her memories.

"Wow, really? You have a Half-Sister?" Issei inquired.

"Yep, before she had me, my mom had another daughter, but she got separated from her and her former husband during a natural disaster that took said husband's life. I only found this out because Lavinia saw my picture of her." Vali confirmed.

"That's great, will we ever get to meet here?" The Sekiryuutei asked.

Vali shrugged her arms.

"Who knows? Depending on if the situation calls for it, she could always show up for you to meet." The silvery-haired Devil mentioned.

It was at that moment that Issei's mother walked in, carrying a tray of snacks she made for everyone.

"Sorry to intrude, but I brought snacks." Hana greeted everyone

"Ah, welcome to the meeting, Hana." Vali replied.

"Thank you. So, these are your friends from the Insult Research Club, right?" Hana asked.

The entire ORC suddenly froze.

"Did she just say _Insult_ Research Club?" Valerie inquired, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"Mom, they're the _Occult_ Research Club." Issei chuckled awkwardly.

Hana blushed in embarrassment.

"Uh... well, I brought something that might inspire everyone!" Hana smiled.

At that moment, she revealed all the family albums in her hands, making Issei scream in a panic as a certain red flag got raised.

"Why mom, why!?" He screamed.

Vali also went red, realizing she was in a lot of the photos.

Soon enough, everyone forgot about the club meetings and began looking at the albums to the horror of both Heavenly Dragons. Issei got the first blood of humiliation as Akeno saw a certain picture.

"Wow, he's completely naked! So small, and so adorable!" She remarked.

**[Oh god, I'll never unhear those words...]** Ddraig groaned, cursing his memory.

Issei rubbed his right hand to comfort him.

"Takes all kinds as they say, applies to photos too." Shirone said, giggling to herself as she saw it.

"So itty bitty and cute!" Asia smiled.

"I know, it's like I just wanna hug him." Le Fay gushed over one photo.

Kuroka did her best to stifle a laugh, with her cheeks swelling at the sight of a photo showing the twin Dragons as children, with Vali glomping Issei from behind.

**('I don't like where this is going...')** Albion sighed.

The two of them groaned at the humiliation they were getting, turning away from everyone.

"Thank you for embarrassing us, mom." Issei sighed.

Vali sighed alongside him, and that's when Hana poked her shoulder, giving her a smile like she expected something.

"What?" Vali blinked worriedly.

"Come on, you've gotta have a picture of the relative who adopted you, show us." Hana begged.

The Lucifer Heiress' eyes widened at that.

"Oh, guess that I should fix that now, shouldn't I?" She realized.

Vali left for a moment, then came back after using a magic circle to summon a picture into her hand. Everyone gathered around her as she showed them the image of Lucifer, Lilith, Lucifuge, and the other Maou (including Satan), which included three others in the picture, two of which resembled Mephisto Pheles, but with each of the duo having only one of his hair colors.

Oddly enough, Lilith didn't have the black hair she had in the present, but hair of a white gold when it's rhodium plated.

"This is my adoptive mother right here, and the androgynous looking one is my adoptive father. The others standing by him are his twin sister, and his nine younger siblings." Vali lied, pointing to Lilith and Lucifer.

"Oh my, I guess your new dad's not afraid to be a bit bold." Hana laughed upon seeing it.

Vali tilted her head, confused by what she meant.

"Well, regardless of how your father acts, you mom seems like a great mother to me... it must be nice to have a family." Kiba replied, looking said at the latter half of his response.

"Huh?" Vali blinked at that.

Flipping to the next page of the album he was holding, he noticed a certain photo, and once he did... his somber smile was replaced with a blank expression.

"Hey Issei, this photo..." Kiba inquired.

"Which one?" Issei asked.

Looking over, he saw the picture of him, and Irina as children, back when her family were still his neighbors.

"Oh man, it's been so long! That's a picture of Rin, my first childhood friend back when his family owned Vali's house, I wonder how he's been doing since then?" Issei answered, smiling at the memory.

"Let me look, I never got to see any pictures of him." Vali replied, squeezing in-between them.

When she finally saw the picture, her eyes flashed in surprise, actually recognizing it was Irina in the photo. However, before Issei could even notice her reaction...

"Tell me, do you remember this sword?" Kiba inquired.

Issei looked at it, recalling that Irina's family did have it, but he always thought it was just some oriental decoration.

"Not really, I was only 5 to 6 years old back then. Why do you ask?" Issei admitted, looking curious.

"I guess anything's possible, huh?" Kiba stated, a bead of sweat dripping down his face.

He soon chuckled, making Issei look at him.

"I never expected to see this of all things in a picture with you." Kiba stated.

"What do you mean?" Issei questioned.

"This is Hauteclere, it's a Holy Sword." Kiba answered, his eyes briefly glaring at it.

Hearing that, Rias briefly flinched with worry.

"Huh?" Issei blinked.

Kiba closed the book, looking at Issei like everything was fine. Arthur quickly took notice of this.

"Never mind, it's not a big deal. Great pictures." Kiba smiled.

* * *

Issei had soon headed over to a client via a magic circle, and when he arrived, he noticed his client was nowhere to be found. He didn't feel his sixth sense warn him, so it wasn't another Freed incident like before.

"Uh... hello?" Issei called out.

A sudden yawn sounded out, making Issei look as the sight of a young female woman rose from behind the couch, showing she had mess, long blue hair that had a moon shaped hair charm near the strands of hair close to her right eye, which were a piercing purple-pink color. She was currently wearing a light pink robe, and pale-yellow slippers.

"Oh, sorry about that. I took a nap because I thought you wouldn't be coming until later." The woman apologized.

Getting on her feet, she stretched a bit.

"Make yourself comfortable while I get some refreshments." She offered, walking into the kitchen.

"Alright." Issei replied.

He sat himself on the couch, and his eyes began wandering over the expensive looking house.

"Whoa... she seems pretty loaded, everything here seems like it's worth a fortune." Issei remarked.

"Why thank you." She replied.

Issei saw her come back, tossing him a can of fruit juice, while holding a glass of champagne in hers.

"I run a technological development company, it's a fulfilling job." The woman explained.

"I see, impressive. So, what did you summon me for?" Issei asked.

"Just someone to talk with, is that bad?" The woman asked.

"No, the contract will be formed when I fulfill the request and get a fitting compensation." Issei explained, although he was a bit underwhelmed by the request.

She shrugged a bit, and started to happily complain about certain aspects of her job.

Before Issei knew it, an hour flew by.

"And don't get me started on the secretary's sanitation methods, which are basically non-existent!" She exclaimed, hitting her leg as she laughed her lungs off.

"Eh..." Issei blinked, sweating a little.

"It's hilarious! When you work, either you do your job right, or don't do it period! Really, how has she not been fired already!?" The woman laughed more.

Issei gave an awkward smile to that.

"Uh, yeah..." Issei replied, drinking the last of her fruit juice.

Finally satisfied, the woman's laughter ceased.

"So, what do you want as compensation?" She asked, surprising Issei.

"W-wait, already?" Issei questioned.

"Yeah, is that bad?" The woman asked.

Issei shook his head, and tried to figure out what would be good compensation for this. Noticing a bag of cashews, she tossed them to him, slightly catching him off guard.

"Will that work?" She asked.

"Yeah, this works." Issei nodded.

After making the contract, Issei headed back home, and the woman waited until she felt the circle's energy completely faded.

Once it did, she stretched a bit and unfolded her wings, which where reptilian-like... the wings of a Demon. While she was one half that lacked horns, this woman was their leader, and one of the six former Great Seraphs: Cassiel.

"Thank you for the talk Sekiryuutei, or rather... Issei Hyoudou. It was quite the pleasure to make your acquaintance." Cassiel smiled.

* * *

Upon returning to his room, Issei saw a magic circle appear by his ear, surprising him a bit. Tapping it with his hand, he accepted the communication line.

"Hello?" Issei answered.

〖"Hey Issei, you done with your client yet?"〗 Vali asked.

"I just finished, you need me for something?" Issei replied.

〖"I do. We've gotten reports of three Stray Devils from the Archbishop, so all three of our groups have had to go after one. Can you meet us at the abandoned factory to care of the one the MHC's been assigned to?"〗 Vali explained.

Issei nodded at that, using his Chi to create a magic circle aimed at that location.

"OK, I'm jumping over right now." He stated.

He walked through the magic circle, and his team soon noticed him walking into view.

"Issei, glad you made it so fast." Vali smiled.

"So, what kind of Stray is this one? Something like Viser, or some other kind of mutant?" Issei asked.

"This one's a bit of a unique case, the Stray in question's not actively trying to be one. It simply awakened its Sacred Gear at a bad time that caused its magic to backfire on herself, and as a consequence, both it and her Sacred Gear went haywire. As long as we're not too late, we can save this Stray." Kuroka explained.

Issei nodded his head.

"So, how do we save it?" He asked.

"There are various ways, like my Ethereal Twilight's ability to negate abilities I understand enough about. Though Bikou's Prana, or yours and Kuroka's Chi would also work. If not those, Le Fay knows a few forbidden spells for the job." Vali listed the ways she knew.

After saying this, Vali noticed Arthur as he was deep in thought.

"Arthur, is there a problem?" Vali asked.

"No, I was simply thinking about Kiba's words from earlier, but I'll withhold that topic until our job's done." Arthur replied.

Vali nodded, and looked at everyone.

"Issei, you and Arthur go into the building with Tiamat on your side. Le Fay, Kuroka? Stand guard around the building's room if it tries to go outside from there. Yuuma, Bikou? Do the same from the building walls. Asia, you'll stay by me and Fafnir." She explained their battle plan.

"Understood." Everyone replied.

Holding out their hands, Tiamat and Fafnir appeared from their summoning circles.

"A Stray Devil, haven't tussled with one before, but trying to possibly save one seems like a fun challenge." Tiamat remarked.

With that, the two of them, and Arthur go inside the building. To help him see, Issei closed his eyes, using his Chi to sense everything within the darkness. Moments after, he spotted something moving.

"There's something by the pipes, anyone see it?" Issei alerted them.

Arthur and Tiamat looked in that direction, seeing the Devil in question. Her clothes were somewhat tattered, her hair was a shade of gray the night's darkness made hard to fully make out, and she had violet eyes.

"Help me... please..." She begged.

At that moment, she fell from the side, holding herself before she took a spider-like appearance.

"Oh no, are we too late!?" Issei gasped.

"No, but she's extremely close, I'd say she's beyond saving if we take any longer than 5 minutes." Tiamat answered.

The Stray starts climbing across the ceiling, forcing the trio to spot it across the area. It stopped to fire acid at Arthur, making him grunt as it ate through his sleeve, and left a nasty burn on his arm.

"Arthur!" Issei shouted.

The Stray dropped at him, making Issei charge up some power.

**["BOOST!"]**

" **Dragon Shot!** "

The red sphere fired off a beam, slightly knocking the Stray Devil back.

"Tiamat, to the sky!" Issei ordered.

Realizing what he was telling her, she smirked as she grabbed the Stray, and soon tossed it into the air. This caught the attention of Kuroka and Le Fay.

"It's still able to be saved, get it to Vali this instant!" Tiamat shouted.

They both nodded, using magical and Youjutsu bindings lock the Stray in place. Once they did, Le Fay saw the object closest to Vali, and put a magic spell around it.

" **Switch!** "

Vali quickly noticed the Stray appear by her.

"This might hurt, but please bear with it." Vali apologized in advance, forming her signature power.

Her attack's Dragon-like form stretched out before smashing itself onto the Stray Devil, making it scream in pain as she began negating the rampant power in her. After a few more seconds passed, her body steamed up as the mutation was undone.

At the sight of the now cured Devil, she quickly covered her bare form, picking her up as the others regrouped.

"Alright, we did it!" Yuuma cheered.

"Be glad we did. Based on how feral she was acting, that's the kind of Stray that's leaning more to a Stray than it is to a Devil." Kuroka remarked.

"I don't think I wanna see the full difference..." Issei shivered, holding himself at the thought.

Vali contacted Sona, making a small hologram of her appear.

"Sona, we've rescued our Stray just in time and are ready to take her home. Can you tell us which household she's from?" Vali asked.

〖"She's a Pawn serving under Eneely Vassago, the Heiress of the Vassago Clan."〗 Sona answered.

The silvery-white haired Lucifer nodded, looking at Kuroka.

"Kuroka?" Vali asked.

"Sure thing, I'll take her back home." Kuroka agreed.

Taking the Vassago Pawn in her hands, she walked through her magic circle. One that was done, Vali turned to Arthur, who was being healed by Asia.

"Arthur, what were you saying about Kiba earlier?" Vali questioned.

"Right, the moment he brought up a Holy Sword, I noticed something in his voice, and-" Arthur explained.

Before he could say more, a magic circle appeared by Vali's ear.

〖"Vali... I need to talk with you."〗 Rias said with a worried tone.

* * *

_While Valerie healed a small wound on Shirone, and Akeno... they were all distracted as they heard a slap, looking to see Rias had just delivered one to Kiba._

_"Do you have it together now? That mistake wasn't just serious, you nearly got Shirone and Akeno killed!" Rias scolded him, a clear look of anger on her face._

_"Understood, I apologize..." Kiba apologized._

_And with that, Rias grabbed Kiba's shoulders._

_"What's the matter, Kiba? This isn't like you." Rias asked with a worried look._

_"I'm fine, just having an off day. Now, if you'll excuse me, president." Kiba replied, soon walking off._

_"Kiba, why are you being so rude to Rias?" Valerie questioned._

_Kiba suddenly stopped._

_"It has nothing to do with you." Kiba answered._

_"Maybe, but that doesn't mean I can't be worried with how you're acting!" Valerie retorted._

_"Worried? Why would you ever be worried?" Kiba inquired with an odd smile._

_The female Dhampir wasn't sure how to reply to that, and struggled for a few seconds to think of how she should answer him... she didn't get the chance as he simply spoke again._

_"Devils are selfish beings by nature." He stated._

_"You're sounding a lot like that criminal that's Vali's grandpa! Why are you talking like this!?" Valerie demanded._

_Kiba turned, and Valerie felt unnerved by the face he made._

_"Something's recently been brought to my attention... the reason I'm even still living, and the reason I fight." Kiba answered._

_Valerie looked confused by that._

_"For revenge. My only goal, the sole purpose I'm here... is completely destroy all traces of the Holy Sword known as Excalibur." Kiba revealed._

_Kiba walked off, leaving a still confused Valerie... while a horrified Rias stared silently at his retreating form._

* * *

Soon enough, all of Vali's peerage was gathered in Issei's room, with Rias sitting by his desk.

"Excalibur... one of the swords used by King Arthur." Issei recalled.

"Correct, along with my sword Caliburn, they're legendary blades the Pendragon family has used. As for why he said _blades_ instead of simply blade, Excalibur was broken into seven pieces during the Great War. The church has six, but I'm carrying the last one, and I've been keeping safe ever since." Arthur explained.

"And... they're both Holy Swords, kinda like what Freed knocked me with the first time I met him?" Issei inquired.

Rias nodded at that.

"That's right, but they're not the same. These are the genuine article that God created himself. Holy Swords are the worst weapons against Devils, being cut by one could easily annihilate a Devil through a purge." The Gremory heiress explained.

Hearing that, the Sekiryuutei recalled the nature of Kiba's Sacred Gear.

"I remember Kiba's telling me that his Sacred Gear makes him create Cursed Swords, only they're nothing compared to the real deal. Does that mean they're an active threat against your kind?" Issei recalled before asking worriedly.

Vali shook her head, making him sigh in relief.

"The Great War severely reduced the Holy Sword's numbers. More than that, each type of sword has a severe drawback. Cursed Swords eat your lifespan unless you were the Norse Hero: Sigurd, while only those with the right qualities can wield a Holy Swords." Vali explained.

"Admittedly, the Church did what they could to amend that issue, tried to artificially raise people to have the right qualities, that way they could wield the multiple Excaliburs. The Holy Sword Project is what they called it." Rias quickly added, her eyes closing a bit.

"The Holy Sword Project?" Issei repeated in a slightly nervous manner.

"I don't remember hearing about that during my time in the church at all, so that would mean it was super-secret." Asia realized.

"Doesn't surprise me, after all... the Project failed, and worse? Kiba barely survived the project." Rias replied.

That surprised a few of them.

"Of course, that explains his reaction a bit more." Arthur realized.

Issei sighed a bit, looking down.

"Then, this is all because he saw that picture of me and Rin, it must have reminded him of something you wanted him to forget." Issei apologized.

"Sometimes the psychological approach is more effective than simply defeating an enemy... I struggled with that for a long time." Vali replied, speaking from her own experience.

"Mind if I see that picture?" Rias inquired.

Issei nodded, grabbing the album to show the image, and Rias began to sweat as she saw the sword.

"Yep, that's definitely Hauteclere, the Holy Sword of Purification... by chance, were your friend's parents related to the church?" Rias confirmed before looking at the Sekiryuutei.

"Yeah, I remember Rin's folks saying they were Christians. Does... that mean the church closing down was related to why they moved away?" Issei answered, followed by his own question.

Rias closed her eyes, sighing a bit.

"Before this became my territory, a Devil named Cleria Belial was my predecessor as the Head of Kuoh, but... around that time, she fell in love with one of the exorcists. Due to our current standings, it was a bit iffy, and while I don't know the full details? Well, both of them ended up dead, forcing the family tied to the church to leave." Rias revealed, an apologetic look on her face.

Issei's eyes widened, and then he looked down, with Vali rubbing his back.

"I'll tell you more about Kiba's full story tomorrow, as I'd rather not risk Issei's parents coming in to see all of us." Rias advised, a slightly hopeful tone in her voice.

"Good idea." Vali agreed.

After that was said, everyone used magic circles to return to their respective homes, leaving the two Dragon Emperors by themselves. Issei turned to look at Vali, who looked at him in return.

"Something wrong, Issei?" She asked.

"Vali, out of curiosity... do you think this might relate to Rizevim in some manner?" He inquired.

Vali thought about it for a moment, then shook her head.

"No, if I know my grandfather as well as I do, then he couldn't be involved. He'd want to directly see results, and going to a Church would have gotten him noticed." Vali answered.

After saying that, she looked out the window.

"I just hope that Kiba will be alright..." She said sadly.

* * *

The scene changes to an abandoned church, where the sight of a cross made of light floated into the building, hidden only by the intense rain showering across the sky.

Upon landing inside, the sight of a trio wearing white church robes was seen, with two carrying swords on their back. The Angel among the trio hid her defining traits, while one of her allies looked a little nauseous.

"H-hey, I think I've finally gotten the hang of..." The nauseous member remarked.

At that moment, her cheeks puffed before the other two saw her start dry heaving, prompting one of them to pat her back until she stopped. After her heaving finally stopped, she turned to her fellow church members.

"Never mind." She groaned.

"At least it was only dry heaving." The Angel remarked with relief.

As the third member looked around, confirming the damage present, and then pulling down their hood. The person underneath was revealed to be a girl with long blue hair which had a streak of green in it, and hazel-colored eyes.

"I'd say utter ruin describes this place." The blue-haired girl stated.

"Then the rumors must be true, the Devils dealt with a rogue cell of Fallen Angels that snuck into this town, and this was their battlefield." The cloaked girl realized.

Removing her hood, she was revealed to be a blonde with long hair, some of which was partially tied to give her a knightly appearance, not like Joan of Arc. She had a buxom figure, soft blue eyes with an innocent aura coming off them, and a gentle face that looked to be impossible of carrying any sin.

However, if one looked closely at her face? They would notice she resembled a certain Knight of Gremory.

"You're sure this is the place? That we're supposed to be meeting him here?" The blonde asked, looking at the Angel.

"Really, Jeanne? Like I would be wrong!"

The third figure removed her hood, revealing the familiar golden-orange hair of Irina, which was now tied in long twin tails.

"After all, I used to live in the city as a kid." Irina said cheerfully, recalling fond memories.

Jeanne sighed, and right at that moment... she felt something off, catching the attention of her two friends.

"Something feels off, I think... quick, follow me!" Jeanne exclaimed.

Both of them followed Jeanne as she ran out of the Church, who began rushing to a certain location.

* * *

Kiba was walking home as it began to rain, and as he did... a scream reached his ears as a priest ran towards him with a panicked expression.

"Please, help me!" The priest screamed.

A sword suddenly slashed the priest, making Kiba's eyes widen as the priest breathed his last.

"What just happened?" Kiba questioned.

"Yoo-hoo!"

At that moment, Kiba noticed a face he, and every other Devil in town had hoped died when Issei slammed his fist into his face.

Freed Sellzen was back, and he was as crazy as over.

"Did you miss me? It's been a while." Freed greeted, his tongue hanging out as usual.

His face quickly became serious as he stared at the Gremory Knight.

"Nice to see the playboy of Hell's scum came for a visit." Freed giggled excitedly at the thought of being able to kill him.

"Freed Sellzen... so you've been in town this whole?" Kiba questioned angrily.

The insane priest laughed again.

"Such a wonderful reunion isn't it? It's bringing a tear to my eye!" Freed mocked.

"Unfortunately for you, I'm in a really bad mood today." Kiba warned, forming a sword.

"Ooh, that's perfect! I need some fun! All these sissified priests are all getting _so_ boring!" Freed yelled, swinging his sword.

Kiba's eyes widened as the sword glowed with an aura of holy light.

"No... that light, that aura! It can't be!" Kiba gasped in horror.

Freed laughed excitedly at his reaction, noticing the sword seemed to bother him in some manner.

"Oh, it can! Let's see which of our swords are stronger. That sham of a Cursed Sword, or the amazing Holy Sword known as Excalibur Rapidly!?" Freed mocked, pointing his blade towards the Knight of Gremory.

At that moment, Kiba's eyes shook as he recalled a memory he wished he'd never have to think about again.

_"Run away!" A boy choked._

_"Hurry, save yourself!" A girl cried out as she held a man's leg._

_"Isaiah... please go." A white-haired girl with twin tails cried._

Kiba's grip on his sword tightened, and showed a face that only Issei had ever noticed him make... one of pure malice, and hatred.

"I will never forgive Excalibur for what it did to me, or what it did to my comrades!" Kiba screamed.

At that exact moment, the two swordsmen crossed blades.

"Time to die!" Freed screamed.

The insane priest slashed at Kiba, and after a bit of swinging with no hits, he suddenly vanished from view. Kiba tried to chase him using his Knight speed, but it did nothing as Freed was slightly faster, revealing the sword's name was well earned.

"This is why some call Excalibur Rapidly the sword of Heavenly Flashes, and I like to call it the super-fast sword!" Freed laughed.

"Eat this!" Kiba screamed, swinging his sword forward.

Shadowy tendrils stretched out to eat the legendary blade's light, only for Excalibur Rapidly to burn them right off.

"Really kid? If Excalibur was that fragile, then it wouldn't be such a legendary sword!" Freed exclaimed in a mocking tone.

"Shut up Freed!" Kiba yelled.

"Wow, never thought I'd hear that tone of voice from you." Freed remarked, giggling a bit.

He rushed at Kiba again, and after seeing an opening from Kiba's anger, cut into his shoulder a bit. Kiba screamed as it burns him, making Freed laugh again.

"Now, that's what I call a show!" Freed cheered for himself.

" **Sword... Birth!** "

A bunch of swords flew at Freed, making the exorcist fall back as they slightly cut into him, and knocked him back.

"Hey, that's cheating!" Freed complained.

"You can't cheat when there aren't any rules, that's what a real fight is!" Kiba shouted as she swung down.

Freed managed to dodge, right as a magic circle appeared by his ear.

"Nice moves kiddo, but I've gotta go. Someone more important is calling!" Freed said his goodbyes.

"You're not getting away!" Kiba roared.

The Knight of Gremory tried to cut him down before he escaped, but Freed took out a flash bomb, blinding Kiba as he threw it at the ground. Seeing his enemy got away, Kiba gave an annoyed look, and a new resolve.

"Guess that picture wasn't a reminder, it was a premonition... it's just as I thought, destroying all the fragments of Excalibur, that's my entire purpose for living." Kiba stated with fury in his heart.

Kiba left the area, unable to stomach standing in it any longer.

As the rain kept pouring, the deceased priest's dead body stayed where it had been until the church trio finally found it, making Jeanne stop in horror as she saw it.

"No... we're too late." Jeanne stated, slumping onto her knees.

"This was definitely caused by an Excalibur." Irina realized, sensing the light elements from his wounds.

Leaning by it, Xenovia rubbed some of the blood on her hands before tapping it on her tongue. Taking a few moments, she figured out how fresh it was.

"He only died a few minutes before we arrived, so the killer can't have left town." Xenovia remarked.

She sighed a bit, looking at the two.

"Only a 30% chance of returning home... I don't think those odds are that accurate anymore. I hate to say it, but we might have to actually ask _them_ for help." Xenovia said grimly, leaving a sour taste in her mouth.

"D-did my hearing get hazy for a moment, or did Xenovia just relent to asking Devils for help?" Jeanne asked in shock, her eye twitching.

"Nope, I heard it too." Irina confirmed.

As the blonde-haired exorcist suddenly began stuttering, Irina looked at the two.

"Regardless of what we do, or who we ask for help, there's one thing we need to do before anything else. If we don't talk to the Devils in this town, we'll be seen as the one causing any recent problems that Kokabiel's been causing." Irina stated.

"Yeah, I guess that's a first, along with getting this priest a proper funeral." Jeanne sighed in agreement.

Xenovia picked the priest up, while Irina made a call to Heaven. As that was happening, Jeanne noticed a small chunk of blonde hair on the ground, making her eyes widen as she recognized it.

"No way, can it... can it really be?" Jeanne gasped.

* * *

**Well, looks like things are starting to get serious for everyone. Freed's back to cause more trouble for his own insane amusement, Kiba's gone somewhat rogue, and no one's even aware of Kokabiel's presence in Kuoh Town, as the only evidence is too blurred for Yuuma to properly recognize the war maniac. At the same time, we've got Xenovia and Irina finally in town, and surprisingly enough Jeanne's joined them... while seemingly knowing who Kiba is.**

**And... surprise! Irina's already an Angel, or to be more specific, she was an Angel at birth, so she's a pureblooded Angel. Since her father is the only one who's physically appeared in an active role, I've decided to make him and her mother into Angels, and you might be surprised which one her mother is. Luckily, you won't have to wait long to learn who her mother is, as that's next chapter.**

**To those who ask why I showed a Stray Devil being saved (it's the same one from Season 2's first episode) rather than eliminated, it's because of Kuroka's situation, and the fact that in at least the anime, Kiba briefly became one when he walked out after Xenovia defeated him. I figured I should expand on that, showing not all Strays are automatically killed, and some don't always become Strays intentionally.**

**For the Stray in question? You will see her again in the future, as Eneely's got a small role along with most of the Young Devils, and there's the fact I liked how this stray looked, hence why I spared her. Either way, I hope you like my expansion on Strays, as I honestly do feel that eliminating Strays is often said because more often than not, elimination is the fate they bring upon themselves.**

**Oh, and for those who noticed that I had the picture Vali showed of Lucifer and the group? Those are the founders of Hell, including the deceased Satan, and someone that I will not go into for a long time because they're a major spoiler until some point after Volume 10's events in canon. Although, for the bit where see me mentioning there are two Mephisto lookalikes who have one half of his two colors?**

**Yeah, that's as literal as it looks. While that's also something that'll be explained later, it isn't a spoiler like the final member's identity, so I'll just tell you they're BOTH Mephisto (or rather one is the Pheles half of his name), and they ended up being permanently fused into one being after that photo was taken. In-story, this is also why he lacks a clan, because this fusion rendered him infertile.**

**I needed there to be 12 founders for Hell, and didn't want to make another OC, yet I couldn't find anyone else that worked. As a result, the fact Mephisto's color scheme is of two colors, and it even looks like he was made from a fusion, was perfect in filling that last spot. That, and the fact he's a permanent fusion between two people will be important later on in the story :3**

**Now, let's talk about Cassiel a bit. She's taking the place of Azazel for this arc, and some of the Summit arc, while you already know she's the leader of the Demons due the previous arc. She's quite similar to the Grigori leader, being a "fun" leader as she would put it, but where Azazel is a bit more serious, Cassiel's much more relaxed about everything, so... think of her as a more positive Azazel.**

**Lastly, we have the topic of Jeanne. I feel she should have been a good guy for one main reason, the fact she has the spirit of Joan of Arc herself, and that alone. The Maiden of Orleans was a saint, so seeing her fighting for the Khaos Brigade via the Hero Faction? It just didn't feel right. If she was just Joan's descendant, without the inherited soul, then I would have no problem with her being a villain.**

**Well, that's it for this chapter. Next time, our heroes' Dragons will start giving them the first warning of trouble, while Issei finally learns "Rin" is a girl. *snickers* Not only that, but learn Irina's an Angel, another big secret, and most of all... the story behind Kiba's connection with the Holy Sword Project, along with the horrors that even those allied to the Angels can commit.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

**A/N: Demon wings resemble the wings of Mio Naruse's from Testament of New Sister Devil as they appear in Volume 10.**

* * *

**Vali's Peerage** **:**

**King - Valiana Lucifer**  
Queen - Issei Hyoudou  
Bishops - Le Fay Pendragon, Asia Argento  
Knights - Arthur Pendragon, Unclaimed Knight  
Rooks - Bikou, Kuroka Toujou (Mutation Piece: x2 Multiplier)  
Pawns - Yuuma Amano (x2), Six Unclaimed Pawns

* * *

**Rias' Peerage** **:**

**King - Rias Gremory**   
**Queen - Akeno Himejima**   
**Bishops - Gasper Vladi (Mutated Piece: x4 Multiplier, Sealed), Valerie Tepes (Mutation Piece: x6 Multiplier)**   
**Knights - Kiba Yuuto, Unclaimed Knight**   
**Rooks - Shirone Toujou, Unclaimed Rook**   
**Pawns - Eight Unclaimed Pawns**

* * *

**Sona's Peerage** **:**

**King - Sona Sitri**  
Queen - Tsubaki Shinra  
Bishops - Momo Hanakai, Reya Kusaka  
Knights - Tomoe Meguri, Unclaimed Knight  
Rooks - Tsubasa Yura, Unclaimed Rook  
Pawns - Saji Genshirou (x4), Ruruko Nimura (x4)

* * *

**Bust Size of New Female Characters** **:**

**Irina Shidou - 100 cm**

**Xenovia Quarta - 93 cm**

**Jeanne d'Arc - 96 cm**

* * *

**Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter** **:**

**None**

* * *

**Pairings List** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating  
Ddraig/Albion - Married**  
 **Tiamat/Fafnir - Married**  
Saji/Sona - Master and Retainer  
Gasper/Valerie - Best Friends


	12. Chapter 12

**Here we are, the next stage of the Excalibur arc! We're about to hear more about Kiba's story, Issei's about to reunite with Irina... while learning she's a "female" Angel no less ^^; *chuckles*, and the meeting between the church trio. How much will stay like canon, and how much of it will change for this story? You're about to find out in this chapter!**

**Before we begin, here's something important I'll say about Jeanne's appearance. In canon, she has a twin tail-like style for her hair, which I feel represent her initial antagonism since it can be correlated to having demon horns. To reflect that this story's Jeanne isn't an antagonist, I've changed that twin tail style with a ponytail. For visual reference, use her brief scene in HERO's opening, as I actually thought she had a ponytail from it.**

**Also, for how I'll be showing Irina's personality? It'll still be her canon one, but it'll be her canon one as of the Post-Summit arc, mostly for a reason that's considered a huge spoiler right now, so that's all I can say. Then for Xenovia... no real changes there, other than her gullibility is evident from the start, rather than after she ends up joining Rias as her Second Knight.**

**That's all I really have to say, so let's get things rolling, and start this chapter!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

**[]** \- Ddraig Talking

**«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

**「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

**【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

**⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

**Custom Magic**

**A power exclusive to Magicians, who first created their magic system based on rebuilding the structure of Devil magic, and then did the same with other types of magic to learn how to use them as well. In doing so, they discovered an aspect in magic that other species are unable to access because they're born with the ability to use magic naturally... the ability to create spells from scratch!**

**Custom Magic is one of the most difficult things a Magician can learn to do, and it's rare for a young Magician to know how to make just one. Due to the nature of magic circles usually acting as the commands, or words for a spell, a Custom Spell requires a special chant of words called an Aria, a name chosen due to the song like nature the words are spoken, and how creating the spell is like making a work of art.**

**There are two forms of spells that can be made in a custom manner, the first are single spells, which is when a Magician simply creates their magic circle, but writes their own properties into it, making their Aria into the activation key to cast it in particular. The second kind is used by chaining spells, including an existing Custom Spell they've already made, and combining their powers together.**

**Ajuka states he created his Kankara Formula by studying the concept, and the process, then applying his Clan ability to turn his calculations into a reality, as he says Custom Magic is like making a machine with energy, rather than mechanical parts. Unfortunately, it seems this only works with him, as no one else in the Astaroth Clan has managed to accomplish this.**

**So far, the only Magician that's been shown utilizing Custom Magic is Le Fay, who learned it to give her a strength that Vali, and Kuroka don't have.**

* * *

**_Season 2, Excalibur Arc: Chapter 2 - Three Swords and a Kiba_ **

In a hospital that was an extension of the Vatican Church, the sight of a white-haired girl was seen laying on a hospital bed. She had a breathing mask attached to her face, along with a few IVs, a feeding tube, and some electrodes that were monitoring her vitals.

"So, this is the usual with her?" A new nurse asked.

"Yes, this girl's been comatose for the past few years, she was part of... _that_ project." Her assigned doctor explained.

At that moment, the monitor beeped a bit loudly, getting their attention as her arm twitched.

"I-Isaiah... Mary..." She breathed weakly.

The Doctor got near her, opening her eye to see if she'd react... yet nothing.

"Strange, she reacted for a moment, but why?" He questioned.

Unknown to him, her vitals began to increase slightly.

* * *

The follow morning, Issei and Vali were sleeping together as usual. To the former's dismay, his phone alarm went off, forcing him to try and reach it... which is when he realized Vali was still resting on his arm.

"Uh oh..." He realized, now unable to reach it.

"Issei, hurry and turn your phone off... it's too noisy." Vali complained, still partially asleep.

The Sekiryuutei chuckled at that.

"I would, but... you're on my right arm, and I can't reach it." He remarked.

Vali groaned at that, and that's when Issei got an idea.

"Hold on tight." Issei warned.

"Huh?" Vali wondered.

She screamed as Issei rolled them off the bed, making her fall. Luckily, Issei's body cushioned her landing, while her breasts cushioned her fall on top of him. Giggling a bit, Issei kissed her on the lips, making her blush.

"I believe I've just woken up Sleeping Beauty with a kiss?" Issei joked.

Vali blushed a bit more before giggling, and flashing him a warm smile.

"You little flirt." She replied.

"Hey, I am what I am." He chuckled in reply.

Hearing a pair of chuckles, the two got up as they noticed their dominant hands glowing.

**["Our fellow Dragons said that Albion and I were always lovey dovey like that, but you two make it even more just adorable."]** Ddraig chuckled.

**("OK, never thought I'd hear you use the word adorable in that tone.")** Albion remarked.

**["What tone?"]** Ddraig questioned.

The White Dragon Empress went silent, unsure how she should answer her mate for his response to that. Realizing it just got awkward, Issei cleared his throat.

"Well, nice to hear from you since the game with Riser. Did you guys get that winded that you needed two whole days of sleep?" Issei greeted.

**("Now, we were more distracted yesterday than anything.")** Albion clarified.

"Oh no... is something wrong?" Vali questioned.

The two went silent, which both took as a clear indicator that she hit the hammer right on the nail.

**["There is... we've felt a strong spiritual presence around the town since last night. It made us nervous, so the two of us began focusing on it in an attempt to figure out what it was, but no luck."]** Ddraig explained.

**("You found about something flying past the Moon in the view of the Human World, correct? That may have been what we've been sensing, so we advise you to be careful.")** Albion warned.

"Sounds like whatever it was, you consider it a threat to even us." Issei realized with worry.

**["It is, and we can't tell who it is since we're stuck inside your Sacred Gears, not unless it's another Dragon."]** Ddraig confirmed.

Issei looked at Vali worriedly, but made a determined look.

"Well, no matter what comes our way, I won't let it hurt Vali, or any of my friends!" Issei promised with resolve.

**["Sounds like you have a goal you wanna see through, how about I hear you say it?"]** Ddraig smirked.

Issei smirked, standing up.

"Listen up! Right now, I might only be a Low-Class Devil, but I'll become the Ultimate Queen, and reach the position of High-Class to gain my own peerage in no time at all! That way, I can proudly tell everyone how I feel about Vali and prove myself as someone worthy of being with her to all of devil kind!" Issei exclaimed.

Vali blushed at that, while Ddraig laughed a bit at that.

**["It's not every day I hear my host declaring such a grand goal based on being worthy of his girlfriend to everyone's eyes! Much less that girlfriend being my mate's host!"]** Ddraig praised.

**("For once, I'll agree with you making that kind of remark.")** Albion chuckled.

Vali looked at the wall, smiling as she kept blushing.

'Issei, that was really sweet.' She thought happily.

At that moment, everyone heard Albion clear her throat, getting their attention.

**("Just make sure you remember what we just told you, after all... you never know when you may face an enemy that actually worries us.")** Albion warned, reminding them about Lilith's strength.

"Right, we'll keep an eye out for any looming threats." Issei promised.

* * *

Meanwhile, at Kuoh Academy, the sight of the Student Council arriving early was seen, something they often did due to their jobs.

"Hey, Saji? I managed to ace my test thanks to your tutoring." Ruruko thanked him.

"Don't thank me, you're the one who put in all that work to crush that test." Saji humbly replied.

Ruruko blushed at that.

"O-of course, I guess that's true." Ruruko stammered.

'The advantage of being a year younger...' Momo sighed, blushing for the same reason.

Sona was reading a book as she heard this.

'Those two really are smitten with him, and yet he doesn't even notice.' She thought, knowing exactly why.

Suddenly, she stopped in place, closing her book. This got the attention of her entire peerage.

"What's wrong, Sona?" Saji asked worriedly.

"Saji, look there." Tsubaki quickly replied.

Upon hearing the Sitri Queen state she noticed something, he turned in that direction. It was at that moment the entire council saw a familiar trio in white robes, all of them emitting an aura that didn't set well with Devils.

"They're from the church..." Saji breathed.

"No, that's not the problem." Sona replied.

She focused on the swords she noticed from the two, and the holy aura being emitted from them, and that Irina's entire body contained.

"I think we've finally got a lead on what was in that photo." The Sitri heiress realized.

* * *

Upon heading to school, Issei and Vali were suddenly stopped by a familiar duo of cousins.

"Hey, Issei!" Murayama called out.

"Hmm?" The Sekiryuutei turned to them.

The kendo duo came into view, making Vali wave at her two closest Human friends.

"Hey Kat, Muri. What's up?" Vali greeted.

"We just wanted to know if you wanted to go do karaoke in a few days." Katase asked.

"Karaoke?" Vali repeated.

"Yeah, we've only been hanging out at school so far, and thought we should do something in town. Think of it like a welcome party, and Issei can come too." Murayama replied.

Vali thought on that, smiling a bit.

"Sure thing, it sounds like fun." Vali agreed.

"How about you bring me in as well?" Kiryuu suggested with a sinister smile.

Everyone shouted as she noticed her.

"Kiryuu? Oh no, you are not inviting yourself!" Vali refused, waving her hands.

"You know, considering how Yuuma took my photo out of the blue the other day, you kinda owe me." Kiryuu countered.

"And what will you do if I refuse?" Vali asked.

It didn't take long before the Hakuryuukou got her answer, screaming as Kiryuu groped her.

"Get your hands off my girlfriend!" Issei screamed.

"Not until she agrees." Kiryuu smirked like a cat.

Vali whimpered, starting to cry before she looked at Kiryuu, finally caving in.

"Alright, you can go! Just please stop!" Vali begged.

Realizing that Vali was seriously crying, she let go, leaving Vali to drop to the ground as she covered her face.

"Kiryuu, you're so mean!" Vali sobbed.

"W-wait, I didn't even know that was crossing a line!" Kiryuu panicked.

Issei gave her a karate chop on the head, leaving the infamous Succubus of Kuoh with a noticeable swell bump.

"OK, I deserved that one..." Kiryuu admitted.

* * *

Within the old school building, Vali gasped at the light reflecting off the shiny new floor.

"Whoa! I know this school does a good job, but for this result in a building like this? I can't find the right words!" Issei exclaimed.

"Yeah, it's really..." Vali praised before suddenly stopping.

Issei blinked for a moment, only to see that she was looking at the Forbidden Room's door... which was still horribly filth.

"I get the feeling that it got called the Forbidden Room because when they first tried to clean it, Gasper scared them off." Issei suggested, a sweat drop on his face.

The special magic circle appeared, showing Valerie had just visited Gasper.

"Oh, good afternoon." Valerie greeted.

"Just saw Gasper I'm guessing?" Issei smiled.

"Yeah. I really wish you could meet him, but Rias can't let him out until Sirzechs gives her the green light, and I'm worried about if he'll even want to leave." Valerie replied, sighing at the end.

Issei gave her a confused look, while Vali blinked.

"It's hard to explain, and right now... we have a bigger problem." Valerie responded.

Recalling what happened last night, it was clear what that problem had to be. Walking into the ORC's room, they saw Rias sitting on the couch, with Yuuma, Arthur, and an apple munching Shirone all present.

"Oh, glad you finally made it." Rias greeted them.

"Yeah, Kiba didn't come to school today." Shirone said sadly, munching her apple.

"So, that means your worries are justified." Vali replied, looking worried.

The redheaded Devil nodded her head.

"There's a reason I said Kiba was a _survivor_ of the Holy Sword Project, and it's not pretty... see, Kiba was part of the project when he was a child. Not just that, but all the children were orphans living in a church affiliated orphanage." Rias revealed.

"No way, all of those kids being raised to artificially wield an Excalibur?" Vali gasped.

"Everyone one of them, and it delved into the same alchemy that let Excalibur be recreated as seven blades." Rias verified.

Issei suddenly realized something important, and asked about it.

"Rias, did Kiba actually learn how to use a Holy Sword? You said the project failed, but does fail in this case mean..." Issei inquired.

"He didn't, and neither did any of the children involved, but that's not even the worst of it... those in charge of the project did something that no one in Heaven would have ever authorized if they had been present." Rias answered.

She closed her eyes, and then...

"They... murdered all of those children, just to cover up what had happened."

Aside from Shirone, everyone in the room gave horrified reactions, it was enough that even the normally collected Arthur couldn't keep his usual expression. However, Vali's reaction was the worst. She collapsed to her knees, dry heaving a bit as she tried not to puke.

"H-hey Vali, just breath. It's OK..." Issei reassured her.

Taking a moment, Vali took a few deep breaths, regaining her composure as she stood back up.

"I never learned the specifics of how his friends in the project died, but Kiba was on the verge of death when I found him. Despite I had learned of the project's dark turn, since I was a Devil, going into the church was too risky... the only thing I could do was help save anyone that managed to escape. When I finally saw him, he had made a promise that one day, he would avenge his comrades."

"Seeing that, I felt I could help him, make him channel those feelings in a positive manner. Because of that, I made him my first Knight, and gave him a real name. I was hoping over the years, he'd finally quell his hatred, but... like Vali said the other night, it seems like his trauma was just too deep. He's going down a road I'm terrified of him following, and of losing him." Rias explained, her eyes tearing up.

Vali put a hand on her shoulder, knowing how hard it was for Rias to deal with this after only recently dealing with her engagement to Riser.

"I... I know it wasn't intentional, and completely beyond my control, but I can't feel like it isn't my fault he's gone back into his revenge." Issei apologized, his eyes closed as he hung his head down.

"No, don't blame yourself Issei. Since I have Caliburn, he'd have easily reacted the same way if I had used its holy power near him. It was a matter of when, and not how he fell back into this state of mind." Arthur interjected.

Vali looked at the two upon her Knight's remark.

"He's right Issei, we can't change what's already happened. The best we can do is make sure nothing bad happens." She stated.

Issei took a deep breath, nodding his head.

"OK, I'll do that." He promised.

At that moment, Akeno walked into the room, getting everyone's attention.

"Hi everyone, sorry for the wait." Akeno greeted.

"Akeno, why are you so late?" Rias asked.

"Well, Sona stopped me on the way here, and she has something important to say." Akeno answered, holding her arm out to the door.

At that moment, Sona walked in with her Queen.

"Sona? Tsubaki?" Issei said in surprise.

"Rias, Vali... can either of you come to me house? There's something... urgent that I can't discuss in front of a lot of people." Sona asked.

Both Kings looked nervous, with Vali scratching her cheek.

"How complicated?" Rias asked.

"Very." Sona replied.

"Alright, then I'll come." Rias decided.

Vali sighed.

"Me too, anything that involves this town gives me reason to worry." Vali agreed.

Sona nodded, looking at Issei.

"My apologies Issei, while I'd ask you to come too, this is..." Sona tried to explain without sounding weird.

"Don't worry, it's obvious this is a girl thing if you're asking me not to come, and Vali can simply fill me in when she gets back." Issei replied in understanding.

"That, and I need him to help me with my homework." Yuuma admitted, blushing in embarrassment.

Vali's cheeks puffed, nearly laughing at her reply's odd timing.

"Issei, I'll meet you back home later." Vali replied, still struggling to contain her laughter.

"Got it." Issei smiled.

With that, he and Yuuma began heading home, with Shirone following.

* * *

The group was soon at a crosswalk, where Shirone was about to separate from the group.

"I've never seen Sona look so... freaked out before." Issei remarked.

"Shirone, do you think this might be related to that silhouette in the photo?" Yuuma asked nervously.

The White Nekoshou shrugged her arms at that.

"Don't know, and besides... right now, I'm a lot more worried about Kiba." Shirone replied before admitting her worries.

Issei sighed, looking at her.

"Actually, I have to agree with you, especially after hearing he saw some many of his friends die." He replied with a somber look.

Yuuma gave a sad look, tearing up a bit.

"Well, I guess we can figure this out tomorrow. Later." Shirone waved goodbye, seeing the light change.

As Issei watched her walk off, a thought entered his mind.

"I wonder why some of us chose this life?" He wondered aloud.

"What do you mean, Issei?" Yuuma inquired.

"I mean, why did some of us become Devils? Akeno did it to save her mother's life, Shirone had the issue with her sister... just what kind of reasons do people have for becoming Devils?" Issei explained.

Hearing that, Yuuma actually had to wonder about that, as she joined Vali due to her sister's death weighing too much on her.

"Maybe... it has to do with freedom?" Yuuma suggested.

Recalling what Devils are about, the Sekiryuutei felt that might just be the answer.

However, before he could dwell on it, Issei felt his Devil instincts warn him about nearby holy energy, making him hold out an arm in front of Yuuma.

"Issei, w-what's wrong?" Yuuma was shaking like a leaf.

"My Devil Instincts just flared off, and that means trouble's nearby. The question is where is..." Issei wondered.

He gasped, sensing it from his house as he remembered what happened with Freed.

"My mom!" Issei screamed in a panic.

The Queen of Lucifer rushed home, making Yuuma look confused.

"Issei, wait for me!" She shouted, following him.

* * *

At Sona's house, all but the silvery-white haired Devil were in a washroom connected to her stronghold.

"Vali, are you sure you don't want to join us?" Akeno asked.

"I am, bathing this early makes me feel uncomfortable when I go to bed." Vali replied from outside the room.

With that, Rias turned to the Sitri heiress.

"So, what's the secret? Something tells me this is a god one." Rias inquired.

"When my peerage arrived at school this morning, I was contacted by a trio sent from the Vatican Church." Sona revealed.

That caught the attention of Sona's guests.

"No way, as in someone other than the Archbishop?" Vali asked.

"Last time the church came here directly, it was because of the incident with Cleria and Yaegaki's relationship. Did they tell you what they wanted?" Rias questioned.

"They did. It seems that they need to speak with you, and it's urgent... perhaps Yuuma's photo urgent." Sona revealed.

The Gremory heiress gasped.

"Why would they need to talk with any Devils? We're still in a truce at the moment, so that doesn't make any sense." Vali questioned, trying to figure it out.

"I don't know, but considering recent events, I decided to set up a meet between you tomorrow." Sona answered.

Wiping her glasses, she sighed a bit.

"And, there was a reason I figured it was better not to say no..." Sona mentioned.

"Not only where each of them carrying a Holy Sword, but one of them was an Angel." Tsubaki added.

"What?" Akeno gasped with worry.

Hearing this, Vali suddenly showed interest, standing on her feet.

"Sona, was one of them a girl with orange hair, and purple eyes?" The heiress of Lucifer asked.

"Hmm? Yes, why do you ask?" Sona answered, curious to the specific question.

"Sorry, but I'm needing back at home right now. Tell me the rest next time we meet up." Vali replied.

She vanished in a magic circle before any of them could respond.

* * *

Rushing into his house, Issei panted.

"Mom!" He screamed.

However, rather than the sight of a dead body, or complete darkness... the lights were all on, and he heard his mother laughing. Yuuma finally caught up, panting a bit.

"Issei, is... everything... OK?" Yuuma gasped for air.

"I think it is." Issei replied.

Walking to where he heard his mother, he saw her talking with Irina, Xenovia, and Jeanne. He sighed in relief at this, which finally got the attention of his mother. Irina herself gasped happily upon seeing him.

"There he is! Welcome home Issei, and good to see you Yuuma." Hana greeted.

"Issei, it's been a while!" Irina cheered, glomping him.

Seeing her smiling at him, Issei tilted his head.

"I'm sorry, but who are you?" He replied.

Irina froze at that, prompting Jeanne to puff her cheeks before snickering.

"Come on, how could you forget this face? It's me!" Irina replied, pointing at herself.

"Uh... no offense, but I think you're confusing me for someone else, because I've never seen you before." Issei answered.

Irina began to whimper, not liking where things were going.

"This joke isn't funny Issei, you know me!" Irina said, nearly crying.

The Sekiryuutei scratched his head over this, failing to recognize Irina over the fact he still didn't know she was Rin.

**['Hmm... why do I feel we're missing something?']** Ddraig wondered.

"Wait, is it just me, or does her hair and eyes resemble your old friend from that photo?" Yuuma noticed.

"See! I know you remembered!" Irina cheered as her good mood returned.

Issei got nervous at that.

"W-wait, how do you know Rin?" Issei asked.

And with that comment alone, Irina's eyes widened, suddenly realizing why Issei had been acting like he didn't recognize her.

"Oh god... I forgot to tell you I'm a girl before I left." She said quietly.

"Eh..." Issei blinked.

Hana's eyes widened, sweating as she realized her own ignorance in mentioning the fact after Vali had moved into town.

For both of Irina's teammates, they suddenly gave flat expressions, with the normally stoic Xenovia actually showing some surprise in her eyes. Yuuma looked at both sides before finally... she fainted.

"Wait, you're Rin? And you're really a girl!?" Issei screamed in surprise.

"I'm so sorry! I thought told you that day, but I didn't! Forgive me for being such an idiot!" Irina apologized, bowing a bit.

"Mom, please give me your chair... I need to sit down." Issei begged.

Hana stood up, helping her son onto the chair as he tried to regain his bearings... right as Jeanne started laughing.

"I can't believe you made your childhood friend think you were a dude! That's embarrassing, isn't it... Rin?" Jeanne giggled.

Irina puffed her cheeks in an angry blush, prompting Xenovia to elbow her a bit.

"Ow..." Jeanne winced.

"That's not funny Jeanne, and you're not allowed to use that nickname!" Irina shouted.

At that moment, Vali walked in, only to oddly look at the situation... along with the fact her Pawn was on the floor, still unconscious.

"Uh... what happened?" Vali asked, blinking at Yuuma.

Hearing that voice, Irina turned to see Vali, who quickly noticed her. She gasped in surprise, smiling a bit while Xenovia's eyes widened a bit, and Jeanne looked afraid.

"No way, Vali!" Irina cheered.

"Wait, not the tackle-" Vali panicked, holding out her hands.

She was tackled to the ground as Irina gave her a tackle hug. The act finally snapped Issei back into reality.

"Ow..." She groaned.

"Wait, you two know each other?" Issei asked in surprise.

"You know Issei?" Irina asked her.

Laughing nervously, the silver-haired Devil scratched her cheek before she got back on her feet.

"First off, Irina? This is my boyfriend." Vali revealed.

Irina's face froze at that moment, looking at Issei before looking at her, suddenly unable to find her voice. Then, Vali looked at Issei for the bigger shock.

"Now, for everyone else? Irina and I know each other because... we're cousins." Vali chuckled nervously.

The room immediately went silent at that, and then...

" **WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?** "

Irina laughed a bit at that, looking at her friends.

"Uh... you two go wait back at the church, I think I need to explain a few things." Irina recommended.

* * *

After Xenovia and Jeanne left the Hyoudou Household, the supernatural quartet was in Issei's room.

"So, you've been aware of the supernatural since we first met?" Issei asked, breaking the ice.

"That's right." Irina confirmed.

Issei paused for a moment, and then give a slight chuckle.

"Wow, that's... I honestly think I'm more shocked by the fact that you're Vali's cousin, and both of you ended up being my childhood friends." Issei remarked.

Irina soon gave a somber smile, getting Issei's attention.

**「** **Highschool DxD: Bokutachi no Omoi** **」**

"Those aren't the only things we have in common... both of us fell in love with you, but I guess I was destined to lose before I even began." Irina confessed.

Issei's eyes widened, wondering if she should comfort her or not. Luckily...

"No, it's OK, Issei... that was a reality I had to accept when I moved away. Besides, after everything that Vali went through, I can see the bright side in how healthy your relationship has been for her. Not only that, being her cousin means you two marrying would make me family, which is still a nice result." Irina smiled.

"Same old Irina, you always find a way to bounce back when you're sad." Issei praised.

Irina giggled, showing a slight blush on her face.

"So, based on what Vali told me during training camp... either your mother or father is one of the Great Seraphs, right?" Issei guessed.

"Yep." Irina confirmed.

For emphasis, she turned around to show her twelve Angel wings, which had a faint pink to them, and the halo forming above her head.

"Wait, a pink tint?" Issei asked Vali.

"While both of her parents are Angels, what makes Irina special is she's the daughter of Gabriel, the only female Great Seraph that stayed with Heaven." Vali explained.

Irina blushed a bit as she put both of them away.

"Does this weird you out?" Irina asked nervously.

"You kidding? Now I know how you and I were such good friends! Angels represent virtues, so it's no wonder you didn't run avoid me like everyone else." Issei shook his head, smiling at her.

Vali smiled at that, putting a hand on Irina's back.

"Issei told me before that his first friend saved him, so thanks for giving me the chance to finally give them my thanks." Vali said with gratitude.

Irina's eyes widened before she cried happy tears, sniffling a bit.

"My mom's right, I really do represent her virtue." Irina sniffled, feeling overwhelmingly happy.

"I can't believe that Issei had been living next to the Strongest and most Beautiful Woman in all of Heaven as a child..." Yuuma said to herself in shock.

Vali giggled a bit, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Well, my mom always tells me that Gabriel was my dad's favorite sister." She replied.

Issei looked at Irina, realizing something no one had brought up.

"Say, how did you and Vali first meet each other?" He asked.

"It was around 2 or 3 years ago, when her training journey brought her to America at the same time I had a mission there." Irina explained.

"Ah, so how much longer till I meet your Demon Princess cousin?" Issei replied.

The three in the room all went quiet at that, confusing Issei.

"Uh... hello?" He asked in confusion.

"We haven't actually met her, so we can't really give you an answer on that." Vali admitted.

Yuuma sighed, nodding to confirm the same.

"Uh... OK then, new question. Why are you and those two Holy Sword users here in Kuoh Town?" Issei inquired.

"Sorry Issei, but I think it's better I tell you that during tomorrow's meeting." Irina replied in apology.

"Fair enough, considering I'll be involved regardless. I'm just happy you accept that I'm a Devil." Issei reassured her.

Irina smiled, hugging him close.

"Because I know it's still you, and I truly await the day peace is established, because that's when our friendship will be as natural as before." Irina replied.

Issei smiled, and Irina soon went towards the window.

"Oh, and Vali?" Irina turned to her cousin.

"What is it?" Vali asked.

"Promise me you'll take care of Issei. Even if I can't be with him like you, at the very least, I want to make sure he's happy. He deserves it as much as you do." Irina requested.

Vali smiled at that, nodding.

"Of course, that's a promise I'll always keep." Vali promised.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

Closing her eyes, Irina gave a happy smile before she vanished in a cross of light.

"Issei, how do you feel right now?" Vali asked.

"That some friendships are too powerful to break, even ones between two worlds." Issei said confidently.

He pulled both Vali and Yuuma into a group hug.

* * *

A while later, Issei had been summoned by Cassiel again, who had since become his second regular alongside Morisawa. They were currently fishing by a river, where the Demon Queen noticed his good mood.

"Well, looks like some Devil's happy, is this the kind of good news you can share?" Cassiel inquired.

"Oh, that? Well... I met the first friend I ever made, and it turns out she's both an Angel, and my King's cousin. They're on good terms, and she's accepted what I am." Issei admitted.

Cassiel giggled a bit, realizing who he meant.

"Guess a Devil teenager isn't that different from a Human teenager." Cassiel joked.

Issei chuckled at that, though soon looked at the moon.

"Hmm? Something the matter?" Cassiel asked.

"Well, there's been some worry there's trouble recently, and I'm scared that relates to why I even got to meet my childhood friend." Issei explained.

"Then let me give you some friendly advice. Things usually go the way you want them to, so don't stress about tomorrow. After all, we can't know our futures, so we should focus on the today we're living in now." Cassiel advised.

Issei blinked at that, and soon smiled.

"Thanks, that helped a lot." Issei said in gratitude.

"Here's something else you can thank me for, warning you that a fish is on your line." Cassiel snickered.

Issei noticed this, and reeled in the fish... which was tiny.

"Well, at least this is what my bad luck for today ended up as." Issei chuckled.

Cassiel giggled with him.

* * *

The following afternoon, the ORC and MHC were gathered in the former club's room, with the church trio sitting on the couch opposing the one Rias was seated on. Irina was in the middle, Xenovia on the left, and Jeanne on the right.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with us today. I'm Irina Shidou, the daughter of Gabriel." Irina introduced herself.

"Greetings, my name's Xenovia Quarta." Xenovia replied.

"And Xenovia's partner, but also Joan of Arc's reincarnation, Jeanne d'Arc." Jeanne replied.

Vali looked at Rias.

"Irina also happens to be Issei's childhood friend, _Rin_." Vali revealed.

That made everyone look at Issei in surprise, who laughed embarrassingly.

"In our defense, she forgot to tell me she was a girl before she moved away." Issei chuckled awkwardly.

"And she's was all-" Jeanne giggled.

Like the night before, she was elbowed, but this time by Irina.

"Ow!"

Irina cleared her throat, motioning for the Devil side to continue.

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you all. Though I am curious why followers of God needed to meet with Devils." Rias asked the question everyone was all thinking.

"It is unusual, but that's exactly the problem... you know how Six of the Excaliburs are guarded by the Church?" Irina asked.

Rias nodded, making Irina sigh.

"Unfortunately, we just had half of them stolen by Fallen Angels." She revealed.

Yuuma's eyes widened, slamming her hands on the couch.

"No, that can't be! I thought we were done with the rogues working for my sister!" She exclaimed.

"Rogues with who now?" Jeanne questioned.

The Fallen Angel blushed, sliding under the couch as Le Fay rubbed her head.

"We had to deal with a group of rogue Fallen Angels not too long ago, and Yuuma's sister was the traitor in charge of them. Do you think these the thieves could be connected to them?" Vali explained, then inquired.

"If they were, then I regret to inform you we have no information to connect them." Xenovia answered.

They revealed the swords they were carrying, bringing them into view.

"These are the three we still have. Mine is the Holy Sword of Divine Strength, or Excalibur Destruction." Xenovia stated as she showed it.

"I have the Holy Sword of Blessed Miracles, better known as Excalibur Blessing." Jeanne happily remarked, leaving her other sword untouched.

Irina pulled the string on her arm off, and it became a katana.

"And then I've got the Holy Sword of Mimicry, the Excalibur Mimic." Irina revealed before changing it back.

"I see, then what is it you'd like for us to do for you?" Rias inquired.

"Just your permission to be in your territory until we deal with the problem. Also, as this is between us and the Fallen Angels, we'd prefer you stay out of this if there's no need for us to involve you." Xenovia answered.

"That sounds a bit like an accusation to me." Rias replied.

Xenovia chuckled a bit, a brief smile on her face.

"Forgive me, I don't mean to sound like you'd side with the Fallen Angels. I'm well aware of your brother's reputation to know that you wouldn't be so stupid, nor would the daughter of the Devil King himself, if Irina's words are just as accurate as she makes them out to be." Xenovia apologized.

Jeanne sighed in relief, glad Xenovia was being more flexible than usual.

"So, does this mean you'll agree to our request?" Jeanne asked.

"On the name of the Gremory Clan, and my older brother, I shall accept your request. Keep in mind, you shall alert me to what you're doing every day this mission is ongoing, as this is still my territory." Rias agreed.

"That we can promise. I trust that we will prevail before you have any need to intervene, we won't take any more of your time." Irina smiled.

As the three got up to leave, Xenovia looked at Asia, slightly scaring the Bishop of Lucifer.

"Just keep calm Asia, they don't want to cause a fight." Issei whispered.

Despite hearing that, Asia couldn't calm down.

"I was wondering if visiting this town would lead us to you. Aren't you Asia Argento, the former Holy Maiden?" Xenovia remarked.

"Whoa, it is really is her! Our sword master told us he helped you escape from the Vatican after you healed a Devil that somehow snuck in, that kind of healing is really strong! I wish I had that power." Jeanne realized.

Unfortunately, those words only made Asia shake in place, almost like she was about to have a panic attack.

"Jeanne, stop it! I think you're hitting a sore spot!" Irina warned.

It took her a moment to see the Lucifer Bishop's trembling form, with Yuuma holding her shoulders to try and calm her.

"Hey, are you OK?" Jeanne asked.

"Of course not, she can't have any good memories of what happened. You should have considered that before you said anything." Xenovia sighed.

Jeanne's eyes widened at that.

"My apologies, I didn't mean to trigger her." Jeanne apologized.

"If there's a fight starting to brew, then this is perfect. I'll take all of you on."

That voice caught everyone's attention, making them see Kiba by the door, with Jeanne's eyes shaking as he saw him.

"No way, it can't be..." She whispered.

Irina noticed the look in her eyes, it was the same one she had from finding that chunk of hair the night before.

"Who are you?" Xenovia asked.

"Your superior, a survivor of the Holy Sword project." Kiba answered.

Jeanne's eyes fully widened at that.

"H-hey, Kiba? Don't do this." Vali warned, not liking where this is going.

"Wait, maybe this is a good thing." Issei suggested.

Everyone looked at him.

"If Kiba can't beat someone with an Excalibur, that might destroy his incentive to take revenge. There's no point in him chasing such a goal if he knows he can't succeed." Issei explained.

Rias showed surprise at the idea, realizing it might just work.

"Irina? I have a suggestion, if you don't mind." Rias requested.

"I think I know what you're suggesting, but I'd like to make an extension to that request." Irina replied.

* * *

Outside of the old school building, the sight of Issei and Kiba was seen they were face to face with Jeanne and Xenovia respectively. Akeno had already set up a magical barrier, guaranteeing no one would see the fight.

"Alright then, let's begin." Xenovia declared.

Both of them removed their cloaks, revealing Xenovia was wearing a black body suit that seemed a bit... revealing for outfits related to the church. As for Jeanne, her outfit was a white, short-sleeved sailor fuku uniform, with orange armor on top of it.

"Are you sure this is OK? Should we be fighting people from the church without permission?" Le Fay questioned asked.

"It's just an informal bout, not an official battle. We're in the clear as long as no one says anything." Rias answered.

Jeanne drew Excalibur Blessing, causing a holy aura to glow around her, while the wrappings around Excalibur Destruction come undone. With her sword ready for use, the blue-haired Exorcist marked the battle had begun.

"Consider it a drill, no killing." Xenovia declared.

Jeanne looked at Issei gauging his strength.

"So, my opponent is the Sekiryuutei, this is quite the honor." Jeanne admitted.

Issei chuckled a bit.

"Haven't heard anyone define my powers like that before." Issei replied.

"I hope you don't mind, but I'd like to see what you can do before I go full out." Jeanne warned him.

The Lucifer Queen nodded, picking up the wooden sword he was lent.

Xenovia quickly saw Kiba was laughing, getting her attention as it slightly unnerved her.

"Why are you laughing?" She inquired.

"Because... the one thing I've always to destroy has finally appeared before me." Kiba replied.

Around him, Xenovia saw multiple swords form.

'Those swords, does he have the same ability as Jeanne?' Xenovia wondered as she saw it.

Arthur looked at all three sides, raising his hand.

"You may begin!" Arthur announced.

Jeanne rushed ahead, prepared to slash down against Issei.

The Sekiryuutei's eyes widened as he tried to parry, only for his sword to shatter into splinters upon colliding with hers, with Jeanne not looking surprised in the slightest.

"What the hell? I thought this was a friendly fight!" Issei shouted in surprise.

"Sorry, but that's the power of Excalibur Blessing for you. It truly blesses those who wield it with God's divine strength." Jeanne answered.

Tossing his sword away, Issei held out his Boosted Gear.

'I guess this being a friendly spar isn't keeping her from holding back.' Issei realized.

**["BOOST!"]**

Seeing him use his Longinus, the Maiden of Orleans sheathed her Excalibur, getting Issei's attention.

"What're you doing?" Issei blinked.

"You'll see." She replied.

She held out her hands before swinging them forward.

" **Shadow Eraser!** "

The ground in front of her was transformed into a ring of holy swords, getting the Sekiryuutei's attention.

"No way!" Issei gasped.

"Shadow Eraser... is that the counterpart of Kiba's Sacred Gear?" Bikou realized.

"It is."

Everyone saw Tiamat suddenly standing with the group.

"While the Holy Eraser is a Sacred Gear that makes inferior Cursed Swords, the Shadow Eraser does the reverse to create inferior Holy Swords. Quite the odd coincidence she has it..." Tiamat noted, looking at her and Kiba.

Issei readied himself, remembering what the blades made from the Holy Eraser could do.

"Let me guess, you're making a bunch of swords meant to counter Ddraig's power?" He inquired.

"Oh no, I just figured it would be better to fight a Dragon with another Dragon." Jeanne answered.

Issei was confused by that, until Jeanne's eyes glowed.

" **Balance Breaker!** "

The ring of Holy Swords suddenly grew, making all the Devils gasp as they gathered together, and then... transformed into a silvery and blue Dragon with glowing yellow eyes. Once it was fully formed, the Dragon gave a mighty roar.

"No way, a Dragon made of Holy Swords? I didn't know Jeanne had this kind of power!" Irina said in surprise.

"Say hello to my _Stake Victim Dragon_ , it's one of my three Balance Breakers." Jeanne declared.

"You have three!?" Issei exclaimed.

Ddraig hummed a bit, taking a closer look at the aura of her Sacred Gear.

**["It doesn't look any of them are Sub-Species either."]** Ddraig remarked.

"Sub-species?" Issei repeated.

**["A special type of Balance Breaker made from the user, a personal power if you will. However, they're much harder to unlock than a normal Balance Breakers."]** Ddraig clarified.

At that moment, she grabbed her other sword, revealing it was a rapier. However, the moment Issei saw it, he gasped in shock...

It was the very sword Irina's family used to have.

"Behold, the Holy Rapier of Purification that my ancestor once wielded, Hauteclere!" Jeanne announced.

"Damn, you really don't know how to hold back, do you?" Issei realized.

"If I wasn't holding back, you'd have been hit by my little dragon's Arcana Laser." She countered.

Issei flinched at that, right as her Dragon flew forward.

"Still, it would be disrespectful to not face you with every ounce of my strength that I can!" She declared.

"This could be bad." Issei realized, sweating a bit.

The Stake Victim Dragon's claw swung forward, and right as it was about to strike Issei...

**["BLADE!"]**

A sword suddenly stretched out of the Sacred Gear, parrying against the Dragon's claws. Jeanne gasped as at the sight of what was connected to Issei's Boosted Gear.

"No way, that's..." Jeanne realized.

Issei looked to see what looked to be a European sword with a reddish-purple grip, and a golden hilt with stylized crosses at the edges of the guard.

"I don't believe it... that's Ascalon, the lost Holy Sword of Dragon Slaying!" Jeanne remarked.

"Wait, you mean this is a Holy Sword? Then why do I have it?" Issei asked in surprise.

**["One of my previous hosts was allied to the church, and was capable of wielding a Holy Sword, which was this one. He had synchronized to the Boosted Gear, and died without taking it out.]"** Ddraig explained.

"And you never mentioned this because..." Issei inquired.

**["Because only another host with the same ability would be able to remove it, and I have no way of detecting what makes that possible. If you're able to summon it now..."]** Ddraig explained, realizing what it must mean.

Issei blinked as he started piecing it together, and decided to take it out, showing he could hold it.

"A Sekiryuutei that's a Holy Sword user..." Jeanne breathed.

"Guess I've finally found a sword that works for me. Ascalon, lend me your power!" Issei shouted.

Hearing his words, the Holy Sword glowed even brighter, surprising Jeanne at how much of the sword's light element was being poured out.

Irina whistled a bit, getting the attention of the two.

"We'll call it there, I'm worried what might happen if you two go any further." The golden-haired Angel stated.

"Thank you." Jeanne sighed in relief.

Putting the sword back into the Boosted Gear, the Queen of Lucifer walked up to Jeanne, and offered her a hand.

"You were pretty good, that Stake Victim Dragon's got some serious power in its body." He praised.

"Thanks, and you're not too bad yourself." Jeanne replied.

Irina looked at Issei at that moment, wondering why the sword managed to release a level of power like the one she did. Her thoughts were quickly cut off when she heard Kiba and Xenovia's swords clashing.

The two broke off, with Xenovia taking a close look at him, comparing his Sacred Gear to the ones wielded by his fellow Devils.

"The Boosted Gear, Divine Dividing, Sephiroth Graal, Twilight Healing, and your Holy Eraser... I'm quite impressed the Devils were able to gather many of the powerful sacred treasures to their side, much less one of the Holy Relics." Xenovia remarked.

"I have another power, one that comes from the grudges from of my fallen comrades." Kiba stated.

He held out his sword, soon rushing at her.

"With this power, I will destroy all seven Excaliburs, and annihilate their wielders!" Kiba screamed.

Xenovia calmly parried his blows.

'I think I see why Irina agreed to this, this boy's judgment is completely clouded by hatred right now.' Xenovia thought.

"Hey, is it just me, or is Kiba not using his usual sword technique?" Valerie noticed.

"No, he clearly isn't using it. All he's trying to do is smash that Excalibur apart." Akeno realized, sweating a bit.

"Kiba..." Rias said softly, showing her worry.

Xenovia swung forward, shattering Kiba's blade, and making him growl. As they broke off, Kiba grabbed two swords with elemental properties in them.

"It's time for you to burn, and then freeze!" Kiba shouted.

Kiba charged while wildly swinging a flurry of slashes with the two blades, despite they were too far to hit his opponent.

"How naive!" Xenovia exclaimed.

She swung Excalibur Destruction again, shattering both blades before spinning her blade in the air. Holy power charged into the tip of the sword, catching Irina's attention.

"It's time you learn the name of this sword's not just for show!" Xenovia declared.

"Everyone, heads up!" She warned.

Xenovia slammed the sword into the ground, causing a huge tremor as it discharged holy energy throughout the surrounding area, knocking a few of the others off their feet. When it was over, a crater had been made where she struck the ground.

"Holy shit!" Issei shouted.

"Yeah, that sword's name isn't for show. It's a light sword with the strength of a large and heavy one." Jeanne confirmed.

As Xenovia got back on her feet, Kiba stared in surprise.

"So, it's still this strong after being split into seven pieces? Then I guess there's going to be a lot of carnage when I destroy all of them." Kiba remarked.

Tiamat's eyebrow raised as Kiba screamed, creating a large sword that was much large than his body.

"That's it, he's lost." Tiamat sighed.

"Huh?" Issei looked at her.

Tiamat didn't answer, just motioning to everyone that they needed to watch.

"Let's see which of these destructive swords is more destructive!" Kiba announced.

He rushed at Xenovia, causing everyone to see what Tiamat had noticed... the giant sword had sealed away his Knight speed.

Sighing, Xenovia rushed ahead, and simply slammed her sword's hilt into his gut at her choice of attack. Right at that moment, Kiba's eyes widen as he felt the pain, collapsing as he held his stomach in pain.

"Your only weapons are your speed as a Knight, and a bunch of swords. Not only does your body lack the strength to wield a large sword, but you sacrifice that very speed in the process. As a fellow swordsman, and my so-called superior, it shames me you didn't realize that fact." Xenovia stated bluntly.

"Exactly, that wasn't what I trained Kiba for either. His physiology's better suited to him being a Knight." Tiamat confirmed.

Kiba reached out as Xenovia walked away.

"No... wait!" Kiba grunted.

Rias finally intervened.

"Kiba, stand down." Rias announced, making him gasp.

"She's right, it was clear you'd lose this match when you never intended to fight rationally. You wouldn't beat anyone in the state you're in." Xenovia agreed, glaring at him.

Kiba grunted angrily as the church trio picked up their robes.

"Well, I guess we'll be going now, thanks for the warm up." Irina said in gratitude.

As they were about to leave...

"W-wait! By chance, do you know any particular Fallen Angels behind this whole mess? I should probably let my dad know about this." Yuuma asked.

"Oh, that's a good point. The culprit was Kokabiel." Irina revealed.

Yuuma gasped in horror at that, quickly holding her head to everyone's surprise.

"Yuuma, what's wrong?" Vali asked.

"No, not him... it can't be, he didn't!" Yuuma stammered, her voice filled with horror.

"She's completely terrified, but why?" Issei asked.

"Because he's the worst Fallen Angel that could be involved in all of this." Akeno revealed.

Everyone looked at her.

"Oh yeah, your father's one of the cadres. Then the reason Yuuma's freaking out is..." Issei question.

"Because among all the cadre, Kokabiel refuses peace, being the only one that's pro-war. If he stole the Excaliburs, then that's easily what he's planning." Akeno explained.

"No way, and they only sent the three of you? The three of you are more likely to die." Rias warned.

"We know, but Lord Michael believed that if he sent any more than us, we'd play right into Kokabiel's hands... it's sad, but the truth is either we risk our lives, or risk a Second Great War." Irina replied.

Rias hated to admit it, but that reasoning was fairly justified.

"And this is happening in my territory no less... damn it." She sweated at the thought.

"We've already seen the casualties. Last night, a priest who came to check things out in advance was killed before we could help him." Jeanne revealed.

Kiba's eyes widened.

"I saw the one who killed him... Freed Sellzen." Kiba revealed.

"That psycho's still alive?" Issei said in surprise.

Xenovia put her hand to her chin.

"So, a stray priest as well? It definitely seems like he needs the Excaliburs for whatever he's doing... if we can get them back, we might be able to avoid the worst." Xenovia theorized.

"He definitely had an Excalibur, I saw it firsthand." Kiba added.

"Then we have our first lead." Jeanne remarked.

The trio headed off, with Kiba glaring at them. Jeanne looked at Kiba, almost like she wanted to say something, but... she hesitated, and then just followed the others. Issei noticed this.

'Weird, she seemed interested in Kiba, and she was surprised to see him... I wonder why?" Issei questioned.

"Kiba, where are you going?"

Issei's attention focused to Kiba, who everyone noticed began to walk off.

"You do realize I will never permit me you to leave me. Remember, you are a Knight of the House of Gremory."

"I'm sorry, president, but my loyalty to my comrades is more important to me." Kiba apologized.

Kiba disappeared before anyone could react.

"Wait, Kiba!" Issei shouted.

"Don't, it's no good." Tiamat sighed sadly.

Everyone looked at her, seeing the Blue Dragoness was just as troubled, but something in her eyes told them to stand down.

"As he is right now, our words would just push him further into the path of revenge. We need to give him some time." Tiamat advised.

Rias looked down with teary eyes, hurt by Kiba's words.

"Oh, Kiba..."

* * *

Back at the hospital, the machine reading the white-haired girl's vitals suddenly picked up more.

"What the?" A nurse wondered.

She saw the readings, noticing they were starting to reach dangerous levels.

"Quick, this one's reacting to something! Keep her steady!" The nurse shouted.

"No way, is she waking up?" The doctor wondered.

The doctor got the defibrillator, and gave her a light charge. Her breathing picked up as the readings got worse, forcing more of the staff to act, until... her readings suddenly reverted to normal, and her eyes shot open.

"Isaiah!"

* * *

**I think you all know what just happened with that last scene, because the only girl that has white hair in twin tails that Kiba knows is Tosca. Why did I wake her up early? I can't reveal why I did this story-wise at the moment, but I can definitely say that she'll be Kiba's love interest in the story. While I do think Kiba/Tsubaki is a good pairing, I prefer to pair Kiba with Tosca because of their history as Holy Sword Project survivors.**

**And for Irina, we have the revelation she's Gabriel's daughter, which means by the nature of the Great Seraph's technically being siblings, that makes her one of Vali's non-Devil cousins. As you can see, they're on good terms, good enough that while Irina's said that she can't be Issei's girlfriend, what matters more to her is both of them are happy, and that Issei still appreciates their friendship after all these years.**

**The biggest surprise in this chapter, at least in my opinion, was the fact that I gave Ascalon to Issei a lot earlier than in canon. While I did hint he'd be using it more in this story by the fact he's learned some kendo, I don't think any of you expected it to have already been inside the Boosted Gear. Also, Irina has a good point... how did Issei managed to draw out the sword's holy elements like he did?**

**Jeanne showed her stuff this chapter, not only showing she's a skilled rapier wielder, but has "three" Balance Breakers. I don't think the other two are a surprise, so I don't need to say anything else. Now for why I made Hauteclere a rapier? The name sounds French, rapiers are swords that rely on refined strikes due to their shape, and Joan of Arc was born in France.**

**By this point, you've probably noticed Jeanne has taken quite the unexpected interest in Kiba after seeing him. Well, I think this chapter's already giving some major clues, so I'll only say I'll either confirm, or deny your suspicions soon enough. For now, I'll just say I renamed her Sacred Gear for the same reason I changed the name of Kiba's, and for the same purpose.**

**You'll also notice that I didn't have Xenovia mention the witch comment, but still made Asia uncomfortable. I'll say there's a different reason for Asia's reaction, but that won't be revisited for a long time. It might just be me, some of the earlier volumes had a lot of forced scenes, Xenovia's antagonism to Asia being one of them, when Kiba was in a better position to start a conflict with her.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

* * *

**Vali's Peerage** **:**

**King - Valiana Lucifer**  
Queen - Issei Hyoudou  
Bishops - Le Fay Pendragon, Asia Argento  
Knights - Arthur Pendragon, Unclaimed Knight  
Rooks - Bikou, Kuroka Toujou (Mutation Piece: x2 Multiplier)  
Pawns - Yuuma Amano (x2), Six Unclaimed Pawns

* * *

**Rias' Peerage** **:**

**King - Rias Gremory**   
**Queen - Akeno Himejima**   
**Bishops - Gasper Vladi (Mutated Piece: x4 Multiplier, Sealed), Valerie Tepes (Mutation Piece: x6 Multiplier)**   
**Knights - Kiba Yuuto, Unclaimed Knight**   
**Rooks - Shirone Toujou, Unclaimed Rook**   
**Pawns - Eight Unclaimed Pawns**

* * *

**Sona's Peerage** **:**

**King - Sona Sitri**  
Queen - Tsubaki Shinra  
Bishops - Momo Hanakai, Reya Kusaka  
Knights - Tomoe Meguri, Unclaimed Knight  
Rooks - Tsubasa Yura, Unclaimed Rook  
Pawns - Saji Genshirou (x4), Ruruko Nimura (x4)

* * *

**Bust Size of New Female Characters** **:**

**Tosca - 97 cm**

* * *

**Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter** **:**

**【** **Custom Spell Aria** **】** **  
The chant used by Magicians when they use Custom Magic spells, being the activation key for making their magic circles recognize which spell they're casting.**

* * *

**Pairings List** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating**   
**Ddraig/Albion - Married**   
**Tiamat/Fafnir - Married**   
**Saji/Sona - Master and Retainer**   
**Gasper/Valerie - Best Friends**   
**Kiba/Tosca - Friends**


	13. Chapter 13

**Welcome back everyone! Last chapter we had the long-awaited reunion between Issei and Irina, while also revealing she's Vali's cousin. Not only that, but Tosca has finally woken up, and now she's gonna wonder what's been going on since she went comatose from her Sacred Gear. Most of all, there's the fact that Jeanne seems to know Kiba, but he himself doesn't recognize her.**

**The good news there? This chapter's gonna reveal how Jeanne knows him! Oh, and speaking of the church trio, I forgot to mention this earlier. Despite Irina is familiar with the duo, she doesn't work with them often, with Jeanne taking her place as Xenovia's partner, being the technical leader of the duo. Although, with Irina present, her Angel heritage makes her the group's leader for this mission.**

**For those curious about Tosca, she's still in the Vatican, and needs to get to Japan before she can do anything to influence how the arc goes. The only thing I can say is that she'll make it to Japan before the arc ends, and it'll only be when she makes it that she'll influence the story. For now, she needs to get there, and that's gonna be the hard part ^^;**

**So, without further ado, let's get this chapter started!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

**[]** \- Ddraig Talking

**«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

**「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

**【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

**⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

**Aura Break**

**The bloodline ability tied to the Gremory Clan, and one of the few that you can't judge by appearance alone. A special attribute of the Gremory Clan is they have a secondary magical storage within their bodies that's normally left unused, and will only be unleashed by activating the Aura Break. Upon its usage, the mass of power that gets released creates incredible pressure that can be felt around an estimated 10-yard radius.**

**Due to the current generation of the Gremory's also possessing the Power of Destruction through Zeoticus Gremory's marriage to Venelana Bael, the Aura Break has only become that much more useful, as it can enhance the Bael Clan's signature ability in the same manner, leading Ajuka to theorize it can do the same to other bloodline abilities that use magic.**

**Currently, the best user of the Aura Break is Sirzechs, who learned how to combine it with his Power of Destruction, leading to his infamous "Aura of Destruction" ability, which easily earned him his title as the Great Devil of the Lucifer name. Rias on the other hand is the least experienced user of her clan's signature ability, but has begun rectifying this as of her Rating Game with Riser.**

**As best mentioned by Sirzechs himself, the Aura Break represents how even lower ranked Devils still have powerful abilities.**

* * *

**_Season 2, Excalibur Arc: Chapter 3 - Regrets of Arc_ **

Panting heavily, the white-haired girl panted, looking around in confusion.

"W-where am I? Where's Isaiah and Mary?" She panicked.

"Tosca, calm down, and we'll explain-" The nurse reassured her.

However, before she could say anymore, Tosca began screaming. As the stress overwhelmed her, she accidentally activated her Sacred Gear, sending everyone flying as a blue barrier burst off her form. At that moment, she instantly fled the hospital.

"Tosca, wait!" The nurse called out to her.

Getting up, the doctor sighed a bit.

"I should have expected this reaction. She stopped aging for a brief period, and it left her comatose until now, she's too confused to trust people she's not familiar with." He remarked.

"But, if that's the case, how do we help her? She's not safe on her own." The nurse inquired.

The doctor took out her phone.

"Luckily, I know someone that should be able to help her calm down." The doctor said as the phone rang.

* * *

Tosca ran through the forest near the church, without any signs of muscle atrophy to slow her down. She remembered the Holy Sword Project's building was stationed in it, and tried desperately to find it within the shroud of trees.

"Isaiah! Mary!" Tosca called out, panting as she kept running.

After a bit, her long coma period finally began to her, making her nearly trip as she felt her lack of energy blur her vision. Eventually, she fell to the ground, right at the nightmare of a building she had been in prior to waking up... only to see it was abandoned, and in ruins.

"It's... what's going on? I was just here!" Tosca gasped in horror.

"So, this is where you ran off to."

Her eyes widened in fear as she turned around, seeing someone walk into view. It was an 87-year old man with white hair, and wrinkles on his face, yet had the body of an extremely muscular man, including a thick neck, chest, arms, and legs.

"W-who are you?" Tosca asked fearfully.

"The name's Vasco Strada, pleasure to meet you little lady." Vasco introduced himself as he picked her up.

Tosca's eyes widened.

"The former Durandal wielder?" She said as she recognized his name.

Vasco gave a tooth smile.

"That's right, and I see you've noticed this place is in ruins. Well, you need to listen carefully, because there are things you might not understand." Vasco answered.

Tosca nodded, and he took a deep breath.

"The nightmare before us has been abandoned for years, ever since we learned what Valper Galilei did. Even worse, aside from yourself, there were only two other survivors... one of which only survived due to not being here when it happened." He revealed.

"Y-years?" Tosca gasped.

At that moment, she finally took a look at herself, realizing she was the same age as a First-Year at Kuoh Academy.

"No way, this is... wait, what about Isaiah? What about Mary? Did they make it out? Are they OK!? Please, I need to-" Tosca panicked as her mind went into overdrive.

"Breathe little one." Vasco interjected.

She paused before doing just that, managing to calm herself down.

"Good, now to answer your question? Both of them were the other survivors." Vasco revealed.

Tosca gasped, soon smiling in relief.

"Please, I need to see them! Where are they!?" She begged him.

"Unfortunately, neither of them are in this country just right now. They're both in Japan." Vasco answered.

Hearing this, Tosca began to tear up.

"Don't give in just yet. If you really want to see them, I can take you there." Vasco offered.

"R-really!?" Tosca gasped in surprise.

"Yeah, my honor as a member of the church. However, there's one question I have for you... are you ready to face anything to see them again?" Vasco inquired.

Hearing this, Tosca thought for a moment... then made her choice.

"Yes, no matter what... I need to see them again!" Tosca shouted with resolve.

* * *

Meanwhile, back in Japan, the night sky had risen into view. Irina was seen with Xenovia, who was groaning as she laid on the floor, staring at a wall.

"No doubt about it, this is a trial from God we need to face..." The golden-haired Angel sighed.

"Do you really believe that?"

Irina turned as Jeanne walked into the room, staring at Xenovia.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked.

"Maybe because you were the one who spent all our money on that picture!" Jeanne reminded her, slight anger on her face as she pointed at it.

Irina's expression went flat as she remembered.

"The exhibitionist said that was a picture of an honest to goodness holy person, why would he lie?" Xenovia asked.

"Not that, I'm asking why you had to actually _buy_ the picture?" Jeanne groaned.

Irina blinked before giving a nervous chuckle.

"Uh... why are we even arguing about this?" She questioned, looking at the duo.

Jeanne sighed before slumping onto the ground.

"Wow... when you two get depressed, it really shows." Irina replied with a guilty look.

At that moment, the trio heard their stomachs growl.

"Well, this is a problem... I doubt we have anyone who's from the Shinto Pantheon in this town, and we're in no condition to get the Excaliburs like this. I guess our best bet is going out on main street, and hoping people are kind enough to donate." Jeanne remarked.

"Are you sure you'd be in any condition to do that after you ate?" Irina asked.

Jeanne looked at her in confusion.

"What do mean by that?" She questioned.

"Well, it might just be me, but you've been acting a bit out of it ever since you saw Rias' Knight show up." Irina mentioned.

"Uh, that's..." Jeanne replied.

Moments after saying that, she sighed a bit, looking at the two.

"How am I supposed to act? For so many years, I thought he was dead, and I left him on his own." She replied, tearing up a bit.

"Hmm?" The two blinked in confusion.

She looked at them, a sad look on her eyes.

"I knew it the moment he brought out his Holy Eraser, there's no way anyone other than _him_ could have it." Jeanne stated.

"Him?" Xenovia repeated.

"Isaiah... my twin brother." Jeanne revealed.

And with that, the sound of Excalibur Destruction falling off Xenovia's back was heard, with her and Irina's faces frozen in shock.

"Oh, my God..." Irina breathed.

* * *

The following morning at Kuoh Academy, Kiryuu and the Perverted Duo were in the hall. Asia and a distracted Issei were in the hall, as the former announced her invitation to the Bishop of Lucifer.

"Congrats, we're inviting you to karaoke with us all!" Kiryuu declared, pointing at Asia.

Asia showed some surprise at that.

"You're coming along too, right Asia?" Motohama asked.

"Yeah, I'm planning on it." Asia smiled.

Issei didn't even notice, still thinking about how the Boosted Gear even had a Holy Sword linked to it, alongside the fact Kiba was dangerously close to becoming a Stray Devil.

The perverted duo quickly noticed their friend's mind

"Hey, Issei? What's got you out of sorts?" Matsuda asked.

Issei sighed, making them both sweat drop at his response.

"I think he's worried about Kiba, he's been acting so differently lately." Asia answered for him.

"That... actually makes sense. He's been absent for two days already, and he normally never misses school, especially for more than a day." Kiryuu quickly noted the oddity of his absence.

While that happened, a familiar face got close to Asia.

"Hey Asia, be careful not to let Issei's downer aura rub off on you." Saji warned.

Asia blushed once he saw how close he was.

"Oh, how are you doing Saji?" Asia asked, blushing from how close he was.

"Better now that I've laid eyes on you." Saji answered.

Saji's presence suddenly got Issei's attention, but for an entirely different reason than one might think.

'That's weird, I feel something different from Saji.' Issei thought.

**[Hmm... I think I recognize what it is, and it's probably only now because of unique conditions.]** Ddraig mentioned.

'What do you mean?' Issei questioned.

The Sekiryuutei listened his partner whispered something to him, making his eyes widen. Looking out on the field, he saw Vali helping Tiamat with some supplies, and got their attention with a hand motion.

"Hmm?" Vali blinked in curiosity.

* * *

Issei was sitting at a table at the local "Cafe de Chaton", sipping an orange juice as he waited for a certain pawn to come. As he sipped, his guest finally arrived.

"Hey, Hyoudou." Saji called out.

"Hey, sorry for calling you out here." Issei apologized.

"No worries mean, so what's up?" Saji asked, taking a seat.

Issei began whispering everything to him through his ear, and it took only seconds for his eyes to widen, then give the appropriate response.

"Hell no! Are you even serious!?" Saji shouted in denial.

"Serious, serious!" Issei confirmed.

Saji panicked at that, catching the other guest's attention. Realizing this, he calmed down, clearing his throat.

"Seriously though, Kokabiel? There's nothing but trouble if he's involved with anything! We're gonna get murdered for sure, and I'm still too young to go!" Saji cried.

"Akeno said he was bad, and Yuuma panicked, but... is he really that bad?" Issei questioned.

"He's worse! No one knows if it's true, but there's a lot of people believe **he** started the Great War!" Saji revealed.

Issei spit his drink back into his glass, coughing a bit.

"Are you kidding me!?" Issei exclaimed.

"I am not kidding you!" He answered.

Issei's mind gained a mental image of his face stretching out vertically, screaming like a cartoon.

"How should I describe it? Your master is Vali, and she's basically an Angel in a Devil's body. Rias is strict, but at least she's reasonable. However, when it comes to Sona, she's not afraid to make her punishments that are completely draconian! Take away all the good, morality, and amplify all those negative tropes to their worst... that's exactly what Kokabiel is like!" Saji whimpered, tearing up.

The Sekiryuutei's face began to pale.

'He can't be exaggerating if he's crying about it! Seriously, what did we get pulled into?' Issei wondered in horror.

Saji got up.

"No way man, you're on your own!" Saji stated as he walked off.

Saji attempted to leave, only to suddenly be grabbed by Vali, who was sitting at the table had walked towards. Both he and Issei turned to see her, surprised by her presence.

"Saji, you're staying put. Issei? Sit over here." Vali stated, pulling the former onto a chair.

Issei did so, while Saji expected to be scolded.

"Saji, before you jump the fence, you should know Issei wasn't suggesting anything about fighting that lunatic." Vali stated.

"Wait, what?" Saji said in shock.

Issei nodded his head, making the Pawn of Sitri chuckle in embarrassment.

"Although, what we do need is to get Kiba to cooperate with the church. Right now, with how obsessed he's become with revenge, it could risk leading to the war that we're all trying to prevent." Vali stated.

Saji had the same reaction in his mind that Issei just had.

"Why am I even here?" Saji asked.

"Saji, you have a Sacred Gear, right?" Vali inquired.

"Uh... yeah, that's why I took up Four Pawn pieces. It's called Absorption Line." Saji answered.

Vali pointed under the table, asking him to show her.

Blinking a bit, he slid his hand over, and formed what looked like some kind of black metallic lizard with purple gems as its eyes, and some gold accents. Looking under, Vali tapped her Divine Dividing against it.

"Albion, is it as you and Ddraig thought?" Vali whispered.

**("Yep, we were right.")** Albion confirmed.

**["To think that Saji was the one with the Dragon-type Sacred Gear we had been sensing all along, how ironic it was right under our noses."]** Ddraig chuckled.

Saji showed surprise.

"No way, this thing's more bad ass than I thought!" Saji whispered in surprise.

**("This isn't just any Dragon either, the one sealed in there is a powerful one. He's the most legendary, infamous, and well-known member of the Evil Dragons, the Prison Dragon: Vritra.")** Albion revealed.

Saji dispelled his Sacred Gear as he looked at his hand, getting a brief flash of the spirit he now knew lived inside of him.

"A Dragon King?" Saji breathed, unable to believe it.

"Yeah, but he's a... unique case among Sacred Gears, and for good reason. During the Great War, he fought against his mortal enemy, Indra, and hit him with a curse. If Indra killed him, then he would die, while Vritra could just resurrect himself. As such, he had to split Vritra's soul in four. Because he's sealed in four different Sacred Gears, only one can be in a host, while the other three need to be found before Vritra's consciousness will reawakened." Vali explained.

Issei sipped his drink more.

"Let me guess, this hasn't happened before, has it?" He assumed.

"Nope, but before I came here, Yuuma told me that her father has the remaining pieces. As such, that's why I figured I'd give you the offer of those remaining pieces, but _only_ if Saji here agrees to help us out on this." The Lucifer Heiress answered, throwing out the offer.

"U-Uh..." Saji stuttered.

Hearing that reply, it seemed like he was going to refuse, until...

"You like Sona, don't you?" Vali inquired.

The Pawn of Sitri froze at that, confirming the Hakuryuukou's suspicions, and prompting her to continue.

"If you really want her to consider your feelings, then the first step is becoming a Pawn that she knows can help pave the way to her dreams. Do you want to be the reason her goal will never be in reach?" Vali inquired.

"N-no, I don't want that." Saji admitted.

Vali smiled at that, nodding her head.

"Exactly, and if you need an example? Just listen to Issei." The silver-haired Devil smiled.

"That's right, even if Vali accepts me, I have to truly become someone worthy of being with her. Not only is working at your hardest and pushing yourself something to help Sona's dream, it's a way of guaranteeing your ability to be with her, because no one can look down on you if you rise up enough that they can only be looking up." Issei encouraged him.

The host of Vritra thought on that, wondering what he should do.

"If it helps? We'll go look for Irina's group first, and after we deal with that, you can drop out or join us from there. Use that time to consider everything." Vali suggested.

Saji sighed at that.

"Fine... you'll probably just drag me along anyways." Saji sighed, he knew both of them were stronger than him.

"Good." Vali smiled.

The three stood up as Vali paid for their drinks, and then...

"Wait... exactly how do we find those three? It isn't like we'll find a trio of people wearing white robes on the streets." Issei wondered.

Vali suddenly struggled not to laugh, making Issei confused before she pointed ahead.

At that moment, Issei's left eye twitched.

"Oh, blessings on the wandering sheep before us! We're pitiful compared to you, so please, have mercy on us!" Irina begged, holding out a donation box.

"Never mind..." He sighed.

* * *

It wasn't long before all six of them were in a restaurant, with church trio scarfing down food like they were digging for buried treasure.

"This is so good!" Xenovia commented.

"Give me that steak!" Jeanne shouted, grabbing it in an instant.

"Relax, there's plenty!" Irina giggled.

After a bit, the plates were empty, with the boys giving a blank stare at what they saw.

"I can't believe what I'm seeing..." Issei breathed.

Saji gave a worrisome chuckle.

"Oh lord, please have mercy on these kind souls, even if they are devils." Irina asked, making a cross motion.

"Wait, Irina! Don't-" Vali warned.

The three all suddenly held their heads before they began screaming in pain, with Irina surprised at their reactions.

"What's wrong!?" Irina asked.

"My immunity to Holy Light doesn't work on prayers! In fact, prayers to the Lucifer Bloodline are more painful! Stop your blessings!" Vali screamed, digging her head onto Issei's shoulder just to lessen the pain.

She covered her mouth, waving her hands to make it stop, finally giving the three relief.

"Sorry!" She apologized, making the apology gesture.

Xenovia took a sip of her water, and then placed it back down as she gave a serious look.

"Alright, what is it you'd like to talk about?" Xenovia asked.

"Well..." Vali began.

The silvery-white haired Devil began explaining the situation to them, and after listening to the whole story...

"Hmm... alright, I understand the situation. Truth be told, our orders are to destroy the Excaliburs if we must, so it might be a necessary sacrifice. Then again, provided he has no knowledge of the cores, it could still work to our favor." Xenovia replied.

"Yeah, I hate to say it, but seeing Kiba's anger over the swords? Perhaps it was wishful thinking we could deal with this without involving the Devils here." Jeanne sighed.

Irina blinked before shrugging.

"If both of my friends are OK with it, then I don't have any reason to say no." Irina replied.

Saji groaned, secretly wishing they had refused.

"Don't groan over this Saji, you know Kokabiel's enough of a threat they've gotta bend the rules they normally follow if it means preventing a war. Either way, we need to wait for Tiamat to find Kiba before we can do anything else." Vali remarked, patting his back.

"Vali, that's not helping..." Saji sighed.

At that moment, Issei saw his phone ring, seeing he got a text from a certain Dragoness.

"Well, speak of the Dragon." Issei chuckled.

* * *

Following Tiamat's lead, the group soon noticed Kiba by a fountain.

"Kiba!" Issei called out, making him turn.

"What do you want?" Kiba glared, still in a bad mood.

Jeanne looked away, unable to meet Kiba in the eye.

"I thought you might want to know we've managed to convince these three to a small truce of sorts. They'll let you destroy one of the Excaliburs if you promise to do it on their terms." Issei answered.

This got Kiba's attention.

"Honestly, I'm quite disappointed someone who can wield an Excalibur would approve of its destruction." Kiba remarked.

"Speaking of disappointing, didn't you abandon your place in the House of Gremory after our fight?" Xenovia inquired.

Kiba grunted at that.

"Time is the only reason you're not a Stray right now, but by all means we have the right to cut you down without consequence if you're going to cause problems for us." She warned.

Kiba prepared to form a sword, only for a certain aura to make everyone feel chills.

"Now, now... you two wouldn't be trying to start a fight, right?" Vali inquired.

The Knight of Gremory stood down, smart enough to not go against Vali when she emitted the aura she gained from Lilith's genetics. Xenovia shook a bit, as it had been the first time she experienced it.

"W-what was that?" Jeanne questioned.

"Vali and Lilith give off a terrifying aura when they're mad, and if you're weaker than them, you'll definitely feel it." Irina answered, being no less immune.

Xenovia looked at Kiba, who looked back.

"It's become clear to me know, but you're another survivor of the Holy Sword Project, aren't you?" She inquired.

That caught Kiba's attention.

"Another?" Kiba repeated.

"Then you really don't know. Aside from yourself, there were two other survivors." Xenovia revealed.

That surprised all the Devils present.

"No, you can't be serious..." Kiba gasped.

"We are, because Jeanne herself is one of these survivors." Irina confirmed.

Jeanne sadly nodded her head.

"Wait, but the project failed, so why is Jeanne able to use a Holy Sword?" Vali questioned.

"Only because Joan of Arc is my ancestor, because that was an ability she possessed, and I inherited through being the direct reincarnation of her spirit." Jeanne explained.

"Makes sense to me." Issei replied.

Xenovia continued, seeing Kiba's shocked state was the best chance for him to listen to their words.

"You obviously represent what the project did to you, and even Heaven considers the loss of innocent lives as one of their greatest sins, which led them to destroy every trace of the research. The only loose end was they failed to apprehend that man behind the project, who fled the moment he knew he'd be excommunicated." Xenovia explained.

"Valper Galilei, the Genocide Archbishop." Irina revealed his name.

"Yeah... I know him, that bastard was responsible for everything." Kiba confirmed, gritting his teeth.

"And after what you told us the other day, we have every reason to believe he's involved in this mess. Freed Sellzen failed to wield a Holy Sword when offered one in the past, meaning his ability to wield an Excalibur is likely his doing, since he likely kept a copy of his research." Jeanne remarked.

Kiba sighed at that, looking at the group.

"After hearing that, then there's no reason for me to not cooperate with you." Kiba agreed.

"Yay!" Irina cheered.

"But I have to ask, who was the other survivor? Even more, why don't I recognize you if you were part of it?" Kiba asked, looking at Jeanne.

Jeanne stiffened at that, realizing she couldn't hide it forever.

"The other survivor is Tosca, who survived because the threat of death saved her by unlocking her Sacred Gear, which put her in suspended animation that let the poison safely leave her body, in exchange for leaving her comatose the last few years. As for who I am..."

Her mouth quivered as everyone looked at her, and then... just like before, she couldn't say it.

"No, I can't say it. You wouldn't forgive me if I told you my old name." Jeanne refused, starting to shed tears.

Kiba looked confused at that.

"We'll make sure to properly repay the favor for the food someday, Vali Lucifer." Jeanne said in gratitude before she walked off.

"Wait, Jeanne!" Irina called out to her.

As the golden-haired Angel followed, Xenovia looked at the Devils.

"My apologies, Jeanne has her own traumas... ones we didn't know until she recognized you." Xenovia apologized, soon following them.

As they walked off, the lock of hair Jeanne had slipped out of her possession, making Kiba's eyes widen.

Seeing that... his eyes widened, realizing who she was.

"Oh god, please tell me that counts as a crisis averted?" Saji begged.

"It does, and I'm not just telling you what you want to hear." Vali replied.

He sighed in relief.

"Issei, Vali, Saji..." Kiba stated.

Everyone looked at him.

"I think she meant, who she was... I think it's time you hear my story. No, time you hear my side of the story." Kiba said with a somber look.

"You mean, what you experienced in the project?" Vali replied.

He nodded.

"No, you don't need to tell us if-" Vali waved her hands.

"I have to, after what she said, you need to know... because it's the same reason I can't let this go." Kiba shook his head in response.

"Uh... OK, if you really feel you have to." Vali relented.

**「** **Sword Art Online: In Your Past** **」**

He took a deep breath.

"We were just kids, being experimented on..." Kiba began.

* * *

_Many kids were seen gathered in a dark room, including Kiba, Tosca, and Jeanne, who lacked the braid she had in the present. Every child had a sad look on their face, knowing they were in for another day of pain. Strangely enough, Kiba's eyes were blue, rather than gray orbs he had in the present, while Tosca's hair was brown._

"Day, after day, our freedom was taken, and we weren't even treated as Humans. Yet we believed we were all chosen by God. We held to those beliefs, and each other, hoping that eventually... we'd become special."

_A cycle was shown with the kids constantly coming back, with no result in using a Holy Sword. Many either collapsed, had some kind of physical change in their genes, such as Tosca's hair eventually becoming white._

"But none of us became able to wield a Holy Sword, the experiment failed. When that became evident, all of us expected to return to our orphanage, and then... that's when the nightmare began."

_The doors were kicked down, surprising everyone as masked men began flooding the room with some kind of poison gas. The children all gave looks of horror, and started to tear up as they began coughing, choking, or worse._

"As our lives began to be snuffed out right before our eyes, we begged God to save us, but when nothing happened... my comrades only had one solution."

_Seeing the door was still open, everyone who couldn't move their legs grabbed the men and held them down. As he reached the door, Kiba realized he was the only one who could escape, making him look at his friends in horror._

_"Run away!" A boy choked._

_"Hurry, save yourself!" A girl cried out as she held a man's leg, coughing up blood._

_"Isaiah... please go." Tosca cried._

_Knowing he couldn't let their efforts be in vain, Kiba ran out, with tears streaming down his face. As he ran through the forest, he managed to avoid the people chasing him, but then... he collapsed to the ground, realizing he breathed in too much of the gas._

_"No, I... have to make things right! I can't die yet... I have to... live..." Kiba whispered, grabbing the snow._

_At that moment, his eyes became lifeless, and finally succumbed to death's embrace._

"I was sure that was it, but fate had other planes."

_Red hair was seen flowing in the distance, showing a familiar Gremory heiress in a white winter coat._

_"Not today. I shall not let you die, so from now on... live for me."_

* * *

As Kiba saw the image of Rias' face in the fountain waters, his hair covered his eyes as he had yet to reveal his biggest regret.

"However, in the end, what truly hurt me that day... why I can't ever forgive the Excaliburs for letting that project exist, was one of those children among my comrades... was a girl. That girl's name was Mary, and she was my older twin." Kiba revealed.

All three Dragon wielders gasped in horror at that.

"She was the only family I ever knew, we had nothing but each other to support us, and then she was gone. But, considering what Jeanne just said..." Kiba explained.

"Wait a minute, are you saying that-" Saji realized.

The following silence was all that everyone needed to hear Kiba's answer. Just by her choice of words, and probably the lock of hair, the Knight of Gremory was sure that he had just realized that Jeanne was his sister.

All of the connections were there. The same blues eyes, their blonde hair of the same color and shade, and Sword-type Sacred Gears that as much of twins as they were.

"That look on her face... I bet she couldn't say anything because she thinks I'll never forgive her." He said, tearing up a bit.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

At that moment, Vali put her right hand on Kiba's cheek.

"You're wrong, it's that she feels she can never apologize to you." Vali assured him.

He showed surprise at that.

"You've been so filled with hatred, all because you feel you failed the people you saw as the family you never got to know. I think more than anything, she feels she abandoned you because she never knew you were alive, and let you fall to such a path of hate. I won't say you aren't wrong to be angry, but... you can't let that hatred consume you."

"Vali..." Kiba breathed.

"Jeanne's here for you... Rias is here for you... we're _all_ here for you. So, let us help you free yourself from your chains, so you, and your friends can finally find piece." Vali told him, tears in her eyes.

Saji began crying himself, making a fist as he looked at Kiba.

"My remaining reluctance be damned! After hearing Kiba had such a tragically messed up past, I'd have no pride if I didn't stand up for him right now!" Saji declared with determination.

Kiba showed surprise, while Issei flashed a thumb's up.

"That's right... you lost people you cared for too. I should have realized that I had friends who could understand my pain. Plus, we all know who the real enemy is... so, I'll accept your help." Kiba decided.

"You mean it? Alright!" Issei shouted, pumping a fist in the air.

Vali smiled at that.

* * *

In Sona's washroom, the two heiresses were both washing up, only to notice a magic circle showing a projection of Vali appear before them.

"Vali?" Rias said in surprise.

〖"Pardon my intrusion, but I thought I should let you know the current situation with Kiba."〗 Vali apologized before explaining herself.

"Oh no, he didn't do something dangerous, did he?" Rias wondered with worry.

〖"Not at all. In fact, thanks to Irina's group, we've managed to smooth over the situation."〗 Vali reassured her, waving a hand.

Rias showed surprise at that.

"What?" Rias stated in shock.

"Vali... what did you do?" Sona inquired.

The Lucifer heiress sighed at that, crossing her arms under her breasts.

〖"Sheesh, you make it sound like I'm a vigilante doing something illegal. All that happened was they promised he could destroy one of the Excaliburs if he did it by their terms."〗 She explained.

Vali saw the look the two of them were giving her, and sighed a bit.

〖"Look, I know it wasn't ideal, but at the rate things were going, Kiba's action could have put us all at risk. Plus, it turns out there was something deeper to his pain he never even let you know about."〗 Vali defended herself.

"What would Kiba hide from me?" Rias questioned.

The heiress of Lucifer went silent there, and then took a deep breath.

〖"Rias... one of the people in the Holy Sword Project, which he now has a good hunch is Jeanne, was his twin sister."〗 She revealed.

That caught both heiresses by surprise.

"Twin... sister?" Rias repeated in shock.

〖"Guess not. Either way, at the time you found him, he didn't know that two others had survived. To him... he couldn't let this go because when the rest of his friends sacrificed their lives, he was sure he had to abandon the only family he knew."〗 Vali continued, a sad expression on her face.

Rias looked down, and Sona knew that instant she'd need to offer words of encouragement when Vali finished her cal.

〖"The situation was getting grim, and we had no idea what Kiba might do. I know this is something I should have come to you about first, but... this isn't the kind of situation where we can wait things out, not with Kokabiel on the loose."〗 Vali reminded them.

Sona sighed before looking at the Lucifer Heiress.

"Honestly, despite that Rias is the head of Kuoh Town, you seem to be doing a good job at leading us when it really matters." She remarked.

〖"Then, does that mean..."〗 Vali asked, an expectant look.

"Guess make sure the situation stays in as much control as possible, alright?" Rias relented.

Vali smiled at that, nodding her head.

〖"Thank you, and if it's alright with either of you, I'd prefer if you could give us assistance on this. Considering that Kokabiel came to this Town... I get the feeling that the three of us have something to do with what he's planning."〗 She replied, admitting a recent worry of hers.

"Hmm... I hate to admit it, but you may be right. You can tell us more when we next meet in person." Sona reluctantly agreed.

Vali nodded before the magic circle disappeared, along with her projection. That was the moment that the Sitri Heiress looked at the redheaded Gremory sitting next to her.

"Rias?" She asked.

"Do you think... I made a mistake? Did I not understand Kiba enough to know how he really felt?" The Gremory heiress asked.

Sona didn't say anything, but closed her eyes as she smiled.

"He is still part of your household, right? True, I believe his feelings got the better of him for a while, but I can tell... he will always be your Knight." The Sitri heiress said with confidence, surprising Rias.

"Strange, normally your thoughts rely on being more rational than a gut feeling." Rias joked.

"I know, call it strange, but I feel I can trust whatever Vali or Issei do after how they not only broke off your engagement to Riser, but actually changed him for the better." Sona admitted.

Rias smiled at that, realizing she was right.

"Guess she truly does take after Lucifer, doesn't she?" She chuckled.

At that moment, a magic circle showing a projection of Yuuma inside, quickly followed by another with Yumina's projection.

〖"Ah, excuse me for the intrusion."〗 Yumina apologized to her sister-in-law.

"Yumina? Yuuma? Is there something wrong?" Sona inquired.

Yumina looked at Yuuma, who gave a worried look on her face. Taking a deep breath, the daughter of Azazel finally spoke up.

〖"I just reported to my father, and... we just got some disturbing news. A lot of Demons accused Grigori of sending a spy to steal some of their technology, which Queen Cassiel was lucky to quell... and I think we all know which one."〗 Yuuma revealed.

It didn't take long for either heiress to know who the culprit had to be, and suddenly realized that Vali's worries were starting to become a reality.

* * *

Finally, having returned home, the twin dragons showed some surprise as they saw Asia in the house, wearing a white apron as she held a pot of food.

"Oh, welcome home you two!" Asia smiled.

"Asia? When did you get here, and why are you wearing an apron?" Issei asked.

Hana peaked her head in.

"She came over a while ago, and since I felt she needed to pass the time, I asked her to help me make dinner." Hana smiled.

Vali looked at her Bishop.

"Was there any certain reason you came over?" She asked.

"Uh, well... You see..." Asia explained, blushing a bit.

* * *

_Asia was in the halls of school, talking with the kendo duo._

_"So, Issei's been worried about Kiba lately, and you want advice on how to cheer him up?" Katase inquired._

_"Yeah." Asia admitted._

_The two pondered for a bit, and Murayama got an idea as she bopped her fist in her free palm._

_"I think I have an idea!" Murayama remarked._

* * *

The two blinked at that.

"So, my cousins basically told you to help make a meal for us?" Issei summarized.

"I think so, but I'm not completely sure." Asia answered.

Issei turned to the side, giving a relieved looking face.

'At least she didn't talk with Kiryuu, she might have told her something that would end up corrupting her pure mind...' He thought worriedly.

Asia looked at them worriedly, twiddling her fingers.

"Did it help?" She asked.

"Yeah, that was really sweet of you." Issei smiled.

He rubbed her head, making Vali smile at the sight, as it really made them look like siblings.

"Maybe that was good luck, because we finally got Kiba to calm down." Vali mentioned, surprising her Bishop.

"Really? Then, does that mean Kiba's coming back?" Asia asked with a smile.

"Not sure on that, but I guess it's technically a yes at the moment?" Issei admitted, not sure how to define it.

At that moment, the Sekiryuutei realized something.

"Oh yeah, I gotta let my client know I'm not gonna be able to come tonight." Issei remembered.

Taking out his phone, Asia looked confused.

"Allow me to explain it." Vali replied, whispering the whole story to her.

"Hello?" Issei responded.

『"If it ain't my favorite Devil, what's up with the sudden call?"』 Cassiel replied from her end.

"Well... I know this is sudden, but I won't be able to make it to today's summoning. It's an issue I can't really explain." Issei apologized.

『"Oh? Alright, that's fine, I'll just wait until some other time then. Later."』 Cassiel waved, understanding the situation.

As he finished, the Sekiryuutei sighed.

'Well, guess this is it...' Issei realized, making a determined faced.

* * *

Meanwhile at the docks, Cassiel put her phone away and sighed.

"Looks like Kokabiel's making his move. Still can't believe he actually had the gall to steal from me and get my own people to think Grigori was behind the theft?" Cassiel wondered aloud.

At that moment, she noticed a certain aura land near her, making her gasp when she saw who it was.

"Cassiel, it's been a while."

Said figure was a woman with beauty so divine and ethereal in nature, no mortal or deity was a match for it, not even the likes of Lilith or Eve. She had long white hair reaching to just a bit below her massive breasts, showing a voluptuous figure that could hypnotize any man if she let her aura's pheromones take control, and eyes that were a shining silver that could hypnotize you with the calming allure they released.

Her outfit was that of a sexy qipao, which was primarily white in color, with various blue designs that showed as curved streaks and a few infinity symbols, but single and multi-layered. Like with Xuelan, the area where her breasts showed was wide open, but hers was completely open to leave up to her belly button exposed, with another layer of cloth resembling a qipao bikini to keep her breasts uncovered. She had a mini-skirt that barely hid her blue panties, and she was completely barefoot.

"Ophis... w-why are you here?" Cassiel asked, shaking at the sight of woman before her.

"Simple, because I thought I'd take a chance to see how my daughter's latest host is treating her, however... what's this about Kokabiel causing something." Ophis revealed, soon giving a curious look at the Demon Queen.

* * *

Deeper into the night, everyone met at the abandoned church, where the guys put on priest outfits and the girls were given the same white robes. As Vali put her cloak on, she noticed Irina had normal clothes compared to her group... right before looking at Xenovia's outfit.

"Irina, why is Xenovia wearing such an odd outfit?" Vali questioned.

"Not sure, I don't normally work with her, but I'm guessing it's because she usually goes on nightly missions due to her hair color." Irina replied, not completely certain.

Hearing that, Issei realized how it worked.

"Ah, I get it. They want her to blend with the darkness like a ninja through her darker colors." He stated.

Irina's eyes widened, finally realizing it herself.

"A devil wearing a priest's outfit, never thought I'd be wearing one of these before." Saji commented as he finished putting his on.

"Nothing will stand in the way of me stopping Valper." Kiba stated, focused on their upcoming task.

Soon, once everyone was dressed up...

"The North and South areas of town are too likely to attract attention, so they've likely made the West and the East their hiding grounds. Therefore, we should split our forces between them." Sona advised.

"Alright, call the cell if anything comes up." Irina agreed.

Right before everyone left, Kiba noticed there was a certain someone who hadn't shown up.

"Hold on, where's my sister?" Kiba asked.

"So, you figured it out?" Irina realized.

Kiba nodded his head, and that left the golden-orange haired Devil in a troublesome spot.

Well..." Irina answered, trailing off a bit.

"Don't worry, she was just overwhelmed from earlier, and went to sleep early. You have nothing to worry about." Xenovia answered.

Kiba sighed in relief at that.

Soon enough, the two groups spread out, and prepared to divide into further teams. However, before the East side's group split off, Yuuma held out three purple orbs to Saji.

"Wait, are these...?" Saji realized.

"Yep, my father sent me the remaining Vritra Gears before we arrived, though he also gave me this warning to share with you." Yuuma confirmed.

She held up a finger, giving a serious look.

"Don't use anything besides your Absorption Line until you know where Vritra and you stand. Otherwise, his nature as an Evil Dragon might take control of you." The Fallen princess warned.

"Just how bad is an Evil Dragon?" Saji asked nervously.

"They're known for their brutality, just like that of the Evil Gods who were the only ones that could control them, hence their name." Yuuma explained.

Saji paled at that, gulping a bit.

"Calm down, considering he's been the equivalent to comatose for 2000 years, I'm sure he'd be somewhat lenient to his host for waking him up. Just don't rush in with any choices you make." Vali reassured him.

Hearing that, he took a deep breath to calm down, and nodded his head.

Yuuma put the three orbs into the Absorption Line, causing them to sink in before three identical Sacred Gears appeared on his other hand, and both of his feet. The eyes of the original lit up, as the Dragon's consciousness finally awakened, giving a mighty roar.

**«"This feeling... has my mind finally reawakened?"»** Vritra questioned, his eyes showing through the Absorption Line's jewels.

Ddraig chuckled at his reaction.

**["Welcome back to the waking world, Vritra!"]** Ddraig greeted.

**«"Is that you Ddraig? A surprise, to think you'd be present when I returned... much less with you, Albion."»** Vritra responded.

Albion smirked a bit.

**("It seems a fragmented mind has done nothing to dull your ability to senses your fellow Dragons.")** Albion remarked.

**«"One could say the same, neither of you have seemed to change from being sealed yourselves."»** Vritra responded.

The Evil Dragon's eyes roamed towards Saji.

**«"Do not worry, Saji Genshirou. I was still aware of the world while my soul was disconnected, and I do not harbor any interest in using my host for my own gain if it shall cause my soul to scatter once more. Just know this, if you want my full strength, you'll have to use your own skills to have me persuaded."»** Vritra stated.

"Uh... yeah, that's fair." Saji replied nervously.

Issei looked at Kiba.

"So, any suggestions for where we start our search?" He inquired.

"I think I know where to go. In fact, I'm sure that's where we need to be." Kiba answered, having a strong gut feeling.

"And that would be?" Vali asked.

Kiba took a moment before giving his answer, looking in that direction.

"The place where we fought Viser." He answered.

* * *

The quartet soon arrived at the very building where they had killed the Stray Devil known as Viser.

"Wow, never thought we'd end up back here." Issei remarked.

"I guess this qualifies as a good hideout if it's already been busted up this much." Saji added.

As they got closer, Saji noticed his Sacred Gear manifest.

**«"Don't even try to hide, the blood lust and insanity you have makes you as detectable as a skunk."»** Vritra announced.

A familiar cackle was heard before Freed jumped into view.

"Ooh! Sounds like you've got a good nose on you, good job!" Freed laughed excitedly, drawing out his sword.

"Figures you were here!" Kiba replied.

The psychotic priest jumped down, prompting Kiba to draw his sword in response.

As the two clashed blades, they were quickly forced onto on the building's outer rim, but with Kiba's emotional state allowing him to fight on an even level. At that moment, everyone threw off their priest outfits.

"Get ready Saji, it seems Kiba called it right that he still had Excalibur Rapidly!" Freed mocked.

"You've got it!" The Pawn of Sitri replied.

Kiba rushed at Freed, with their speed an even match, and Issei keeping his focus on the latter's movements.

**["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"]**

Eventually, he noticed Freed's foot sliding a bit.

"Saji, do it now!" He shouted.

" **Line Go!** "

All of his Sacred Gears released their tongues, wrapping around Freed's leg with an iron grip.

**«"ABSORB!"»**

Saji pulled Freed back, with energy flowing down the tongues as it siphoned his power into Vritra's host, and Freed panicking as he tried and failed to cut the tongues off.

"Why won't you break!" Freed whined in anger.

Vali moved her hands to the ground, prompting Issei to rush over as he stepped on her palms, and then vaulted him towards the Knight of Gremory.

"Kiba, heads up!" Issei shouted.

**["TRANSFER!"]**

The Knight of Gremory held up his sword, feeling the power of every Boosted entered his veins, which caused his eyes to flash green for a brief moment.

"This power is a gift... so, I'll make sure to use it wisely!" Kiba announced, readying his strongest attack.

" **Sword Birth!** "

Freed panicked as a swarm of swords came from sides of his footing, and a Scale Mail equipped Issei prepared to deal an even worse punch than their last meeting.

"And that's checkmate!" Issei announced, diving at him.

Freed panicked as both sides were about to strike him, only for a flash bomb to suddenly go off. Issei tumbled past him, having been briefly blinded.

"What the hell!?" Vali said in disbelief.

"Who threw that?" Saji questioned.

A slight chuckle was heard, making everyone look as a fat, old looking man walked into view. He had a white archbishop outfit, small spectacles, and had scruffy gray with a small mustache.

While the appearance may have made him look gentle on the outside, Kiba instantly knew the facade as his face contorted with rage.

"It's you... Valper Galilei!" Kiba screamed.

Everyone showed surprise at that, while Vali instantly sent everyone a message with her cell phone.

"The one and only." Valper verified.

"Help me out, stupid old fart! I can't cut these lizard tongues off!" Freed screamed, still failing his attempts to cut them off.

"Channel all of the holy elements into the blade, and that tongue won't stand a chance." Valper advised.

Freed smirked at that, and the Excalibur Rapidly's blade began glowing. Before Saji could even react, the insane priest cut through his tongues, making him fall back.

"Damn it!" Saji winced as he got up.

**«"This man is more dangerous that he looks to be."»** Vritra realized.

Freed laughed psychotically, looking at Kiba.

"Oh yeah, now I like this game! That's the amazing power of Excalibur you just saw!" Freed smirked.

The Stray Priest rushed at Kiba, who could only watch as he was left wide open. But at that exact moment...

" **Blade Blacksmith!** "

A bunch of holy swords formed in the air before firing at him, forcing Freed to parry as he was shot to the ground. Kiba showed surprise as Jeanne landed in front of him, wielding Excalibur Blessing in her hands.

"Don't you dare hurt my little brother!" Jeanne shouted.

"Jeanne?" Kiba said in surprise.

Rushing at Freed, and unleashing a storm of holy swords at him, the psychotic man quickly found himself put onto the defensive.

"Oh great, the older twin's just as annoying as the younger one!" Freed growled.

Throwing a flash bomb at the ground, Jeanne was blinded as Freed slid back towards Valper, panting a bit.

"It seems we must retreat." Valper sighed.

Realizing what was about to happen, Kiba rushed forward before Freed could use another flash bomb. Unfortunately, he was too late, and they disappeared.

"Damn it!" Kiba growled.

"We can't let them get away, after them!" Jeanne shouted.

Both of the rushed ahead.

"Wait, don't run off without..." Vali warned.

She was too late, they were already too far away for them to hear her.

"Crap..." She sighed.

"So, what do we do now?" Saji asked.

At that moment, Irina flew into view, landing by the group as she tried to catch her breath.

"You said there was trouble, but... am I too late?" Irina asked.

"Worse than that, Jeanne showed up, and she's chasing Valper alongside her brother. We have no idea where they even went." Issei explained.

"They did what!?" Irina screamed in a panic.

* * *

As the twins rushed through the forest, a sudden light spear flew down from the sky, making Jeanne panic before she screamed.

"Jeanne? Jeanne!?" Kiba called out.

Unfortunately, he couldn't find her, and at a bad time no less. Jeanne got up, realizing she dropped Excalibur Blessing.

"Oh no..." Jeanne coughed, trying to reach for it.

"Sorry, but this is mine now!" Freed laughed.

The Maiden of Orleans growled as she saw the psychotic priest holding her Excalibur, and got on her feet.

"Too bad, now you're all alone and without your sword!" Freed cackled.

At that moment, Jeanne drew Hauteclere, surprising Freed a bit.

"As if I would be so careless to only have a single sword!" Jeanne announced, tossing away her cloak.

"Ooh, you're a feisty one, aren't you?" Freed exclaimed.

Rushing at Freed, the Maiden of Orleans quickly thrust her rapier at him, but he kept dodging without any trouble.

"I won't give in to you! I'll never give in! I can't!" Jeanne screamed, with tears flooding her eyes.

Freed smirked before disappearing, only to reappear with three identical copies of himself. Jeanne gasped as she tried to find the real Freed.

"Oh, are you talking about those priests I killed to steal the swords? They were finger licking good!" Freed cackled.

Jeanne held her mouth, feeling she could hurl at any moment.

"You... ate them? My god, I don't think you can even be called insane!" Jeanne replied with disgust.

Freed laughed more, and then at that same moment, she was suddenly filled with fear as he began to transform. By the time it was over, Freed had become some kind of monstrous chimera.

"This is bad..." She breathed.

Freed laughed again, but now with his voice in a deeper pitch, and a slight echo.

"Even better? I got this bodacious body upgrade from it! Now, let's see how you handle the mutated monster Freed!" He declared before rushing at her.

Jeanne didn't get the chance to react as she was cut from all sides, screaming as she fell to the ground.

"Game over, now it's time to eat you as well!" Freed laughed.

Jeanne collapsed at that moment, but luckily, she held on long enough to shout out a powerful set of words.

" **Balance Breaker: Stake Victim Dragon!** "

Freed was blinded as the Dragon of Holy Swords was formed, immediately grabbing its master before she fell unconscious.

Once Freed regained his vision, he saw she had escaped.

"Damn it, that blonde bitch got away." Freed growled, failing to notice the shadowy figure flying near him.

"Not to worry, I believe we can use this to bait the others for the next stage of my plans." The figure said, his smile giving a cold warning to what was about to come next.

* * *

Hearing that Kiba, and Jeanne had gone off their radar, everyone sent out their familiars to try and locate them. Eventually, Rias' bat managed to find Jeanne, and she panicked upon seeing her current state.

Using her voice, she sent an echolocation signal to send an alert to everyone's phones. When the first wave of the group arrived, horror was all they saw.

"Jeanne!" Irina shouted.

"This is bad... Asia, heal her right now!" Vali shouted.

Asia nodded, kneeling by her side, and immediately using her Sacred Gear. Despite this, Jeanne's body didn't look like it was healing.

"Hang on Jeanne... please." Irina begged.

At that moment, the Maiden of Orleans looked at the group, her eyes looking lifeless.

"Everyone..." Jeanne breathed.

"Jeanne, what happened to you? Where's Kiba?" Issei asked.

"Freed attacked me... he took my Excalibur, and I barely got away. I was too weak to do anything!" Jeanne cried, tears flooding down her face.

Her eyes began to close.

"Please, tell Kiba that... I'm sorry for failing him... again..." Jeanne weakly begged.

At that moment, her body went limp.

"No, she's..." Irina gasped in horror.

"Let me check, just to make sure Valerie can revive her." Kuroka advised.

Everyone moved, and she tapped a few spots.

"Good news, no kind of damage that could prevent her revival. Now we just need her to show up." The Black Nekoshou said in relief.

At that moment, the others showed up, making Vali look at the Gremory Bishop.

"Valerie, we need your power! Jeanne was killed!" She shouted.

Everyone gasped at that, while Valerie immediately rushed over to Jeanne's side without hesitation, placing her hands on the Maiden of Orleans' head.

"Stand back everyone." She requested.

Her words were obeyed instantly, as everyone moved back to give her space. Taking a deep breath, the sight of her chest glowing could be seen, and she heard whispers in her head that made her sweat.

**«"REVIVE!"»**

Jeanne's body glowed a light golden color as her soul returned to it, making her suddenly cough as she began breathing again, despite she was still asleep.

Valerie looked at her efforts with a smile, looking weak as dark spots appeared under her eyes.

"Don't worry everyone, I managed to..."

She soon fell to her side, making everyone gasp in concern, but Rias held her hand out.

"She's alright, it just takes a lot out of her to revive someone without her Balance Breaker, she'll just need some time to recover." She reassured them.

Vali looked at Kuroka, who nodded her head.

"Right, I'll take them both back to the house." She replied.

The Black Nekoshou picked up the both of them, and then disappeared in a magic circle.

"Aw man, you think Kiba's alright?" Saji wondered.

"I'm not sure, but let's just hope so." Issei answered worriedly.

At that very moment, everyone felt a pain in their chest as their Devil instincts warned them of something incredibly powerful.

"Oh no, how bad is it?" Yuuma asked worriedly.

"This bad, little Yuuma!" A male voice answered.

The Fallen Angel gasped at the voice she heard, turning towards the sky as it suddenly went purple.

At that moment, a Fallen Angel with ten wings was hovering in the sky, looking like a young man with black hair, and pointy ears. The one odd thing about him compared to most Fallen Angels was his red sclera.

"Kokabiel..." Yuuma breathed.

This got everyone's attention.

"I'm surprised, for you to sell yourself to the Devils? It just shows why your sister was such a trusted ally of mine." Kokabiel mocked.

"He's here..." Yuuma whimpered, her courage fading away.

Vali growled at that, taking a few steps forward.

"Attacking Devil Territory, raiding technology from the Demons, and stealing swords from the Angels... you're definitely not hiding your intent to draw the Four Great Powers into a conflict." Vali stated while glaring at him.

"Obviously! Sadly, it seems I underestimated Michael and Cassiel on both fronts. Worse, it seems you kept things from escalating here... it's quite annoying that I haven't gotten to enjoy fighting a war by now!" Kokabiel replied angrily.

The silver-haired Lucifer's eyes widened at that.

"Wait, are you're only trying to start a Second Great War... for fun!?" Vali questioned angrily.

Kokabiel laughed, confirming her suspicions.

"No way, I thought you were just angry at the other Factions because of everyone who died in the war..." Yuuma gasped in horror.

"Far from it, and I could care less about whoever died in the war! That just means they're weak! After the Great War, there was nothing to do, but no one wanted to relish in conflict once again!" Kokabiel shouted.

At that moment, he spread out his wings for everyone to see in full view.

"So, I have to do it myself, and since the Angels, Devils, Demons, and Fallen Angels are barely in a state of equilibrium... I can start the war at any time with my own two hands!" He exclaimed, giving a toothy smirk.

"You're a complete war maniac!" Rias shouted.

Kokabiel laughed, looking at the three Devil heirs before him.

"The little sisters of Lucifer and Leviathan, along with the daughter of the Devil King himself. If I kill you three, that will surely force Hell into conflict, eventually dragging the other sides in. So, how about I get things started with your school!?" Kokabiel suggested.

Everyone gasped at that, right as Kokabiel unleashed a storm of light spears at the group. It forced the group's members to either dodge, defend, or destroy them as he flew right towards Kuoh Academy.

"This is awful, will he really cause another a Second Great War?" Irina wondered in horror.

From a distance, Xenovia witnessed a pillar of light shine into the sky, with Kiba noticing the same thing. Both of their eyes widened they realized the threat it signaled.

"Oh no..." Xenovia muttered.

"Valper, what have you done?" Kiba wondered as she sweat slightly.

* * *

**Oh boy, things just got serious for everyone, Kokabiel's made his move, and now everyone's gotta deal with his threat. Just to prove how dangerous his forces are, I had Freed give Jeanne a temporary death, showing that Kokabiel's not their only threat. As for what his forces are? You'll have to wait and see, because there are some story original ones I've added in.**

**By extension, this let me show where Valerie's ability to revive people is at the moment, and it's not very good. Without her Balance Breaker, reviving someone requires her own energy, and that leaves her incredibly drained. The reason for this comes from how I feel the Longinus are weak without their Balance Breakers, since Issei became much stronger once he unlocked his own.**

**Now, to anyone who figured out Jeanne was actually Kiba's sister? Congratulations! The reason she survived the project will be explained next chapter, and it'll explain why she feels guilt, similar to why Kiba felt vengeance. Also, I _am_ aware what the actual names of their Sacred Gears are, the change of names (aside from me liking their actual names as signature attacks) was a hint to them being twins.**

**Finally, we got a surprise appearance from Vasco Strada! When I thought about how Tosca would even get to Japan, the only way that made sense to me was for Vasco to take her there, especially since Jeanne had already alluded to him in the previous chapter. That, and he was why Tosca had reunited with Kiba in canon, so it made sense for him to do it here.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

* * *

**Vali's Peerage** **:**

**King - Valiana Lucifer**  
Queen - Issei Hyoudou  
Bishops - Le Fay Pendragon, Asia Argento  
Knights - Arthur Pendragon, Unclaimed Knight  
Rooks - Bikou, Kuroka Toujou (Mutation Piece: x2 Multiplier)  
Pawns - Yuuma Amano (x2), Six Unclaimed Pawns

* * *

**Rias' Peerage** **:**

**King - Rias Gremory**   
**Queen - Akeno Himejima**   
**Bishops - Gasper Vladi (Mutated Piece: x4 Multiplier, Sealed), Valerie Tepes (Mutation Piece: x6 Multiplier)**   
**Knights - Kiba Yuuto, Unclaimed Knight**   
**Rooks - Shirone Toujou, Unclaimed Rook**   
**Pawns - Eight Unclaimed Pawns**

* * *

**Sona's Peerage** **:**

**King - Sona Sitri**  
Queen - Tsubaki Shinra  
Bishops - Momo Hanakai, Reya Kusaka  
Knights - Tomoe Meguri, Unclaimed Knight  
Rooks - Tsubasa Yura, Unclaimed Rook  
Pawns - Saji Genshirou (x4), Ruruko Nimura (x4)

* * *

**Bust Size of New Female Characters** **:**

**Ophis - 110 cm (Chosen with her Transformation Power)**

* * *

**Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter** **:**

**None**

* * *

**Pairings List** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating**  
Ddraig/Albion - Married  
Tiamat/Fafnir - Married  
Saji/Sona - Master and Retainer  
Gasper/Valerie - Best Friends  
Kiba/Tosca - Friends


	14. Chapter 14

**Alright everyone, time for the Excalibur arc's main event... Kokabiel, Valper, and Freed VS the ORC, MHC, and Student Council! Before we start this chapter, there are two things I'd like to say. First, I wanna thank AzureStoryTeller for giving me my first story recommendation, especially since he did it through my favorite story of his, and the story that inspired this one, "The Will to Endure and Protect" ^^**

**Seeing that recommendation really helped me notice how far this story has come since I began. There's probably a few of you who remembered how nervous I was at the beginning, and look at me now! I'm fully confident where I'm going with not just this story, but the one I've made for Date A Live, and the possible fanfic ideas that could happen in the future.**

**Getting back to the actual start notes, I'm sure some of you may have noticed that Issei's starting to have a bit of mysteries linked to him, with a few hints popping up in the process. I'll say now that his importance to the overall scheme of things is starting to show. For one, there's the whole mystery behind how he was able to focus Ascalon's Holy attributes, despite he's never even used such power before.**

**Before we finally start the chapter, there's a few important things that I'll need to explain. In canon, Vali beat Kokabiel fairly easily, so you might be wondering how things will go because of that. Well, she's definitely at that level of power right now, with Issei only slightly weaker. Because of that, to avoid a one-sided fight, I've had Kokabiel set up something with the Demon Tech he stole to give him an edge.**

**Right after that, we have Ophis, who made her debut last chapter. This one's more minor, but I figure that I should say it just to avoid any possible misunderstandings as a result of a few people missing that I renamed Kiba and Jeanne's Sacred Gears on purpose. In this story, Ophis is female rather than genderless, and her appearance is the result of her canon ability to take any form. Why I chose the form I did... well, you'll find out this chapter.**

**Now, let's get this chapter started!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

**[]** \- Ddraig Talking

**«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

**「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

**【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

**⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

**Tosca's Sacred Gears**

**Usually, most people with a Sacred Gear are only born with one, and gaining a second is usually only the result of a theft, someone with a Vritra Gear collecting the other three, or the Incinerate Anthem choosing to inhabit someone who already has a Sacred Gear. However, on rare occasions, someone can be born with two Sacred Gears, and Tosca is one of them.**

**Her first Sacred Gear is a defense-type Sacred Gear that allowed her to survive the fatal poisoning that would have killed her, but at the cost of being in suspended animation until it realized her body was free of venom. Her defenses can be barriers, shields, or protective auras, but she can't use them all at once, though in exchange, these defenses are difficult to shatter.**

**As for her second Sacred Gear? It's a weapon-type Sacred Gear that takes the form of a futuristic-looking bow that can create, and fire special arrows that can be guided to hit a target, although doesn't guarantee they'll hit. It also enhances the user's senses, allowing them to see, hear, feel, and etc. to a near-superhuman level, even if they're not actually using the Sacred Gear.**

**The major downside that comes from having multiple Sacred Gears is that a user can only use one of their Balance Breakers at a time.**

* * *

**_Season 2, Excalibur Arc: Chapter 4 - Requiem of the Swordsman_ **

Everyone looked at the beam of light being created by the magic square Valper was creating, signaling the start of Kokabiel's plans to cause a Second Great War.

"That magic square... is he going to destroy the entire school with it?" Asia questioned worriedly.

"It's even worse, Asia... he's only beginning with the Academy, so I'm fairly sure that he'll destroy all of Kuoh Town with that." Le Fay answered, shaking in fear.

"Even worse, he's strong enough that he could do that." Bikou sweated as he gripped his staff tightly.

Vali sweated a bit, soon turning to her follow Devil Heirs.

"Rias, Sona! You need to contact your older siblings immediately!" Vali ordered.

"Huh?" Rias blinked.

"We're on the verge of a possible war breaking out, and the way I see it... right now, we're either forced with a guaranteed destruction of the town that starts a war, or the chance of a war that they could either cause or prevent!" Vali explained.

Sona thought on that, looking at Rias.

"As much as I'd worry of my sister starting a war if anything happened to me, Kokabiel may be too powerful for us to stop. The best we may be able to do is buy them time to make it here." Sona agreed.

"Yeah, I'll have to agree on that." Rias realized, knowing this was bigger than her.

Both of them turned to their Queens, who immediately tried making contact with Yumina, hoping to get in contact with Grayfia.

"Issei, get in contact with Tiamat while I reach out to Fafnir." Vali asked.

"Got it." He replied, forming a magic circle by his ear.

At that moment, Rias took the lead.

"Come on everyone, let's make our way to the school." Rias stated.

* * *

As this was happening, Tosca and Vasco were in the town next to Kuoh, being one of the few who could see the magic square's pillar of light.

"Vasco... what is that?" The white-haired girl asked in fear.

"All that can be is trouble, and worse... its where your friends currently are." Vasco answered.

Tosca gasped, shaking a bit.

"Quick, we need to hurry!" Tosca shouted.

Vasco sighed, looking at Tosca, shaking his head to her surprise.

"Sorry, but if I go with you, I fear you'll be too late to make it. So, I'll have to show you the way like this." Vasco apologized, tapping her forehead.

A small magic circle appeared on his finger, making Tosca's eyes widen as she felt the knowledge of where to go flow into her head.

"Huh?" Tosca felt her head.

"I've given you the information you need, now run, and don't stop until you make it. Everything depends on you now." Vasco stated, putting his hand on her shoulders.

Hearing this, Tosca took a deep breath, setting her resolve.

"Mr. Strada, thank you for everything! I promise that I'll make it!" Tosca exclaimed.

And with those words, she instantly began sprinting towards Kuoh, pushing every bit of adrenaline into her legs as she tried to make it there in time.

"Isaiah... Mary... I'm coming!" She promised.

She pushed herself faster, ignoring the searing pain in her muscles as she refused to slow down.

'Dear lord, almighty God, please hear my prayers. I need to make it... I need to give Isaiah my strength somehow! So, I beg you, please give me a way!' Tosca wished with all her heart.

"Your wish shall not go unanswered, dear child." A male voice answered.

At that moment, Tosca suddenly stopped as a cross of light descended from the sky, getting her attention. Appearing right in front of her, she stared at the sight of a figure with a heavenly aura emitting from his body, and blonde hair.

"No way, are you... God?" Tosca breathed in shock, and awe.

The being smiles before he held out his hand, causing a blue crystal to float hers.

Looking at it, Tosca gently embraced the strange gem, and felt something familiar from it, almost like... something was calling her. At that moment, she suddenly saw a familiar face, and gasped as she saw many more.

"Everyone..." She breathed.

"Go young one, your friends are waiting for you. They need you." He smiled before ascending back into the sky.

Tosca reached out to him as he did, seeing him quickly vanish. Once he was gone, she stared at the crystal in her hands, followed by her holding it tightly as she gained a determined look on her face.

"Isaiah, Mary... all of us are coming!" Tosca shouted.

She continued her run, once again pushing everything her body had to reach Kuoh Town in time.

* * *

As the three peerages arrive at their school, they notice Fafnir and Tiamat creating a barrier around its entirety, a worried look on their faces.

"Fafnir, Tiamat? Why are you out here?" Vali asked.

"We tried to go after Kokabiel directly, but it looks like he expected us... or he expected you and Vali." Fafnir explained, a slight sigh in his voice.

Tiamat released her blue flames on the barrier, revealing some kind of dragon symbol in response.

"What the!?" Bikou gasped.

Fafnir nodded his head, looking at everyone.

"He must of took the Demon Technology he stole so Valper could turn it into an Anti-Dragon field. We couldn't even get inside." He stated.

"Then, does that mean we're..." Issei wondered.

Deciding to see for himself, the Sekiryuutei tried to walk in... and he succeeded, but his Boosted Gear was glowing like some kind of limiter had been placed on him.

"Good news, looks like it just limits those with Dragon-type Sacred Gears." Issei smiled.

**["Based on what I'm seeing, you can't activate your Balance Breaker, so this should only limit you and Vali."]** Ddraig remarked.

**«"That makes this barrier useless against me, as Saji doesn't have his."»** Vritra realized, relishing the loophole in his favor.

Tiamat sighed in relief, before turning to the others.

"For now, we'll make this barrier to limit the battle to the town. Just know it'll probably be useless against whatever risks taking out the town." She explained.

Vali sighed, crossing her arms under her breasts.

"Should have figured... if we beat Kokabiel, then he doesn't get his war. Of course he'd have countermeasures in place." The silver-haired Devil realized.

"Valper's also known for his skills in genetic studies, so I bet he had a hand. He just needs to have his war start, and then he's free to rampage without hesitation." Irina added.

At that moment, Kuroka reappeared from her magic circle, getting everyone's attention as she walked closer.

"Kuroka, how are Valerie and Jeanne doing?" Irina asked.

"They're recovering just fine, and Jeanne's already awake. Though I recommended that she wait around a quarter of an hour before she comes to help us." Kuroka replied.

The golden-orange haired Angel sighed in relief.

"So, how prepared are we for this?" The Black Nekoshou inquired.

Everyone gave worried looks, making the Lucifer Rook sweat a bit.

"Yay..." Kuroka sighed.

Yuuma noticed a magic circle appear by her ear, nodding her head before her eyes widened.

"Bad news everyone, my father says something's attacking Grigori defending itself from some kind of invaders. They can't send even a single Fallen to help us." The Fallen Princess revealed worriedly.

"So, we're down a group of allies already?" Issei remarked worriedly.

Vali looked at her fellow Heiresses, who smiled.

"No worries on our end. Our siblings and their fellow Great Devils are heading over with their peerages, we'll just need to by an hour for their forces to arrive." Rias reassured them.

The silvery-white Lucifer sighed in relief in relief.

"Glad to know we have some form of back up on the way." Vali remarked.

Vali looked at the battlefield they normally called their school.

"Come on, let's give them that hour." She declared.

"Onward to battle!" Issei announced.

Hearing his battle cry, all three groups gave a confident look as they all walked inside, with the two Dragon Kings them luck.

"We better see every one of you still alive when this over!" Tiamat warned.

* * *

Once the three peerages walked inside, they began considering their strategy and situation, while all three Pawns stood still for a moment.

"Alright, let's do this." Yuuma breathed.

"Right." Saji agreed.

The two of them and Ruruko got into position, looking at the battlefield they were about to walk onto.

" **Promotion, to Queen!** " They shouted, briefly creating the illusion of three Queen Pieces.

Issei held up the Boosted Gear.

**["BOOST!"]**

"I'll play the role of support for this battle, and gather all the Boosts can." Issei stated.

"My Divides are still good, but since only I can use the power from them, I'll be fighting with everyone on the battlefield." Vali added.

Sona nodded, looking at Asia.

"Asia, its best you stay in the back with Irina, as Kokabiel will likely be aware of the dangers that come from your healing powers." Sona suggested.

Irina smiled, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"You can count on me, I'll make sure to keep her safe." Irina promised.

Right at that moment, Shirone's eyes widened as she looked at the battlefield, noticing a magic square form.

"Guys, something's happening outside!" She shouted.

"Huh?" Vali blinked.

Everyone rushed outside, and they saw the magic square in its full glory.

"What is that!?" Issei shouted.

"That would be Valper fusing the four Excaliburs into one, and using it to create a large magic square!" Kokabiel chuckled.

At that moment, everyone turned to see a floating throne where he was sitting.

"So, should I be expecting Sirzechs anytime soon? Perhaps you've called Serafall? Or is the Devil Queen herself going to grace me?" Kokabiel laughed.

Vali gritted her teeth, knowing he was mocking them.

"If you wanted people to come to your party, then you shouldn't have sent out last-minute invitations. All of the Maou will be running late as a consequence." Rias smirked.

Kokabiel was now the one gritting his teeth, throwing a spear of light at them.

Everyone quickly moved out of the way as the spear shot past them, and soon hit the gym, making it explode! It was a sight that caught the former Humans among all three peerages to gasp in horror.

"Ddraig, how much was he even trying with that!?" Issei exclaimed.

**["You do _not_ want me to answer that! Either way, you're looking at someone who survived a war against God and Lucifer, who were actual deities in comparison!]"** Ddraig warned.

Issei nodded, holding up his arm.

"Wait, Issei!" Irina shouted.

He turned, seeing Irina throw Excalibur Mimic to him, causing him to look confused.

"Ascalon's only real power is that it's Dragon Slayer, my Excalibur Mimic should do more for you in this kind of situation!" Irina explained.

"Alright, if you say so!" Issei replied.

He swung the blade, morphing it into a shape he was more familiar with.

"Since you came all this way, how about I let you play with my favorite pets?" Kokabiel suggested, snapping his fingers.

On the ground, a flaming hole suddenly formed. It wasn't long before a three-headed dog, a two-headed dog with a skeletal body, and a one-headed dog with dark orange flames across its body began to crawl out of it.

"That's a Cerberus, an Orthrus, and a Barghest... those are all watchdogs belonging to the Demons!" Rias shouted in surprise.

"He even managed to steal all of these!?" Irina questioned worriedly.

Sona prepared her clan's signature power of water.

"Then we'll just have to take them down as well." Sona remarked, removing her glasses.

**「** **Sonic the Hedgehog: Crisis City** **」**

At that moment, everyone with Sacred Gears and weapons called them out immediately. With that, the sight of Sona's entire peerage, Issei, Vali, Valerie, and Asia all ready for whatever came their way.

Giving a mighty shout, Vali gave the battle cry that made each peerage rush into action as she took the lead.

" **Vanishing Divider!** "

A storm of energy blades made of blue light flew out of her magic circle, immediately slamming into the three-headed mutt as it was frozen. Immediately after taking the attack, it released a fiery breath from all three of its jaws.

**("REFLECT!")**

The flames hit Vali's barrier, and bounced back to start burning the triple headed canine.

"Everyone, give a path for Arthur's sword to purge this monster!" Vali ordered.

"OK!" Yuuma replied for everyone.

Seeing the Knight of Lucifer begin to rush at it, the Cerberus instantly expelled its deadly hellfire in three different directions. While everyone else was dodging the attack, Yuuma instead took the chance to throw some light spears at the beast, making it turn towards her.

Yuuma gasped, and covered herself... only for a barrier to shield her from its flames. The Fallen Angel Princess turned to see Le Fay smiling at her.

"I've got your back." Le Fay said cheerfully.

"Thanks..." Yuuma smiled in relief.

The Cerberus roared before it lunged at Le Fay, who gave a determined look before spinning her wand.

" **Restriction Chain!** "

Magic circles form, sending out chains that wrapped around the Cerberus' rear legs.

The monstrous canine suddenly fell to the ground, slamming into it hard, injuring its front legs in the process. It tried to get up, but the chains only tightened themselves in response to its struggling.

"Kuroka, Bikou! Give me some Chi and Prana chains!" Le Fay called out.

"Of course." Kuroka giggled.

"You've got it!" Bikou replied with excitement.

The both of them hold out their hands, with Kuroka releasing flaming versions of Le Fay's chains, and Bikou releasing an amplified red aura of the same thing. The extra chains tightened on the other two heads, while Le Fay adjusted the ones she had made to focus on one head.

Swinging his staff around, he shouted loudly, slamming it against the Cerberus' middle head.

"Alright big bro, here's your chance!" Le Fay announced.

"The help is appreciated!" Arthur replied.

Rushing forward, Arthur slashed the monstrosity down the middle, causing its body to divide to glow before it was hit with a purge. Upon seeing his victory, Arthur turned to see the rest of his team gathered around him.

"That's one down, and two to go." Vali smiled.

* * *

Sona's group stood before the two-headed skeleton dog, both heads growling at her group.

"Think your tongues can hold that thing down?" Sona asked.

"Give me the right opening, and there's no way it'll get out of Vritra's grip." Saji answered.

The Sitri heiress nodded at that, right as Orthrus rushed towards the group.

"Here it comes!" Tomoe warned, pulling out her sword scabbard.

Without unsheathing her blade, she rushed at the two-headed canine. The skeletal dog tried to bite down on Tomoe, only for her to hold up the scabbard to block it, leaving her open for the second head's attempt to lung at her.

" **Applause Wall!** "

Two bracelets form on Momo's wrist, sending out rings of light that formed an aura wall, which Orthrus' head crashed into. The monster's head shattered from the impact, but the fragments began to float as it started piecing itself together.

"The rumors are true, an Orthrus' body will piece itself back together unless the bone shards are completely annihilated beforehand." Momo remarked.

"Everyone, ready yourselves to attack the shards after our next blow." Sona alerted her peerage.

As the second head restored itself, it opened its jaw to release a stream of gray-colored flames, prompting Tsubaki to take the front.

" **Mirror Alice!** "

Manipulating metal particles in the air, a magical mirror formed before taking the hit, and shattering as it sent the flames back at their caster. The Orthrus screamed in pain as the flames razed its body, dealing incredible damage.

"Alright, that's first blood for us" Saji said in awe.

"Time for my attack!" Ruruko replied.

Forming what looked to be aerodynamic greaves with wing decors on her legs, Ruruko immediately zoomed off, catching the skeletal dog's attention as she kept accelerating.

"You can't beat the speed of my Procellarum Phantom!" Ruruko playfully mocked, giving a raspberry as she pulled her eyelid down.

The twin-headed canine growled before roaring, and lunging to bite at her. Unfortunately, the Pawn of Sitri immediately dashed even faster, causing afterimages of herself to confuse the skeletal monster until it was dizzy.

"All yours Tsubasa!" Ruruko shouted.

" **Twinkle Aegis!** "

A pair of energy shields created by Fairy magic formed in the air, spinning together like a yo-yo before they flew into her hand. As both heads started to regain focus, Tsubasa spun it like a wheel, generating some fire within it.

" **Falling Star Crash!** "

Launching the yo-yo Sacred Gear towards Orthrus, one of its heads got shattered, and burned some of the fragments before they could return to the beast. Seeing her opening, Sona prepared an attack with her Creation Wave.

"Sona, is that opening good enough?" Tsubasa inquired.

"More than enough." Sona answered.

Swinging out her arm, the water she unleashed gained a will of its own, transforming into a watery serpent creature. The Orthrus felt the snake bite down on its other hand, emitting intense water pressure into the strength of its jaws.

"Saji!" Sona alerted.

Vritra's host nodded at that, making a certain pose.

" **Absorption Line!"**  
"Blaze Black Flare!"  
"Delete Field!"  
"Shadow Prison!"

All four of the Vritra Gears appeared together, followed by each of them gaining a third eye to represent the three that Vritra himself had.

**«"Let us annihilate this being that dared to face us!"»** Vritra announced.

Tongues shot out from all four of the Sacred Gears' mouths, latching onto the skeletal canine. As the twin-headed canine struggled, the water serpent immediately tightened its jaws, locking it in place.

"Damn, this thing's resilient!" Saji grunted.

**«"It won't be after this."»** Vritra smirked.

Suddenly, a surge of black flames burned across the tongues, immediately making the Orthrus roared in agony, blasting its own flames out in a vain attempt that only fueled the dark fire that was consuming it.

"Whoa!" Reya exclaimed.

"The cursed dark flames of Vritra, one of the many powers that this Evil Dragon possess. It's believed they are the only true counter against the divine flames of the Incinerate Anthem... I can't believe we're seeing them in person." Sona stated in awe.

In only a minute or two, the Orthrus was burned into a pile of ash.

"Glad to know such a power is on our side." The Sitri Heiress remarked.

* * *

Shirone jumped up, and tossed a few Senjutsu fireballs at the Barghest... which the burning hound simply ran right through! Shirone was immediately forced to give it a drop kick to the face, only for it to it try chomping her whole!

"I... hate... dogs!" Shirone grunted.

She kicked its jaw open, and rolled out as the beast was shaking its head. This gave Akeno an opening to appear behind the disoriented hound.

"I think it wants more!" Akeno shouted.

" **Holy Lightning!** "

The black mutt roared as the holy energy zapped through it, but it shook the attack off, only to be slammed by a Spiral of Destruction. As the dust cleared, the dog howled loudly, making Rias wince a bit.

"Let's be glad he only got the one Barghest, since this one alone is a lot to handle." Rias remarked.

As this was happening, Issei was charging up more boosts while keeping Valerie, and Asia safe.

**["BOOST!"]**

"I've gathered a lot of Boosts so far, but I'm gonna need more if I wanna give everyone a power up that's strong enough." Issei grunted, keeping his eye out for any danger.

At that moment, he heard Asia scream.

Turning around, he saw a bunch of cracks in the ground, revealing a bunch of Golems that were generating a random pattern of eerie-sounding beeps. Irina immediately unleashed her Holy Light in the form of a ring, but the Golems simply shrugged it off.

"This could be bad..." Irina realized as she shivered.

"Hold on, I'm on my way!" Issei shouted.

He swung out Excalibur Mimic, causing it to whip a few of the Golems, and change their focus to him. As the Sekiryuutei rushed closer, he saw their arms open to reveal missile launchers.

**["Missile launchers? Be careful Issei, these are Gogmagogs!"]** Ddraig warned.

"Gogmagogs?" He repeated.

**["Golems made by an ancient civilization called the Salathavean Kingdom, with their special ability being able to mimic enemy weaponry, regardless of when it was created."]** Ddraig explained.

Issei sweated at that, punching the ground to make it collapse, and trap the nearest Gogmagog inside.

"Don't worry, I'm coming!" Issei called out to them.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

He rushed towards the two, right as a trio of Gogmagogs prepared to blast them.

"I'm not gonna make it!" Issei screamed.

" **Sword Birth!** "

A bunch of swords spiked through the Gogmagogs, making them explode. The three all looked as Kiba jumped into view.

"Kiba, you made it." Asia smiled.

"Sorry, but I had to pick up Xenovia." Kiba apologized.

Hearing shouting from above, all four of them quickly ran away as Xenovia slammed Excalibur Destruction into the ground, eliminating all of the Gogmagogs.

Seeing the Barghest fighting against Rias' peerage, Xenovia rushed at the black hound.

"Allow me to tip the odds!" Xenovia offered.

She slashed through the beast, making it meet the same fate that Caliburn had given the Cerberus.

Akeno giggled at that.

"Looks like Kokabiel's little guard dogs have all been put down." Akeno smiled.

**["BOOST!"]**

Issei saw the gem on his Boosted Gear glow, making him realize he had enough power for everyone.

"Everyone, prepare for a Transfer!" Issei announced.

"Good timing!" Vali smiled.

Holding his arm out, he shouted as he released green beams from the Sacred Gear's gem.

**["TRANSFER!"]**

When the green light beams hit everyone, they felt their power multiple depending on how many boosts Issei had to lend them, but they were clearly all feeling an incredible boost in power.

"Alright, time to show Kokabiel what we're made of!" Vali exclaimed.

"Guess this won't be as boring as I expected." Kokabiel chuckled.

* * *

Hearing a timer go off, Jeanne finally ran out of Vali's house, and sprinted towards the battlefield.

"Alright, no more waiting, they need my help!" Jeanne stated.

Shortly after she began her run, the sudden sound of collapsing got her attention, causing her to slow to a stop as she looked for its source.

Upon getting closer, she saw the person in question was... Tosca!

"Tosca, you're awake!?" Jeanne gasped.

"Is... that you, Mary?" Tosca breathed, looking at her with tears in her eyes.

Jeanne teared up, smiling a bit.

"I can't believe it, you finally woke up... wait, how'd you even-" Jeanne asked, firing off a barrage of questions.

Tosca stopped by holding up the crystal that Michael gave her.

"Please, take me to Isaiah... he needs this!" Tosca begged, unable to run anymore.

"Tosca... don't worry, we'll get it to him, together!" Jeanne smiled.

Pulling her onto her back, the Maiden of Orleans rushed to the battlefield as Tosca held onto her for dear life, drawing out Hauteclere in advance.

'Kiba, we're on our way!' Jeanne thought with resolve.

* * *

Vali immediately flew ahead, readying herself in a position to attack the war loving cadre of the Fallen Angels.

"Let's see how you handle this!" She screamed.

" **Twilight Wave!** "

The waves of twilight fired off against Kokabiel, who simply smirked as he smacked it away, causing it to vaporize the area surrounding the Tennis Court.

'No way, it's still not enough? Even after I've been boosted to this level!?' Vali thought in horror.

Kokabiel laughed at her.

"Was that it, or did you make your attack weaker on purpose?" Kokabiel mocked.

"I hate this guy." Vali quietly grunted.

At that moment, Valper's laughter was heard as the magic square's light focused, causing the pillar of light to vanish.

"Finally, it is complete!" Valper laughed excitedly.

Looking towards the magic square, the sight of a golden sword appeared, showing the fusion of the four Excaliburs into a single blade. In response to its completion, the magic square started to expand.

* * *

From a distance, the sight of Ophis watching the battle was seen.

"So, this is what the whiny war brat's doing. Laugh all you want Kokabiel, because I'll be shattering your dreams soon enough." Ophis smirked, acting like there wasn't a possible brink of war on the horizon.

The mysterious white-haired woman vanished, teleporting herself even closer to the battlefield.

* * *

The magic square's size began expanded beyond the Dragon King's barrier, making them sweat as their worst fears became a reality.

"Oh no!" Kiba suddenly gasped.

"It went past the barrier, then this is what they'll use to make the town disappear!?" Issei wondered aloud.

Valper cackled at that, looking at the three peerages.

"I'd leave now if I were you, this area will be destroyed in 20 minutes!" Valper warned mockingly.

"20 minutes? Our reinforcements still need another 30... they won't make it in time!" Rias realized in a panic.

Hearing this, Vali immediately aimed at the square.

" **Twilight Inversion!** "

Vali unleashed the power that Lucifer gave to the Belial Clan through a storm of twilight, but even with all the power she unleashed... the magic square stayed intact shocking everyone over the fact even she wasn't able to stop it.

"No good, this magic square's too embedded with the Excaliburs for me to negate!" Vali shouted, feeling a few beads of sweat trickle down her face.

"Then we just need to destroy it!" Issei exclaimed, readying Excalibur Mimic.

Kokabiel unfolded his wings, rushing towards her.

"Like I'd let you!" He shouted with a confident smirk.

Everyone readied for his charge... only to notice Vali on his back, surprising even the cadre.

"How did you...!" He shouted.

"Don't underestimate us, because we might just surprise you!" Vali screamed.

Kokabiel screamed as the Lucifer Heiress burned two of his wings off through her Ethereal Twilight, completely destroying them as he crashed away onto the ground, with Vali herself flying away before she did the same.

Growling at the silvery-white haired Devil, he held out a light spear towards her, and causing him to forget the others.

"Take this!" Rias shouted.

"Hurry, we can't let this chance slip us by!" Sona requested.

"Hands off my cousin!" Irina announced.

All three of them unleashed all their magic at once, locking Kokabiel in place before Vali joined them.

"Quick, smash that Excalibur before he breaks free! We don't know how long we'll be able to keep Kokabiel at bay!" The silvery-white haired screamed.

Issei nodded, turning his head to the others.

"You heard Vali, it's time to shatter a legendary sword!" He announced.

"Allow me." Kiba replied.

Walking into view, Valper noticed Kiba getting closer to him.

"Valper Galilei, I'm one of the three survivors of the Holy Sword Project, the very children you chose to murder!" Kiba declared, getting Valper's attention.

He gripped his sword tightly, glaring at the madman that had caused him so much suffering.

"I was able to live because I was reborn as a Devil, and now... today's the day I will avenge the death of my comrades!" He announced.

The Knight of Gremory rushed at him, moving so fast that Valper had no chance to react. Just as it looked like he would smash the Fused Excalibur... he was suddenly slammed into the ground by something, catching everyone's attention.

"What was that?" Shirone questioned.

"I... I don't know, even I couldn't see it." Kuroka answered with slight panic.

At that moment, a familiar mutated laughter was heard, making everyone see the now chimeric form of Freed Sellzen, making them all gasp as they were able to recognize enough of him to know he was this monster before them.

"Yuck!" Le Fay winced in disgust.

"Just when you think he can't get any uglier." Bikou stated, his right eye twitching.

Valper chuckled at that.

"Freed, it's time! Use the Excalibur!" He announced.

The chimeric man grabbed the sword, feeling its incredible power flow through his body.

"Oh yeah, who's the volunteer that wants to be on the pointy end of this bad boy first!?" Freed inquired in a mocking tone.

"How about me!?" Xenovia questioned.

The blue-haired Exorcist swung Excalibur Destruction at him, only for him to rush out of view.

"Nice try, but you're too slow to defeat the power of Excalibur Rapidly!" Freed laughed insanely, slashing at Xenovia.

Unfortunately for him, Xenovia simply flipped onto her hands, and then swung her legs to kick the unguarded Freed's giant eye. He held it as the pain forced its eyelids shut, rendered useless for the time being.

"My face! You scum bitch, prepare to face Excalibur Blessing's reckoning!" Freed roared in anger.

Freed's muscle mass swelled larger, and he swung the Fused Excalibur down, creating a wave of holy energy. Xenovia smashed it apart with Excalibur Destruction's power... only to see Freed disappear.

"Oh wait, I meant Excalibur _Transparency_!" Freed mocked.

"He can use all their abilities, which means he should also have..." Xenovia realized, sweating a bit.

Freed laughed as he reappeared, with two clones besides him.

"Now... here comes the power of Excalibur Nightmare!" Freed said darkly, smiling as he did.

Xenovia managed to parry each blow, only for fatigue to hit in.

"He's too strong... I won't last at this rate..." Xenovia panted.

At that moment, Kiba started to get back up, knowing Xenovia needed help, and Valper noticed this.

"I'm grateful to you and the others, you taught me what I needed to complete the project!" Valper chuckled, making Kiba's eyes widen.

"Complete it?" Kiba repeated.

"You see, when I was born, I wanted to wield the Excalibur, but I fell into despair because I couldn't. However, I soon realized if I could find a way to make myself capable, that wouldn't be a problem anymore! Studying all of you brats, I found out Holy Swords need the right combination of genes. Once I realized that fact, all I had to do was take out the Holy Sword genes from those who had any them!" Valper revealed with an insane look.

Everyone who was within hearing range showed horror at that, while Kokabiel smirked.

"Then I found a way to combine and crystallize their genes into the right combination, creating a way to give people the power to wield Excalibur! I did find out not everyone could take the genes, and a few died from being unable to take them in, but due to Freed's unique nature as an artificial human created by the Sigurd Institution, I finally managed to achieve the impossible!" Valper announced, holding his hands up.

"The Sigurd Institution... so, Freed's the last of those rogue attempts to make Sigurd's descendant." Xenovia realized, understanding Freed's abnormal insanity.

Freed laughed at that, his insane face widened his one good eye for emphasis.

"Better yet, I was able to take in three crystals, so I'm literally one of a kind!" Freed praised himself while mocking everyone else.

Xenovia gritted her teeth, tightening her sword.

"The act of a true monster! Heaven would never accept the benefits if lives were sacrificed for it, much less the lives of innocent children!" Xenovia stated, wanting to kill Valper where he stood.

Valper laughed at that, looking at Xenovia with a twisted look on his face.

"I wouldn't point that remark at me young lady, the fact you're using a Holy Sword clearly tells me those hypocrites still used my research in some way. Then again, we're talking about God here. Even if he did take genes from his people, he wouldn't kill them, so I guess that makes him more human than I am." Valper replied, a sickening smile on his face.

Kiba growled, getting on his feet as tears filled his eyes.

"And there was no need to kill us either! How could you... how could you!?" Kiba replied, shaking in anger.

The former Archbishop laughed at that.

"Because you were just pieces of research in a top-secret project! Research always requires sacrifices, so those who can't accept that fact will never get anywhere in life." Valper answered, making Kiba tremble in anger.

Hearing this, everyone else looked at him in anger.

"Sacrifices? Sacrifices!? We believed what we were doing was for God, and we bore everything because of that faith, only for you to throw us away... like trash! You sacrificed nothing, and simply say that as your excuse to murder us!" Kiba furiously screamed, tears flooding down his face.

Some of the more sensitive members of the group, like Asia and Le Fay began shedding tears, while the others showed disgust and anger. Vali herself wanted nothing more to punch his teeth out, seeing this man as a Human version of Rizevim.

_"Run away!"_

_"Hurry, save yourself!"_

Kiba stared at him, an intense glare on his face.

**「** **Highschool DxD: Bokutachi no Omai** **」**

"There were kids who had bigger dreams than me, wanted to live more than me, and that nightmare took all of that away!" He shouted angrily.

He got on his feet, glaring at Valper with intensity that would frighten most people.

So, how many? How many lives did your research cost? How many deaths did it take to satisfy you? How many dreams did you destroy for your own selfishness!?" Kiba demanded.

"Too many!" Jeanne answered.

Kiba turned, seeing his sister with a face he didn't expect.

"Tosca..." He breathed.

At that moment, the white-haired girl tossed the crystal that Michael gave her to him, making Valper's eyes widen as he saw it.

"Impossible, how'd you get that crystal!?" Valper demanded.

"Isaiah, that crystal... use it!" Tosca begged.

Kiba caught the crystal, and the moment he did... it began glowing, making everyone see the silhouettes of people begin to form. As he looked at them, he felt a hand grab his sleeve, making him turn to see... one of his fallen friend's spirits! It didn't take long to see all of them.

"W-what is this!?" Valper said in shock.

"That crystal... it contained the genes he took from our friends, it's the one part of them that's still living on in this world." Tosca smiled as she realized it.

"I don't believe it... everyone." Jeanne gasped as she teared up.

At that moment, the spirits of Kiba's friends began to swirl around him, and then... they spoke together.

_"It's OK."_

_"Let's all gather together!"_

_"Take us in... it's time!"_

_"You don't have to be scared, even if there is no God!"_

_"Though a God may not be watching over us..."_

_"Our hearts will forever be one!"_

Kiba's tears began to flow out, and for the first time in years... he felt closure as he heard the voices of his fallen friends.

"Love, it's the one thing no one in this world can destroy..." Asia realized, making a prayer motion as she teared up.

"I can't stop crying... Kiba, you can't lose to this bastard now!" Issei shouted out as he cried.

At that moment, all of their spirits entered his body, and as they did... rings of light shot from Kiba's body. Issei recognized them from when he activated his Scale Mail for the first time.

"That light, that's his...!" Issei gasped.

**["The Knight has peaked."]** Ddraig smirked.

As the rings faded, Kiba looked at Valper.

"I finally understand, my friends... they wanted me to live, so part of them could live on in me. That's why I'm alive, because I've inherited their dreams, and now... all that's standing in their way is ending the evil in front of me." Kiba stated, soon forming his sword.

"Help me, Freed!" Valper begged.

The mutant dropped in front him, prepared to take him down, making Valper smirk as he stood safely behind him.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

At that moment, Kiba held up his sword.

"Dear comrades whose souls have merged with mine, we'll overcome this together. All our dreams that were stifled can now come true!" Kiba chanted as his aura glowed even brighter.

" **Balance Breaker: Sword of Betrayer!** "

Valper's eyes widened at that, and then everyone saw Kiba's sword emitting not just sacred darkness, but holy light! The two powers merged together, creating a black & white sword with gold trims, with red runes lightning up across the blade's center.

"Angel and Devil powers fused together? That means... he's using a _Cursed Holy Sword_." Sona said in surprise.

"That's impossible, how can such an aberration exist!?" Valper screamed.

Realizing what was happening before her, Xenovia tossed the Excalibur Destruction towards Irina. The golden-orange haired Angel showed surprise as it landed near her.

"Xenovia... are you really going to use it?" Irina realized.

"Talk to me, Knight of Gremory. Are we still fighting on the same side?" Xenovia stated, walking alongside him.

"I'd like to say we are." Kiba confirmed.

"Then let's destroy that Excalibur together." Xenovia decided, shocking him.

"You sure?" Kiba asked.

"That may be a Holy Sword by name, but there's nothing Holy about this fused monstrosity. It's only fair a true Holy Sword stops it." Xenovia answered, soon standing in place.

Holding out her hand, she closed her eyes.

"Oh Peter, oh Basileus, and Dionysus, and the Holy Mother Mary... hear my prayers and lend me your strength!" Xenovia chanted.

A magic circle forms, and Xenovia stuck her hand inside of it.

"In the name of the Saint living within this blade, I hereby release... Durandal!" Xenovia announced.

She pulled out a chained sword, and the binding chains quickly shattered to reveal the Holy Sword to everyone, even Jeanne and Irina showed surprise at the official confirmation of her true Holy Sword.

"My god, she really did inherit it!" Jeanne gasped.

"Amazing..." Irina breathed in awe.

Valper's eyes shook at that.

"That's impossible, my research never went into that blade! No one should be able to wield that blade!" Valper gasped in horror.

"Your research didn't need to, because you were wrong about the church mimicking your research... me, Jeanne, and Irina are all the genuine articles!" Xenovia revealed, smirking to really sink her words in.

Valper's eyes widened at that, starting to shake in fear at the undeniable reality before him.

"I don't believe you!" Freed roared, rushing at them.

Jeanne held out her hand, forming a Holy Sword that began glowing the same way as Kiba's, getting everyone's attention at the sight.

"Just as my brother's sword is the weapon born from the betrayal you gave us, mine is the one that will bring the betrayed salvation from the in that took their lives! Now, you will finally atone for that sin!" Jeanne exclaimed.

" **Balance Breaker: Blade of Salvation!** "

The same kind of sword appeared in Jeanne's hands as the one she held transformed, but it had a much more angelic frame, and the kanji on the blade was white in color.

"Damn it, another plot twist!?" Freed raged.

Freed screamed as he smashed another holy wave at the quartet, but this time... the blue-haired Exorcist didn't just slash it in an instant, her own holy wave smashed into him! The insane chimera screamed in pain, barely holding up.

"What you have is simply a broken sword, its own power will betray you need it most!" Xenovia announced as she jumped for an overhead strike.

"Damn it... I've decided that I completely despise you!" Freed screamed as he dodged her strike, jumping into the air.

Kiba appeared behind him, catching him off guard.

"The feeling's mutual!" Kiba screamed.

Kiba swung against Freed with quick slashes, putting the chimeric man on the defensive.

"But it wasn't enough to destroy out hope!" Jeanne declared.

The Maiden of Orleans swung her sword alongside her brother, shattering the Fused Excalibur to Freed's horror, making Valper's eyes widen.

"Impossible..." The madman gasped.

"Quick, disengage now!" Irina warned.

Vali threw her attack into the ground, helping the group get away as Kokabiel threw a Holy Spear towards them. The moment Freed landed on the ground, everyone saw the him shake, glaring at everyone with complete fury.

"Impossible, how could I have been taken out by lame Devil scum!? I'll rip you all..." Freed roared angrily.

Suddenly, Freed felt a few slashes form across his body, either being made from the holy and dark elements in the twins' Cursed Holy Swords, and realized what was happening to him. Giving one final scream, his body swelled before exploding into nothingness.

"Yes, do you see Valper?" Kiba questioned.

"Our powers smashed the Excalibur you were so proud of!" Jeanne finished.

"No, this can't be..." Valper whimpered.

He quickly had his eyes widened, making everyone see an arrow of light shoot through him. Shaking for a moment, his body soon dissolved away in light, and everyone saw Tosca had fired the arrow from a bow she was suddenly holding.

"Tosca, where'd you get that?" Jeanne asked in surprise.

"I'm not sure, it just appeared when I wanted him to stop talking." Tosca blushed in embarrassment.

Kokabiel looked at the spot where Valper dissolved.

"Oh, Valper... you really were a talent, but it looks like your efforts worked again you." Kokabiel stated.

Looking at the group, he saw most of them were winded.

"Albion, did we do anything to the magic square? Please tell me that we didn't just waste our time on breaking that Excalibur abomination!" Vali questioned.

**("The destruction has been delayed, but not stopped. Good news is it seems the Maou will make it in time.")** Albion answered.

Vali nodded, looking at everyone.

"Don't give in guys, Albion says the Maou will make it before the square goes off!" Vali alerted.

It worked, as everyone gave confident looks.

"Vali's right, so let's follow her lead!" Rias agreed, crossing her arms.

" **Aura Break!** "

Everyone felt Rias' power flare out, while Kokabiel looked interested.

"Perhaps this won't be as boring as I thought, come at me!" Kokabiel demanded, showing am excited grin.

Rias screamed as she fired off all the power she could.

"Issei, give me all the Boosts you have left!" Vali ordered.

"OK!" Issei replied.

**["TRANSFER!"]**

Vali's eyes flashed as her power multiplied, and charged it all into multiple magic circles around her.

"Albion, go for it!" Vali shouted.

**("Understood!")** Albion replied.

A blue aura covered Vali, though the Fallen Cadre didn't look worried... until a large number of magic circles appeared around Vali, numbering at around three dozen.

" **Vanishing Blazer!** "

Beams fired off from each of the magic circles, quickly catching up with Rias' attack, and making both of them slam against Kokabiel, who held out his hands to withstand their combined force. Despite that, it was clear he was struggling, as he didn't just swipe them away this time.

"Yes, this is the kind of power I wanted to face! It's like I'm in combat with Sirzechs this very moment!" Kokabiel cackled in joy.

"Akeno!" Rias shouted, turning to her.

The Gremory Queen rose into the air, charging the powers of her father and mother's heritage together.

" **Firebolt Strike!** "

Kokabiel saw the fiery lightning blast at him, forcing him to use his eight remaining wings to shield himself.

"You can't defeat me with Baraqiel's power!" Kokabiel mocked.

"Don't you disrespect his name, I won't let anyone insult my father!" Akeno screamed, causing her to generate even more power.

Kokabiel laughed before flaring his wings out, knocking the two heiresses to the ground as their Boosts faded, while Akeno fell near the trees, panting a bit from all the power she just used.

" **Balance Breaker: Stake Victim Dragon!** "  
" **Balance Breaker: Sinful Blood Dragon!** "

Jeanne's dragon of Holy Swords formed in the sky, with a more demonic version created from Kiba's Cursed Swords forming at its side, being black with red on its body, and having purple eyes.

Both Dragons released their breath attacks at him, while Kokabiel held a hand against both, and formed a Light Spear in his hands.

"Interesting, but let's see how well it handles this!" Kokabiel shouted.

*ROAR*

Both Dragons gave a cry of pain before the spear shattered them apart, causing the blades that made them to rain towards everyone!

"Watch out!" Jeanne panicked.

"I've got it!" Tosca shouted.

She closed her eyes, creating a powerful barrier that protected everyone barrier around everyone, with Momo showing surprise at how much stronger it was than her Applause Wall.

"Come on, we have to... keep holding out." Issei told himself, sweating a bit.

At that moment, Kokabiel's eyes widened as he suddenly got an idea, causing him to laugh. The moment it was heard, everyone had a bad feeling in their guts.

"Why are you laughing?" Issei questioned with a glare.

"Why am I trying to beat you down? I could easily remove the opposition I have before me by crushing your spirits. Hmm... maybe I should do so by revealing the truth about your masters?" Kokabiel answered before sharing his suggestion.

Vali, Yuuma, and Irina's eyes all widened at that, realizing he was serious... and that there was nothing they could do to stop him.

"The... truth about our masters? What is he talking about?" Rias wondered aloud.

"Kokabiel, tell me the truth about our masters is supposed to mean!?" Xenovia demanded.

With that, the cadre revealed the brutal truth.

"Quite simple... what caused the end of the Great War the fact that God and Lucifer were actually killed, and your three friends over there have known this all along!" Kokabiel revealed, pointing at the trio in question.

That one line alone caused everyone to freeze in shock, while the three all looked down in shame at the secret they failed to keep.

"No way, God is... it can't be." Xenovia breathed in horror.

"He's what? The Devil King was... how is that possible? If he died, then Hell's leader should be-" Rias questioned in shock.

"It's true."

Rias turned at Vali, and that's when she saw the Lucifer Heiress' tears... it was true, or the silver-haired Devil wouldn't be crying for the adoptive father she never even met.

"No..." Rias breathed.

Xenovia felt herself collapse onto her feet, struggling to not outright faint.

"I'm honestly surprised no one's realized this by now! Think about it, why would there need to be a system to reincarnate others as Devils or Angels when the two who could easily make them on their own were still around? Without God, there was no way for new Angels to be born, and Lucifer's death meant Lilith couldn't make any new Devils either." Kokabiel explained.

It didn't take long for Rias, and Sona to make the very connection behind the very system they had never questioned.

"How did we never see it?" Sona gasped as it all made sense.

"That's right, but you've seen it now! The Angels, Fallen Angels, Devils, and Demons... all four sides were ruined to the point they had to rely on Humans for them to survive! Their leaders even agreed to seal away this information, so the Humans would keep respecting them, and the mythologies would keep fearing them." Kokabiel confirmed.

"Lies, it's not true." Xenovia gasped, unable to think any longer.

It didn't take long for Tosca and Asia to faint entirely, with Jeanne struggling in the same manner as Xenovia, and the two Devil Heiress to collapse onto their feet.

"Hey, what's wrong with everyone!?" Issei asked worriedly.

"It's a natural reaction to the truth, most are lucky if they're able to think afterwards." Irina explained.

Jeanne panted a bit, realizing something.

"Wait... if God's dead, then who's been answering our prayers?" She questioned.

"You can thank Gabriel for that, she's been running things in God's place. Regardless, the system's nothing like it used to be, so it's not too surprising that the number of God's believers has dropped." Kokabiel revealed.

The Maiden of Orleans gasped, realizing how the crystal Tosca got was even recovered for her to receive in the first place.

"Without those two, the balance between light and darkness is gone. Things like the Balance Breaker, Asia's ability to heal Devils or Demons, and the Longinus? All of them only exist because they died... a giant mess hidden from the public by making it all look real." Yuuma explained, a guilty look on her face.

At that moment, the rogue cadre's face turned into a scowl.

"That's what I hate the most! When they died... it was decided to stop the war! How dare they stop from crushing my enemies just as it was getting fun!? We would have won, and yet that bastard Azazel declared that the Fallen Angels would have another war!" Kokabiel screamed furiously.

Vali glared at him, gritting her teeth.

"Kokabiel... you're no Fallen Angel, your just pure evil!" Vali shouted angrily.

Hearing her remark, the rogue cadre laughed.

"Say all you want, but the war will continue, and I'll do whatever it takes to make it happen!" Kokabiel declared.

"Never! I'm going to stop you right here, and right now!" Vali announced.

Hearing that, Kokabiel laughed at her.

"You, stop me!? That's an interesting imagination you've got there! After all, you're the girl that's still afraid of her grandfather!" He mocked her.

He looked at her... only to feel his eyes widen as he didn't see her eyes wavering. The war crazed Fallen Angel had no idea how wrong his words were, and the Heiress of Lucifer was about to make him realize this.

"You're wrong... I don't care how strong you are, because I will not let you take away everything that I hold dear! The seal in this area might be limiting my ability to use my Balance Breaker, and I might be exhausted, but I will not stand down!" Vali exclaimed, making her promise to beat him.

"Fine, then try taking me down! Maybe you'll learn when you're finally dead!" Kokabiel replied, deciding to humor her.

Vali stared at him, closing her eyes... right as she heard a few voices that made her start to tremble. Realizing what this was, Albion gasped in horror.

**("VALI, NO!")**

* * *

Deep within Vali's mind, the Lucifer heiress felt the voices of her past selves try to overwhelm her.

("Use it... use the Juggernaut Drive!")

("That's all you can do, overcome this bastard with your power. Show them the rage of the Hakuryuukou.")

Vali grunted, shaking her head.

"No, I won't use that cursed power! I won't become... a monster!" Vali refused, struggling against their might.

The grabbed hold of her more.

("You will use it, you must!")

Vali still refused to give in, and seeing this, her past possessors finally took action.

("If you won't use it, then we shall-")

_("Try it, and I shall take all of you down myself.")_ A female voice warned.

All the past possessors suddenly froze in fear, scaring them all away from Vali, and leaving the Lucifer Heiress confused.

"Who said that?" Vali questioned.

_("Be the Hakuryuukou we all failed to be. We all fell to the curse of hatred... even me, despite I found love. Don't you hear him calling for you?")_ She encouraged.

At that moment, Vali turned as she saw Issei's silhouette.

["I believe in you, Vali! No matter what he says... you were the one that made me who I am today! That's why I love you, and that's why I know you can beat him! So, keep your promise to protect me!"] Issei cheered her own.

"Issei..." Vali breathed, tearing up.

"Pathetic, useless brat! Stay down!"

At that moment, Vali was suddenly slammed onto the ground by a giant hand. She looked to see a super-sized version of Rizevim look at her, pining her down as he looked at her with a terrifying smirk.

"As long as I live, you will never escape me, regardless of how much that boy aids you! You're changes of stopping me... are **zero**!" Rizevim cackled loudly.

Vali closed her eyes, shaking in fear, when suddenly...

["Wrong, because she's not the only here to stop you!"]

At that moment, a hand suddenly put itself on Vali's, making her look to see a silhouette of Issei was the one touching it. Shortly after, the giant Rizevim noticed the rest of her peerage appear to do the same, along with Albion, Lilith, and everyone she had become close to since meeting Issei.

"What is this!?" Rizevim panicked.

Seeing everyone by her side, Issei smiled at her.

["He can't control you anymore, because you won't have to face him alone!"] Issei encouraged her.

"That's right... I'm the Hakuryuukou, the daughter of Lucifer, but more than anything else? I'm the girlfriend of Issei Hyoudou, and I will always fight for him!"

Vali screamed as a white light surrounded her, making Rizevim scream as his body shattered apart.

* * *

Kokabiel began laughing, realizing what was happening.

"Yes... fall to the Juggernaut Drive, that alone will cause another war!" Kokabiel cheered.

"The Juggernaut Drive?" Issei repeated.

Ddraig grunted, getting his host's attention, and making him give a worried look.

"Ddraig... what's he talking about?" He asked worriedly.

The Red Dragon didn't immediately answer, but soon gave in, knowing Issei wouldn't forgive himself if something happened to Vali.

**["It's the curse between me and Albion's hosts... our full power is given to them, but because they're not meant to have it yet, the cost is your lifespan! Vali might not be in as much danger because of her heritage, but it could still kill her!"]** Ddraig explained.

"What... did you just say?" Issei breathed in horror.

The Sekiryuutei turned to Vali, now feeling the very real reality that he might lose her, until... Vali suddenly screamed, releasing an aura that surprised Kokabiel.

"What is this!?" He demanded.

**「** **High School DxD HERO: Potential Awakened** **」**

"Albion, get ready... it's time we reach a new level, together!" Vali screamed.

**("You... overpowered your predecessors!")** Albion gasped.

Following this, Albion felt something as the energies that came from her host's heritage began to flow, making her eyes widen as something within the Divine Dividing began to react.

**("Yes, let us defy the path of the Juggernaut Drive, starting here! Let us show the world what the power of the White Dragon Empress and the Heiress of Lucifer can create together!")** Albion screamed.

Vali's eyes flashed open, and she kept screaming as managed to form her Scale Mail, causing the dragon crest to form... and then crack as her strength overwhelmed the effects of the Anti-Dragon field!

"That's impossible!" Kokabiel screamed.

"You can do it Vali, I believe in you!" Issei screamed.

Everyone watched as the Hakuryuukou's Scale Mail began to glow, and making Vali's aura explode.

"If my power as the Hakuryuukou isn't enough, and if my power as a Lucifer isn't enough... then I'll create a new power! I won't fall to the path of Supremacy, and I won't fall to the Juggernaut Drive, because I believe in my own strengths!" Vali declared.

At that moment, everyone the Scale Mail release a bright flash.

Once the powerful flash had finally come to an end, and the battlefield was once again visible to everyone... Issei opened his eyes, and gasped at the sight. It wasn't long before everyone else followed.

**["I... I don't believe it!"]** Ddraig gasped.

Kokabiel soon opened his eyes, and a look of disbelief entered his face as he saw it.

Vali's Scale Mail had turned silver, with the golden areas of her armor having become midnight black in color. Her gem had also changed, no longer being a simple blue color, but a brilliant sapphire! However, the biggest surprise was the scale mail armor's twelve wings!

**("This is Diabolus Dragon: Lucifer... our alternative to the Juggernaut Drive!")** Albion announced.

Kokabiel felt his confidence draining away, as the two opponents he had feared fighting was the two Dragon Emperors in their Balance Breakers, hence why he made sure to have the Anti-Dragon field render that power useless.

However, right before his very eyes... Vali had completely shattered that limitation, and made herself even stronger!

"N-no way, this is... it c-can't be possible!" Kokabiel stuttered.

He quickly prepared a gigantic holy spear, and threw it at the Lucifer Heiress with a mighty scream. Vali simply held out her hand in response.

**("DIVIDE!")**

To Kokabiel's surprise, his attack disappeared entirely!

"What!?" Kokabiel gasped.

"That won't work on me as I am now, Kokabiel!" Vali shouted.

Her wings glowed brightly.

**("HALF DIMENSION!")**

Vali's wings widened, creating an energy ripple that caused Kokabiel to feel his strength being halved.

"My... strength!" Kokabiel wheezed out.

"No way, Vali's actually warping the dimensions around him." Sona realized in surprise.

Vali formed blasters from each other her wings, which all charged draconic power in them.

" **Vanishing Booster!** "

Kokabiel was immediately struck with all twelve beams, smashing him into the barrier. The Fallen Angel roared in pain, and soon flew into the air, just randomly tossing light spears at the silvery-white haired Devil.

**("This fight's ours, now win it!")** Albion shouted.

" **Light of the Morning Star!** "

Vali threw her hands out, releasing orbs of light that moved faster than speeding bullets.

They shot through the spears of light, shredding them apart before they smashed into Kokabiel's stomach. He began falling to the ground, but before he could, Vali grabbed him.

Tossing him into the air, the chest plate on Vali's armor opened up.

"Feel the ultimate power of the Longinus, the power of... a God Slayer!" Vali screamed, making the gem underneath start to glow.

**("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!")**

Kokabiel only got weaker as more power was siphoned from him, making his eyes widened.

"This can't be, my war... it can't be stopped! You won't end my ambitions here, you stupid Half-Devil freak!" Kokabiel rage, holding a hand out in defiance.

At that moment, the gem finally charged its full power.

"For my father... for my friends... my peerage... for all Devils, and... for my Issei!" Vali shouted.

" **Longinus Smasher!** "

A blue beam fired out of the Vali's scale mail, smashing into Kokabiel's body, and making the Fallen Angel cadre scream as the attack overwhelmed every inch of his body. The beam continued until it smashed through the barrier, shattering it into pieces.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

The moment this was done, everyone cheered as they finally defeated Kokabiel.

"Incredible... that's really something every Longinus can do?" Issei quietly asked.

**["That's right, Issei. You're looking at the Light of Longinus itself. With this light alone, a Sacred Gear is guaranteed the potential to become a god slayer."]** Ddraig confirmed.

Vali panted for a bit, and then... she collapsed onto her knees, her evolved Scale Mail disappearing as she hit her limit. Issei quickly rushed over to her his girl, and held the exhausted Lucifer in his arms.

Looking at him, she gave a weak smile.

"H-hey, Issei? Didn't you tell me something recently about kissing a Sleeping Beauty?" She joked.

"Yeah, guess I need to wake her again." Issei smiled back.

He hugged her close, and the two shared a deep kiss with each other. Irina sniffled as she rubbed a tear off her eye.

"No doubt about it, those two are made for each other." Irina sniffled.

Unfortunately, right as that was happening, Saji noticed the magic square hadn't disappeared.

"Uh, guys... if Kokabiel's been taken down, why hasn't the magic square disappeared?" He asked worried.

Everyone soon gasped, realizing it really was still present.

Right after that, everyone heard some laughing, and turned as they saw Kokabiel floating in the sky.

He now had a huge burn scar going diagonally across his face, his hair had been burnt to half its original length, and his upper short had been shredded to the point all of his muscles could be seen... yet he was alive.

"No... he survived that!?" Vali gasped.

"I knew that saving a trump card would help! Had I not had it, that attack would have definitely killed me! And now, you're completely out of power!" He laughed.

Issei sweated, though he swore he noticed some kind of magic circle on his hand.

"And now... you're too late! Let the war begin!" Kokabiel screamed.

The three peerages all widened their eyes in horror as the magic circle expanded once more, ready to explode!

"Sorry, but you failed you even began."

Kokabiel's face changed to one of confusion, right as a magic circle flew from the sky, and immediately smashed into the magic square. The cadre's eyes widened in horror as it smashed the square like it was glass.

Everyone gasped at what just happened, while Vali turned to see the magic circle, and smiled upon she saw it.

"No, who... who did this!? Show yourself!" Kokabiel demanded.

"Except I'm not hiding." A female voice answered.

The Fallen Angel turned, but immediately regretted it as he saw Ophis, and uncontrollable fear made him shake in horror.

"T-the Ouroboros Dragon... why are you here!?" He questioned, all his confidence dying.

Issei noticed how scared he was, and was confused, but was distracted by Vali tugging on his shirt sleeve.

"He has reason to be swallowed by his fear. That's Ophis, the Dragon God of Infinity, and the Dragoness of Dragons... the strongest woman in the entire world." Vali explained.

"No way, a Dragon Deity?" Issei gasped.

**("That's right, also known as the Ouroboros Dragon, or the True White Dragon God Empress... although I know her under a different name.")** Albion confirmed.

Issei blinked, looking at the Divine Dividing.

"And... what would that be?" Issei inquired, feeling a bit nervous.

**("My mom.")** She answered.

Issei's eyes widened and went white before he screamed in shock, while the others all went silent.

"You caused my daughter and her host a lot of problems, and unfortunately... that means you've also pissed me off. I hope you've made your goodbyes." Ophis answered the cadre, holding her finger out.

Kokabiel screamed, immediately trying to fly away as Ophis tapped the air.

" **Infinity Blaster.** "

A powerful beam with unlimited power shot at Kokabiel, destroying the Fallen Angel before he could even release a scream. Once that was done, she flew over to Yuuma, who shook at the sight of her... only to feel something in her hands.

"Eh?" Yuuma blinked, looking at the disc case in her hands.

"A gift from the Demon Queen, it should help your father out." Ophis explained, rubbing her head.

The fallen Princes blinked in surprise.

"Vali, it's been a while, hasn't it? I'm glad to see you've been taking care of my daughter." Ophis smiled, looking at her old friend.

"Well, I do my best." Vali chuckled, rubbing the back of her head.

"Hold on, are you two friends?" Issei asked.

Vali nodded her head, blushing a bit.

"We met around the beginning of my training journey... and we got so close, she decided to change her appearance off of mine." She admitted.

Issei looked at Ophis, realizing how her bust size, figure, and most of her appearance matched the Lucifer Heiress, which only made Vali's claim of using her form as a basis more valid.

His analyzing of her form was interrupted as Ophis took a look at him, and then cupped her hands on his cheeks.

"Hmm... Great Red was right, you are as interesting as you look." Ophis remarked.

"Great Red?" Issei repeated.

**["He's the Dragon God of Dreams, the Apocalypse Dragon, the Dragon of Dragons, and the True Red Dragon Emperor... while also being my father."]** Ddraig explained, chuckling a bit.

"You too!?" Issei screamed.

Ophis giggled, lifting his chin with her finger.

"My husband told me he met the Sekiryuutei long ago, and trained him in martial arts. I can see the potential he had in you." She praised.

Issei's eyes widened at that, looking at the Boosted Gear.

**["No, me and Albion are not siblings, the whole thing is... complicated. Just know them marrying and us being their children doesn't make us related in any way."]** Ddraig clarified, sounding like this reply wasn't a first.

Ophis soon floated into the air.

"Until next time, my friend." Ophis replied, waving goodbye to Vali.

Once she vanished, everyone let out a sigh.

"It's over. Finally, it's really over..." Kiba told himself as he teared up.

"Isaiah." Tosca smiled.

He looked at her, seeing her alongside his older twin.

"Tosca... Big Sis." Kiba smiled.

"I can't believe this is real, but it is... you're really here!" Tosca cried happily.

She ran to Kiba, hugging her close.

He rubbed her head, and at that moment... Jeanne cried before hugging them both.

"Kiba, I'm so sorry! I wanted to tell you, but I felt I didn't have the right! Let me make up for that starting now!" Jeanne apologized, hugging them tighter.

Vali smiled at the sight, seeing the reunion between friends, and siblings.

"Kiba." Rias suddenly stated.

The Knight of Gremory looked at Rias, and the rest of his peerage smiled at him.

"As your master, I've never been happier for you than I am now." Rias smiled.

"Rias... I betrayed the club, and the person who saved my life so long ago. I can't make up for what I've done, so..." Kiba replied.

He was cut off as the Gremory Heiress hugged him close.

"Welcome home, Kiba." Rias replied.

As they all watched this, Irina sniffled a bit, but soon frowned at what she knew would happen when they returned home.

* * *

The follow day, the ORC invited the MHC into their room for something, and only Vali seemed to be aware of what was going on.

"Is this some kind of surprise?" Issei asked.

"A little one." Vali said, giggling a bit.

Right as she said that, the door suddenly opened up, making everyone look towards it.

"Hi everyone!"

Issei's eyes widened as he saw the church trio, and Tosca, wearing Kuoh Academy Uniforms!

"Glad you all found us." Rias smiled.

"W-wait a second, the last time this happened was when Asia..." Issei realized, pointing at them.

Rias giggled at that, and Vali quickly followed.

"Everyone, we'd like to introduce you to our newest members." Rias revealed.

To prove it, they all showed their Devil wings, and Irina held up one of Vali's Knight Pieces in her right hand.

"Irina's become my Second Knight, while Jeanne is the same for Rias." Vali explained.

"For Xenovia, and Tosca? They're five and three of my Pawns respectively." Rias smiled.

Irina smiled, and moved behind the others.

"The best part? Now I get to see my cousins, friends, and Issei all the time!" Irina cheered, pulling the new retainers into a hug.

At that exact moment, the others all screamed in pain.

"Huh? What's the matter?" Irina questioned.

"Irina, aren't your forgetting something? Namely... something that my peerage has, but Rias' lacks?" Vali remind her, a sweat drop on her face.

The golden-orange haired Angel gasped, realizing her error.

"Oh, that's right! I forgot Vali's immunity only affects her peerage! My bad." Irina realized before apologizing.

Issei chuckled a bit, looking at them.

"While Tosca's probably the exception, and maybe Jeanne's excuse was to be with her brother... I know that Xenovia and Irina couldn't have simply joined us on the fly. Something happened after you left, didn't it?" Issei realized.

"As much as I hate to admit it, you're right. We're all here because after we brought the Excaliburs back to the church, with the exception of Irina, all of us were... excommunicated." Xenovia revealed.

With the exceptions of Vali and Yuuma, everyone was shocked by that revelation, especially Asia.

"Excommunicated? But why?" Le Fay inquired.

"Believe me, I know it sounds stupid, but Kokabiel's right about the number of believers dropping. Worse, the Angels need it to survive, so any threat to the system that could reduce that faith even further... has to be removed." Irina explained, a sad look on her face.

Those words surprised everyone, and Irina then looked Asia.

"I'm so sorry Asia, but... this is the same reason you had to be kicked out. The Twilight Healing could originally only heal Angels, so healing a Devil could have been viewed as proof that God was dead. The treatment you received was wrong, and I'm sorry we couldn't do more for you." Irina apologized, bowing to her.

At that moment, Asia pet her head, surprising the golden-orange haired Angel.

"Irina, don't feel bad. Even though I'm a Devil now... I've never felt more blessed." Asia reassured her.

"Asia?" Irina blinked in surprise.

"I've met so many people who mean so much to me, made so many wonderful friends at this school, and found a home with them here. I've never been this happy before in my whole life." Asia smiled happily.

Hearing those words, Irina sniffled a bit before rubbing her eyes.

"Asia, you have a forgiving heart. Thank you." Irina smiled back.

Jeanne smiled herself, looking at Xenovia.

"Looks like we have a new beginning, don't we?" Jeanne mentioned happily.

"Yes, it seems that way." Xenovia agreed.

"Dear lord, thank you-"

Both of them hold their heads, feeling their prayers hurt them, making the entire room give a slight chuckle.

"Gee, I wonder where we've seen that before?" Shirone joked with a smile, making Asia laugh in embarrassment.

Rias soon stood up, looking at everyone.

"Everyone, before we start today's club activities, I have an announcement to make." Rias announced.

"Oh?" Vali replied.

Clearing her throat, the redheaded Devil revealed the surprise.

"I'd like to announce that, as of today... Vali's the new head of Kuoh Town." Rias smiled.

The silver-haired Devil froze at that.

"Wait, what!?" Vali screamed in shock, making the building shake.

* * *

**Well, the status quo has been shaken like a can of soda. Irina's joined as Vali's second Knight, while Jeanne's joined Tosca in being the replacements for Issei in Rias' peerage. Most of all, Sona's line in Chapter 13 about how Vali seems to lead them despite Rias being in charge of Kuoh Town? Yeah, that was actually foreshadowing to her decision to give the position to Vali.**

**Also, surprise! I gave Vali her Diabolus Dragon transformation early! I know it's actually spelt Diabolos Dragon, but I saw the former "Devils" and not "Devil", so I changed it. The reason why? Well, it has to do with Issei's version of the transformation, and... that's all I can say due to spoilers. For the moment, it's only as powerful as the Emperio Juggernaut Overdrive, but it'll get stronger over time.**

**The biggest surprise? While me having Ophis change her appearance to have more white had been definitely a clue that I was giving her the title of True White Dragon God Empress, it was also hinting Albion was her mom. Her being a good friend of Vali's also helps explain why they have matching bust size as well. *giggles* Anyways, we're finally finished with the Excalibur arc.**

**Next up is the Summit arc, which is the last arc before this story can finally start to break off from canon, and truly become its own thing. Before that, I'm letting you all know that there will be a prequel based on Tobio, which will also show how Vali discovered she and Lavinia are Half-Sisters, and another prequel is also set, but this one can't happen until I introduce a pair of important characters that will appear in the Summit arc.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

* * *

**Vali's Peerage** **:**

**King - Valiana Lucifer**  
Queen - Issei Hyoudou  
Bishops - Le Fay Pendragon, Asia Argento  
Knights - Arthur Pendragon, Irina Shidou  
Rooks - Bikou, Kuroka Toujou (Mutation Piece: x2 Multiplier)  
Pawns - Yuuma Amano (x2), Six Unclaimed Pawns

* * *

**Rias' Peerage** **:**

**King - Rias Gremory**   
**Queen - Akeno Himejima**   
**Bishops - Gasper Vladi (Mutated Piece: x4 Multiplier, Sealed), Valerie Tepes (Mutation Piece: x6 Multiplier)**   
**Knights - Kiba Yuuto, Jeanne d'Arc Yuuto**   
**Rooks - Shirone Toujou, Unclaimed Rook**   
**Pawns - Xenovia Quarta (x5), Tosca Shirayumi (x3)**

* * *

**Sona's Peerage** **:**

**King - Sona Sitri**  
Queen - Tsubaki Shinra  
Bishops - Momo Hanakai, Reya Kusaka  
Knights - Tomoe Meguri, Unclaimed Knight  
Rooks - Tsubasa Yura, Unclaimed Rook  
Pawns - Saji Genshirou (x4), Ruruko Nimura (x4)

* * *

**Bust Size of New Female Characters** **:**

**None**

* * *

**Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter** **:**

**【** **Creation Wave** **】** **  
The special ability of the Sitri Clan. It gives the user mastery over the water element, and related magic, but it shines most in its ability to create sentient water constructs that obey the user's wishes. The water constructs are never pure water, and therefore are most vulnerable to lightning.**

* * *

**Pairings List** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating**  
Ddraig/Albion - Married  
Tiamat/Fafnir - Married  
Ophis/Great Red - Married  
Saji/Sona - Master and Retainer  
Gasper/Valerie - Best Friends  
Kiba/Tosca - Friends


	15. Chapter 15

**Welcome to the Summit Arc everyone! The road to entering more original themes in the story is getting close, but I can tell you now that there are some things in this arc will echo out to the events that are yet to happen, so I guess right now we're in a mix of obvious canon, and hidden original concepts. Regardless of that, this is gonna be one of the most important arcs in the story.**

**First thing I should bring up is that while they've had some involvement in the last two arcs, this where Sona's peerage will start taking a more active role in the story, as without Akeno having the issues of his canon self, he's the only member of Team Gremory who has a traumatic past to deal with. Basically, this is a good time to shift to focus to a few of them, even if it's a gradual process.**

**Also, we're finally gonna dig a little deeper into the Demons, who we've currently only seen through Cassiel. With what gets shown here, it won't be long until we finally go visit them in the Underworld, and truly see what they're like in this story. Oh, speaking of which? For anyone who's been wondering about when Kelsey would finally reappear... look no further, because she's finally taking an active role as of this arc!**

**Speaking of this arc, since Vali isn't able to appear where she would in canon, you might be wondering how that'll play out? Well, to answer that question, there's someone else that'll be taking that role, but I won't say who it is... aside from you might recognize them. *giggles* Happy guessing, and good luck in trying to figure out which character it is.**

**More than anything, the biggest change going in from here was the ending of the previous arc, where Rias transfers her status as the head of Kuoh to Vali. As a result, she's the one that's making the big decisions from here on, with Issei having the authority that Akeno used to have, so there's some interesting potential for me to work with there. *giggles* I'm excited to see what I'll do with it.**

**Oh yeah, I forgot to explain things about Kiba and Jeanne's multiple Balance Breakers, and the whole Ophis/Great Red thing, so let's clear those up.**

**Kiba and Jeanne each have three because of them being twins here, and if you add the Sword Birth's with each of their Blade Blacksmith sub-species, that gives you three. As such, I decided to give them three, especially since it seemed fun to have some Sacred Gears in this story that have multiple Sacred Gears that aren't the result of a user creating a sub-species.**

**Then to explain things with Great Red and Ophis, the first part is simple, as I felt they shouldn't have the same conflict if their children don't have it. Well, there's also another reason, but I can't even talk about why I can't talk about it. As for what Ddraig meant by how he and Albion are definitely unrelated to each other despite the Dragon Gods being their parents, and being married like they are? Next chapter will answer that.**

**Now, without further ado, let's get this arc started!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

**[]** \- Ddraig Talking

**«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

**「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

**【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

**⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

**Leviathan Clan**

**The second of the six Maou Clans that helped create all of Hell, founded by the original Leviathan, the Maou who represented the Deadly Sin of Envy. Among all of the Maou Clans, the Leviathan Clan is the closest to the Lucifer Clan in terms of authority, since the original Leviathan was considered Lucifer's right hand, and being the one that caused him (along with Satan) to take the path that made him the Devil King.**

**A sign of their power comes from their bloodline ability, the "Attribute Thief", which is based on the deadly sin the clan is associated with. As the name implies, the Attribute Thief lets the user steal power from others, but rather than taking it temporarily, or outright taking something for themselves... it causes the user to permanently gain a copy of the power for themselves.**

**However, the powers that are copied don't transfer the user's experience, meaning they have to be developed from scratch by the member of the Leviathan Clan that copies them, and it doesn't work on other Leviathan Clan members, either kind of Angel, or those from the other Maou Clans. How many copied powers (plus their own) that can be used at once requires training to increase, with the original Leviathan's managing to reach an amazing 10.**

**Other powers the clan have include the shared Maou Clan ability of holy light not being fatal to them like with other Devils, the ability to control water & ice with a heavy resistance to heat and fire, the power to breath underwater, and transforming into a dragon-like sea serpent. Their wings are also unique because when submerged in water, they become blue, and transform into fin-like wings that cause their speed to double in water, rather than halve.**

**Like the other Maou Clans aside from the Lucifer Clan, one of their own caused the Devil's Civil War, namely the would-be heiress of the time, Katerea Leviathan. Her actions lead to many Devils trying to destroy the clan, forcing Lilith to create a compromise through choosing Alanira Phenex as the Great Devil bearing their name, and having the current head give up their bloodline ability to her, giving Alanira the power to copy all fire, wind, or light-based powers.**

**In the present, the Clan's reputation has been restored due to Vali winning her Rating Game against Riser, with its current heiress being Ingvild Leviathan.**

* * *

**_Season 2, Summit Arc: Chapter 1 - Pools and Parenting_ **

"I'd like to announce that, as of today... Vali's the new head of Kuoh Town." Rias smiled.

The silver-haired Devil froze at that.

"Wait, what!?" Vali screamed in shock, making the building shake.

"Uh... we all heard that, right?" Issei questioned.

Yuuma nodded in response, her pupils having gone white and her iris becoming black rings. Irina had a similar reaction as her eyes were replaced by black oval dots.

"Hold on, what's all this about!?" Vali questioned, feeling a bit overwhelmed.

Rias giggled a bit, looking at Vali.

"Remember the other day, when Sona mentioned you normally seemed to be leading us, even though you didn't have my position? It had me thinking, until I eventually made a decision after we beat Kokabiel..." Rias explained.

* * *

_After some time passed, the reinforcements that had been called finally arrived, only to be surprised to see the three groups... without Kokabiel, or any potential allies of his in sight. Noticing their older siblings, Rias turned to face her brother, while Sona panicked._

_"Big brother?" Rias realized._

_"Oh, that's right... I forgot we called them here to help us." Sona whimpered, her hair frizzing a bit._

_The Sitri heiress quickly had her reaction justified upon Serafall seeing her._

_"Sona!" Serafall cheered._

_In barely any time at all, most of the group got their firsthand experience of Serafall's relationship with Sona, who was clearly distressed over it._

_"Help me!" Sona mouthed in a begging manner._

_"Uh... what am I missing here?" Issei questioned._

_"Serafall loves her little sister so much, it's incredibly easy to say that she's obsessed with her." Akeno explained, giggling a bit._

_This caused everyone who wasn't familiar with the Great Devil Asmodeus' behavior to sweat drop at the sight._

_At the same time that was happening, Sirzechs walked over to Rias._

_"I don't see Kokabiel anywhere, are you telling me that you were actually able to defeat him?" Sirzechs questioned._

_"Vali came pretty close, but no. Ophis showed up and took him out for us." Rias clarified._

_Sirzechs sighed in partial relief._

_"Guess we shouldn't look a Gift Horse in the mouth, but for Vali to have almost done it? Facing someone that survived the Great War isn't something that everyone can do." Sirzechs replied, looking like he both was and wasn't surprised._

_"Not only that, but we began this fight without her or Issei having access to their Balance Breaker, due to an Anti-Dragon field that locked Tiamat and Fafnir out of the battlefield. Yet just by her willpower alone, she managed to unleash an evolved version's." Rias explained._

_Sirzechs looked at the daughter of Lucifer, who finally managed to get Sona free of her older sister._

_"I see, then she truly is a Lucifer name, her father will be proud of her." Sirzechs remarked with a smile._

_"Brother, about that..." Rias mentioned, looking at him._

_Rias looked at him, getting his attention._

_"There's something that Kokabiel told us you should know, but after seeing everything that happened, I have a request..." Rias responded._

* * *

Vali showed surprise as Rias finished her explanation.

"You kept calm during everything, and ultimately... it was your actions that stopped a Second Great War from happening. Because of that, I told my brother that I decided to give the role of running Kuoh to you, because I now feel you were meant to have it all along." Rias finished explaining.

"Rias..." Vali said softly, letting it all sink in.

Looking at that rest of her peerage, they all take a moment before they give her their looks of approval, and agreement. Finally, she looks towards Issei, who gives her a simple smile.

"I always did my best to show you that you were better than your grandfather made you think you were, and now everyone knows this." Issei stated.

Vali smiled at that, wiping a happy tear from her eye.

"Alright, if everyone believes in me that much, then I don't see any reason to say no. As such, I promise to do my best!" Vali replied with a bright smile on her face.

"That's my girl." Issei replied.

Vali blushed a bit, rubbing the back of her head.

"So, here's a question... what's gonna happen next? We did have to tell Sirzechs, and Serafall about what Kokabiel told us." Tosca inquired.

That made everyone pause for a bit, wondering the same thing.

"I'm not sure, considering all of the Four Great Powers were indirectly involved, yet only we learned the truth? Knowing what will happen isn't gonna be clear for a while." Vali answered.

"I guess for now, we just have to go about our usual things until otherwise." Issei mentioned, shrugging a bit.

With that said, a slight uncomfortable silence came. That's when Vali got an idea.

"Hey, Issei's cousins invited me to Karaoke, and since that's in the Mall..." Vali suggested, smiling a bit.

"That's right, they said it was like a welcome party. All of us could go, and do other things at the Mall while we're out it, as our own way to celebrate the additions to our peerages." Issei realized as he quickly agreed with the idea.

Irina gasped at that, her eyes sparkling.

"And it'll be like a homecoming party for me!" She cheered.

Vali chuckled at that, soon looking at everyone else.

"Alright, let's do it then." Rias agreed.

Everyone cheered in reply, and while that was happening, Rias moved near Vali's ear, whispering something.

"Eh!?" Vali exclaimed in shock.

* * *

Around an hour later, at the Mall; the group of Katase, Murayama, Motohama, Matsuda, and Kiryuu were seen waiting at the spot they decided on. The perverted duo was currently seen playing a nearby arcade machine for a spaceship game.

"Come on, dodge those lasers!" Matsuda warned, firing at the boss.

"I've got it, I've got it... yes, we're gonna-" Motohama winced as he moved their ship around.

A shot hit them, taking the last of their hit points, and lives. The two went silent before they groaned, having failed to score enough points to get onto the Top 10.

"Oh, come on! We almost had it that time!" Matsuda cried.

Katase gave an awkward chuckle as she patted his back. Right at that same moment, Murayama noticed a text on her phone.

"Vali says she's almost here, I wonder where she is?" Murayama stated.

"Hey guys!" Vali called out.

Answering her question, the group looked to see Vali wave to them, with the others following shortly behind.

"Wow, either that was really fast, or you were being playful." Murayama chuckled.

"Maybe a little bit of both." Vali giggled in reply.

The silvery-white haired Devil soon motioned to Irina, who waved at them.

"Muri, Kat, this is my cousin, Irina Shidou. She was Issei's childhood friend prior to meeting me." She introduced.

"Nice to meet you." Irina smiled as she kept waving.

Issei quickly noticed the perverted duo giving their usual reaction to a girl, shaking his head a bit.

"Whoa, it's like any girl that Issei knew as a kid were blessed by the gods!" Matsuda exclaimed through a whisper.

"Bust 100, Waist 58, Hips 90!" Motohama said.

'Wow, so Issei wasn't kidding about his ability.' Irina thought, giving an awkward chuckle.

As the two looked at Irina, Katase realized something the moment she looked closer at her appearance.

"Wait, that orange hair... purple eyes... that seems familiar for some reason."

Issei's face went blue at that, and soon he started laughing in embarrassment.

"Irina, meet my cousins. Katase, Murayama? Meet... Rin." Issei admitted.

The two paled before looking at Irina.

"To be fair, I never told him I was a boy before I moved away, so he had no idea." Irina answered in embarrassment.

Kiryuu laughed at that, adjusting her glasses.

"Sounds like Issei's throwing a party, and starting a harem. Should we expect some kids soon?" Kiryuu jokingly chuckled.

Vali's face went red in response, while Irina just gave an odd stare at her.

"Uh... that's freaky, and why's she making such a face?" Irina asked.

"Nothing, aside from the fact that she just joked about Issei doing something naughty to you." Shirone answered.

"She what!?" Irina exclaimed, almost in fearful manner.

Kiryuu flinched as that made a few nearby people look at her weirdly, making her shake her head as she waved her hands... only for Irina's next words to crush that view.

"How horrible... I never thought I'd meet a girl with such wickedness in her heart. Dear God, I pray in your divine wisdom to never forgive this sinful pervert!" She prayed with teary eyes.

The Succubus of Kuoh went fully white at that moment.

'I'm starting to think I need to seriously tone things down, or things are gonna get hairy for me.' Kiryuu thought, hanging her head in defeat.

Both Dragon Emperors struggled not to laugh at the scene.

"So, are we ready for the Karaoke?" Yuuma asked.

"Actually, we're still a little early, so if anyone wants to visit somewhere first, they have the time for it." Murayama answered.

"In that case, there's a store a few of us need to visit real quick." Vali replied.

Hearing a giggle right after, Issei wondered what kind of story his girlfriend was talking about. While that was happening, Vali moved near Kiryuu, and whispered something.

"S7L." The Hakuryuukou whispered.

Kiryuu's eyes widened at that, while Vali made a shush sign with her finger, using her other hand to give an "I'll explain later" motion.

* * *

That store was quickly revealed to be the swim suit store, with some of the girls in there to buy swimsuits.

As she looked around, Vali had trouble deciding which one she should get, making beads of sweat trickle down her face. This quickly getting the attention of her two cousins, who realized she had been in the same spot... for 20 minutes.

"Uh, Vali? Do you need help?" Irina asked.

Vali turned to her, giving an awkward laugh as her way of answering.

"I just can't find the right one for me, and then there's the fact I don't know if I should go with a one-piece, two-piece, a bikini... then there's the fact if I should go with something revealing, or something conservative." Vali replied.

"I'm very sympathetic to that last one." Yuuma admitted, as the bodies of Fallen Angels were naturally seductive.

Thinking for a moment, Irina smiled as she got an idea.

"How about you choose based on what you think Issei would like? A girl should impress her man after all." Irina suggested.

The heiress of Lucifer's eyes widened, smiling as she looked at her Angel cousin.

"Of course, why didn't I think of that? Now I just need to know what kind of things Issei would like in a swimsuit." Vali realized as she tried to piece an idea together.

"I think I can help there..." Yuuma replied, blushing in embarrassment, moving near Vali's ear.

Vali listened as she spoke.

"He'd prefer a revealing bikini that shows off your figure, especially your assets, so definitely make sure the one you choose focuses that to your breasts more than anything. Oh, and he'll also favor one of a color that compliments your appearance." Yuuma whispered, blushing in embarrassment.

After she was done with that, the Fallen Angel covers her face, whimpering a bit.

While Devils were known for attracting others through the physical features of their bodies, and Demons were known for using their words as their equivalent? The Fallen Angels could read someone's interests, allowing them to properly adjust themselves into a proper honey trap... which was something that didn't work well Yuuma's personality.

"There, there." Irina comforted her as she rubbed the Fallen Angel's back.

Vali gave an odd chuckle, but soon managed to find the right bikini thanks to Yuuma's advice on Issei's preferences, and now only needed to pick the color that fit her best.

"So, which ones will you guys get?" Vali asked.

Irina reveals her choice, giggling as Vali saw one that was easily in character for her, while... both were shocked to see Yuuma go with something so bold.

"Whoa... Yuuma, is that really the one you're getting?" Irina asked.

"W-well, I'm trying to gain confidence, so... yes." Yuuma answered shyly.

"I think that's very brave of you, so be proud of yourself." Vali praised her Pawn.

Yuuma blushed at that, soon turning to hide a small smile.

"Come on guys, I think the Karaoke room should be ready by now, and we don't wanna be late." Irina suggested.

"Oh, right." Vali realized.

* * *

Meanwhile, inside a studio of the Karaoke shop, everyone had already reserved the room, with the perverted duo already singing a song while standing up. Issei was singing it as well, although he was on one of the couches.

" ** _Now is the time, now more than ever! We must keep moving forward with our lives on the line! The more powerful our emotions are, the stronger we become!_** " They all sang as they saw the lyrics on the TV.

Issei stopped for a moment, and moved the mic towards Asia, who was shaking some maracas.

"Hey Asia, you should sing along with us." Issei recommend.

Asia was about to reply, only for Issei's phone to sound off its text alert, prompting Issei to look at it. The text was a picture of Vali holding the bag that contained her new swimsuit, marked with a message that said: "We'll be there soon ;)"

"Looks like the others are about to arrive." Issei smiled.

"I wonder what kind of swimsuits they bought?" Asia wondered.

Kiryuu gave a strange laugh, showing her glasses were all foggy as she hiccupped, almost looking like she was drunk.

"Iz zhere nah sum exurbalent theya?" Kiryuu gibbered.

"Wait... is she actually drunk?" Issei asked in a whisper.

"Nah, I just placed some Youjutsu in her drink to keep her from annoying us." Kuroka whispered her answer.

At that moment, Issei heard his phone getting a call.

"Oops, excuse me for a moment." Issei apologized.

Issei walked out of the room to answer it, and soon got noticed by Kiba, who had been sitting by the juice machines out in the hall.

"Hello? Oh, hey there. About the last summon? No worries, it's all taken care of, so I can make up the summon tonight if you're free. You are? Alright, then I'll see you then, bye." Issei answered.

"Was that your newest regular?" Kiba inquired.

"Yeah, that rich lady who never seems to have a worry about anything." Issei answered, grabbing a glass.

Issei soon got some cherry soda, and began drinking it.

"Hey Issei?" Kiba suddenly said.

"Hmm?" Issei looked at him.

"I wanted to thank you, but I hadn't get the chance to do it... so thanks." Kiba replied.

Hearing that, Issei closed his eyes before smiling.

"No biggie. And besides, you don't need to thank me." Issei replied.

Kiba was surprised by that.

"We all played a part in this, and in a way... you'd have never reunited with your sister, or one of your old friends if you weren't so insistent about it, nor would we have stopped Kokabiel in time. If you look at it that way, everything worked out in the end because of you." Issei explained.

"Yeah, maybe it was. Just know if anyone or anything ever tries to hurt Vali, I will destroy them. I owe her that much for what she did for me, or I wouldn't be able to call myself a Knight of Gremory." Kiba agreed.

Issei gave an odd chuckle at that.

"Kiba, be careful how you word things, that almost sounded like you trying to confess to me." Issei replied.

Kiba flinched at that, making Issei chuckle a bit.

"What're you two talking about?" Vali asked, suddenly standing by the duo.

"Ah!"

Issei nearly dropped his glass as he only now realized his girlfriend's presence, making her giggle a bit.

"Oh, hey! J-just a talk between fellow retainers." Issei chuckled awkwardly.

Putting the glass down, Issei took his girlfriend's hand.

"Come on, let's in there and blow away the crowd. Still remember our favorite duet?" Issei inquired.

"How could I? It's like that song was made for us." Vali replied, giggling a bit.

They quickly hurried in, and as he looked at the sight of the two, Kiba smiled a bit. Noticing Tosca walk out of the bathroom, he walked up to her.

"Hey Tosca, want to try a duet?" He asked.

"Uh... s-sure, if you want to." Tosca replied with a blushing smile, a bit flustered by the sudden request.

* * *

Later that night, near the apartment that Cassiel was using, a familiar blue-haired Demon walked into the area.

"Finally found you, and there's no running this time!" She stated.

Meanwhile, inside Cassiel's room, the sight of Issei playing a game against the Demon Queen was seen, with the latter sweating as Issei was kicking her butt.

"Come on, come on, just hold-No, don't die on... crap!" Cassiel went white in shock

"Yeah, seven wins in a row!" Issei cheered as he raised his arms in the air.

Seeing her luck, Cassiel turned to the Sekiryuutei.

"This is embarrassing, especially since I had all that time to practice while you were out that one day." She stated as she sighed a bit.

Issei chuckled a bit, giving her a challenging look.

"Well, you wanna go another round, or try a different game?" Issei questioned.

"Hmm... I don't know, why don't you choose... Sekiryuutei?" Cassiel mentioned.

Hearing that title, Issei suddenly froze. Though before he had a proper chance to react, the door to the apartment slammed opened, and it was Cassiel froze at the voice that spoke immediately after.

"I finally found you mom, no more running or hiding!" Kelsey screamed in anger.

Cassiel's left eye suddenly began to twitch, slowly turning to her daughter with a nervous/frightened look on her face.

"K-Kelsey, uh... I can explain." Cassiel said as she held her hands out.

"Oh no, absolutely not!" Kelsey shouted.

Issei panicked as Kelsey slapped her mother onto the couch, making her eyes spin a bit.

"You leave the Underworld without prior notice, during an important time no less, and put me, Haniel, and Camael in a panicked mess! Now, having found you here, you tell me you _have an explanation_? There's no excuse for blowing everything off like you did, you're the freaking leader of the Demons, damn it!" Kelsey roared at her, preparing to kick her.

Hearing that, Issei gasped.

"T-the leader of the Demons! But, that means... you're Cassiel!" Issei realized while pointing at the two.

Kelsey freezes at that, causing mother and daughter to look at him.

"Wait, why is the Sekiryuutei..." Kelsey questioned before she began trailing off a little.

At that moment she froze up, slowly turning towards her mother, she started to give a panicked sweat at what she accidentally just did.

"Uh... oh..." The Demon Princess breathed quietly.

"Yeah, guess the secret's out." Cassiel laughed nervously, getting back on her feet.

* * *

Cassiel cooked the trio a bowl of chicken Oyakodon, with Issei unsure of what to say.

"Well, I guess it's best to do this right and admit the truth. Like my daughter here just blurted out, I'm the Queen of the Demons, better known as Cassiel Akumaji." She introduced herself.

"And I'm the Demon Princess, Kelsey Akumaji." Her daughter introduced herself.

Issei had some of his Oyakodon.

"Then that makes you the Demon cousin that Vali told me she's never met." Issei realized.

Kelsey blinked at that, making Cassiel nudge her.

"You know, Lilith's daughter, the Princess of Hell?" She stated.

Kelsey's realized, nodding her head.

"Guess that's the case, so... yeah." Kelsey replied, giving an awkward chuckle.

Cassiel chuckled a bit, rubbing Kelsey's head.

"My little dumpling here's more of a daddy's girl." Cassiel mentioned.

"Mom!" Kelsey exclaimed with a blush.

Issei blinked a few times, soon faking a cough.

"Uh, so... if you were here the whole time, then why didn't you come aid us against Kokabiel?" Issei questioned.

"And give Kokabiel what he wanted?" Cassiel answered with a question.

"Oh... that's right. He stole your technology and a few of your guard dogs, so that could have been taken as a declaration of war." Issei realized, sweating slightly.

The Demon Queen smiled, nodding at that.

"Luckily, thanks to a spy the Devils have hidden among the students, and she made sure I got wind of it before anything happened. By chance, Ophis came to visit, and I was able to give her the info to involve herself. Only reason I think she waited was to see how Vali had improved since they last saw each other." Cassiel confirmed before explaining a bit more.

Issei gave an odd look at that, with Kelsey nodding to answer his thoughts.

"Fair enough." He replied.

"Anyways, I should thank you for getting my attention in that one Rating Game. If it hadn't been for you, then I wouldn't have come here, and then found out how Kokabiel had all those questionable allies aiding his plans... it has an eerie similarity to the Utsusemi Agency, and Jequn's group." Cassiel mentioned.

"Utsusemi Agency?" Issei repeated.

He thought for a moment, trying to recall things that Vali had told him, and then remembered the Slash/Dog Team's following mentions.

"Oh yeah, that was a group which caused the events where Vali met her Half-Sister, although I don't recognize this Jequn name." Issei mentioned.

"You probably wouldn't, because she's an Ex-Demon Lord that I killed myself 3 years ago after she betrayed us... and killed my daughter's boyfriend, though spared her just as a cruel act of mockery." Cassiel replied, gritting her teeth slightly.

"Suiji..." Kelsey sniffled.

The blue-haired Demon cried, with her mother rubbing her back, and Issei looking horrified by that.

"How awful... she sounds like a female Kokabiel, but with his blood lust replaced by icy cold blood." He stated.

"Yeah, and it's why I grew to like our summon sessions. You kind of remind me of him. He was... a great guy, and I was happy at the thought that he'd one day become my son-in-law, so his death really left a mark on us." She confirmed, sighing a bit.

Kelsey was surprised about the comparison, right as Issei hummed a bit.

"OK, but what you're basically saying is... Kokabiel shouldn't have been able to pull this off like he had, by himself at least?" The Sekiryuutei inquired.

"Exactly, and because of what he pulled, all of the Four Great Powers' leaders have made a unanimous decision... we need to have a summit, and finally do what we've held off too long. Make peace with one another. If we don't, then eventually, we may have another Great War resulting, especially since we have to consider that others may be aware God and Lucifer have been dead." Cassiel confirmed, revealing what was to come.

The host of Ddraig gasped at that.

**["So, the time finally come..."]** The Welsh Dragon remarked.

"And the chances for the Christian Pantheon's full restoration are high?" Kelsey questioned, looking hopeful.

"Right on the nose sweetie. Taking that into mind, it might be a good idea for you to get familiar with your cousins, especially since I'm worried about how the Gremory Heiress might react to me sneaking around without her notice." Cassiel suggested, giving a nervous laugh.

Kelsey gave a flat look at her mother.

"How did our people decide you were the best leader again? I'm still questioning that, much less how dad finally got you to agree to it." The Demon Princess questioned.

Cassiel shrugged, making her sight again.

"Hey, another way to look at this? Because Issei's a lot like Suiji... maybe it'll be the closest you'll ever get to saying the goodbye you never got to say." The Demon Queen mentioned.

Kelsey's eyes suddenly shined at that, feeling a heavy weight from those words.

"I failed that day, so... let me at least make up for things like this." Cassiel stated, getting up from her seat.

She looked at Issei.

"Make sure to watch out for her, alright?" She requested, preparing to leave through a magic circle.

"Hold up, why did you hide your identity to contact me in the first place?" Issei asked.

Cassiel giggled, looking at him.

"Simple, I liked what you did in the Rating Game, and reincarnated beings interest me because they're like underdogs, which I'm quite the fan of." Cassiel giggled, winking a bit.

Although, her face then got slightly nervous.

"Plus, if I had done it normally... that Gremory heiress you're familiar with would have likely popped a blood vessel... which is now likely going to happen anyways." She added, giving a worried chuckle.

"That... actually sounds in character for her." Issei replied, looking a bit nervous.

Cassiel soon entered her magic circle, waving her hand as she said goodbye to Issei, and her daughter. Needless to say, Issei was baffled from how different she was compared to the other leaders, being more in the moment and a little mischievous.

* * *

"So, as you can see... I'll be staying with all of you until further notice. I hope we can get along." Kelsey greeted in a strange manner.

At that moment, everyone gave an odd reaction to what the Demon Princess had just said, with Issei just sighing as he rubbed his head, only nodding to confirm what she said as true.

Cassiel was also right about Rias' reaction, seeing as Shirone had to hold her down for a few minutes after Issei mentioned Cassiel had been his client.

"Well, I think Kelsey pretty much explained the whole thing." Issei remarked.

"So, this is how my first day as the new leader of the Kuoh Territory begins. At least there's no way I can say it was boring." Vali replied, giving a playful giggle.

Tosca looked at Vali.

"Just out of curiosity, the thing about the leaders of the Four Great Powers meetings here... is that really true?" She questioned.

Vali nodded, surprising everyone.

"It is, and I got the confirmation last night, so this is legit." The Lucifer Heiress confirmed.

"Guess we shouldn't be too surprised. What Kokabiel did was big, not to mention with how he didn't hesitate to reveal the Great War's biggest secret, we have no idea if he revealed this to others."

"Yeah, with that in mind, no relationship can be viewed like it used to be." Kuroka mentioned.

Asia shook in fear, rattling her teacup.

"Don't worry, Asia. No matter what, we'll all be here to protect one another, regardless of what happens next." The silver-haired Lucifer reassured her.

Asia paused for a moment taking a deep breath.

"OK, I trust you." She replied with a smile.

"Be ready, we'll need to plan for anything to happen in the coming days." Vali warned the others.

Everyone nodded their heads in response.

* * *

The next day, as Issei headed to school with Vali, they saw the sight of Irina walking out alongside Xenovia, Jeanne, and Tosca.

"Hey guys, how's the new place treating you?" Issei greeted.

"This place is quite comfortable, and we've already adjusted to it. I'd go as far to say it feels like we've always lived here." Xenovia answered for the entire quartet.

"You guys are starting class today, as is Kelsey, so I hope you're ready for this." Vali advised.

"Don't worry, if these three have any trouble, I'll make sure to bail them out of it." Irina reassured her.

Vali smiled at that.

"Alright, then let's head to school, and hopefully hear it ended with all four of you enjoying your first day of class!" The silver-haired Devil exclaimed.

"Yeah!" Irina cheered in reply.

Issei chuckled at that, and then the group began heading towards Kuoh Academy.

Upon reaching class, Tiamat was seen in place of their teacher, who recently had to transfer due to complications. Looking at the students, she cleared her throat.

"Everyone, as you've probably heard, we recently got some European transfer students. Among those students, two of them are Second-Years that have been assigned to our class, so promise me that you'll give them both a warm welcome." Tiamat announced.

At that moment, she motioned for the two to come in. After a few seconds, Irina came in first, with Kelsey following moments after.

"Hello everyone, I'm Irina Shidou! I used to live here 10 years ago, but moved to England, so I'm really happy to be back home." Irina greeted, her usual cheery smile on her face.

"And I'm Kelsey Akumaji. I'm not the most social, but I don't try to avoid conversation outright, so I'll be willing to talk or answer questions if you'd like." Kelsey introduced herself.

Upon seeing Issei, the golden-orange haired Angel waved at him.

"Hey Issei, we're in the same class." She smiled.

Everyone gave the same reaction they did when Vali revealed she knew Issei, making the Queen of Lucifer give an awkward chuckle.

"Uh... yeah, we're childhood friends like I am with Vali, she was actually the first one I had." Issei admitted.

"Also, to everyone even thinking about it... remember my warning about trying to lynch my boyfriend?" Vali reminded everyone, giving off her aura as warning.

Needless to say, the boys all gulped in fear, quickly consenting to her words.

"Good." Vali smiled.

* * *

The day's classes quickly flew by, and once they did, the MHC met up with the ORC at the school pool. While normally it wasn't their job, they decided to clean it to help ease Sona's peerage from the stress of rebuilding the damage Kokabiel had done.

"Yuck! It's like someone threw up in here, then tried to cover it with tree moss." Bikou gagged in disgust.

"I think I'm gonna puke..." Yuuma groaned, her face turning a bit green.

"Well, it hasn't been used since last year, so it had plenty of reason to collect all this filth." Akeno remarked, giggling a bit.

Most of the group just shivered at that, wondering if that was Akeno's S-mode talking.

"Hey, at least there's a plus side to doing this, and that's Sona saying we can have the pool to ourselves for a little while after we finish up." Vali mentioned to encourage everyone.

Luckily, it worked just like she hoped, with Issei realizing why some of the girls had bought swimsuits.

"Yeah, let's clean this pool! Raise your hand if you can't wait!" Issei shouted, raising both his hands up.

"Raise two hands if you're just excited to see your girlfriend wearing her a sexy swimsuit." Kuroka smirked in a teasing manner.

He yelped in horror, realizing that's what he was doing.

"Gotcha." Kuroka giggled.

"Kuroka, that was a low blow!" Issei shouted.

"The rules of a pool don't say I can't say something that." Kuroka retorted, still smirking.

Issei sighed in defeat, trudging to the changing room.

Quickly following Issei's lead, everyone did the same, changing into their Gym uniforms. While they were changing, Xenovia looked at Jeanne.

"Hey, Jeanne? Did you finish the homework for 5th hour?" Xenovia asked.

"I did, although I'm worried how I did on my Japanese." Jeanne replied, showing some worry.

"Same with me, I couldn't identify most of the phrases, and I'm much better with numbers." Xenovia admitted, sighing a little.

She quickly held her left fist in the air.

"No big deal, I'll just stay up and study everything like my life depends on it." Xenovia declared.

Jeanne smiled at that.

"I know Lord Michael will be there to give us strength and knowledge." She agreed.

"Amen!" Both prayed.

As usual, the action made them hold their head in pain.

"Wow, it really is a habit." Le Fay giggled.

"Hurry up and get changed you two." Vali smiled.

"Yes ma'am..." Jeanne whimpered, still holding her head.

Once everyone was changed, they gathered around the pool, where Vali stood atop one of the diving stands.

"Alright, time to get the water out." Vali said, raising her hand up.

" **Twilight Singularity!** "

A single distortion appeared in the air, revealing a miniature black hole that began swallowing the water and most of the filth that was inside of it.

"Alright, everyone who can use flames? Let's burn this old water out of the way!" Vali announced.

"Three, two, one and... go!" Issei signaled.

Everyone with the capability to use flames aimed at the black hole, burning up the water inside to create steam. When that was done, Vali formed the sphere high out of sight, releasing the steam into the sky.

"Alright, from here on out, let's clean the human way. Get the hose ready for us to start scrubbing." Vali stated.

Handing everyone a broom, the group quickly wiped up all the gunk in the now empty pool. Tosca especially, who scrubbed the corners until she was sure they were spotless.

"Is she OK?" Bikou questioned.

"Yeah, she just can't leave corners alone. I'm wondering if that's because of her Bow-type Sacred Gear we saw her use?" Jeanne explained, wondering about the habit's origin.

Eventually, the pool's floor shined to signify it was now squeaky clean.

"Phew, looks like all that hard work paid off." Issei said as he wiped the sweat off his brow.

"Akeno, mind filling it back up?" Vali offered.

The Fallen Angel Priestess stood on one of the diving stands, and raised her hand in the air.

The Gremory clan's magic circle then hovered overhead, releasing water into the pool until it was full, leaving the pool looking like it had never been dirty or emptied in the first place.

"Wow, that was so amazing! It was incredible! It was... never mind, I'm out of words." Tosca said in awe.

Vali sighed in relief, looking at everyone.

"Alright, let's enjoy the water now!" Vali exclaimed happily.

With that, everyone went back to change into their swimsuits, with Issei being the first one on the guy's side to come out, wearing a simple pair of crimson-colored swim trunks. A few moments later, Vali came out on the girl's side, looking towards him.

"Hey, Issei? Do you like my new swimsuit?" She asked.

Issei turned, and when he did... he instantly went red in the face as he saw a white string bikini with its tied areas being more like tied ribbon cloth, being simple, yet bold in the perfect way for Vali's beauty.

This was a fact emphasized by the generous amount of her cleavage that was in view, along with her beautiful skin, which actually gave Issei a nosebleed.

"Vali, you're... beautiful." He breathed, wiping his nose.

"Really?" She smiled.

He chose to answer her with a deep kiss, one they held for a good five minutes, leaving both with a blush filled smile.

"Looks like you literally took each other's breath away." Irina giggled.

At that moment, Issei noticed Irina's swimsuit, which was a bright yellow and white one-piece.

"You look good in yours too, it definitely fits who you are." Issei praised.

"Yay!" Irina cheered.

At that moment, a certain Fallen Angel came out, making Issei look in surprise at the purple bikini she was wearing.

"T-this is too bold, isn't it?" Yuuma said quietly, looking away.

"No, not at all, I think it works despite how unexpected it is. Almost like it represents you coming out of your shell." Issei admitted.

Yuuma blushed at that, smiling a bit.

"T-thank you... Issei." Yuuma whispered.

"Hmm? You say something?" Issei asked.

"N-no, I didn't say anything." Yuuma replied, blushing more.

Eventually, everyone else came out as well... other than Tosca, catching Vali's attention as she neared the dressing area.

"Tosca? You in there?" Vali asked.

"Uh... can someone help me? I'm not used to the material, or my older body, so I'm not sure how to get this on..." Tosca replied.

"I'll help." Irina offered, going back inside.

After helping Tosca get her swimsuit on, she looks at the water, a little bit nervous.

"You OK?" Jeanne asked.

"Uh... Jeanne, I'm not sure how to say this, but... I don't exactly know how to swim." Tosca admitted.

Jeanne made a flat expression at that, and slapped her forehead.

"Of course, you've been comatose for years, and the orphanage didn't even give you a chance to swim." The Maiden of Orleans groaned, feeling dumb for forgetting the fact.

"I could teach her, and anyone else if they need to." Issei offered.

Hearing that, Asia raised her hand in embarrassment, making Vali smile as she rubbed her head to relax her.

"Nothing to be ashamed of, I taught Issei how to swim myself." Vali reassured her.

Moving to the shallow side of the water, Issei jumped in before helping Tosca, who shivered at the cold temperature of the water.

"C-cold!"

"Just breath, it takes a while to get used to it." Issei assured her.

"Are you sure I can do this?" Tosca asked.

"As sure as what color I'm associated with, just start kicking your legs." Issei replied.

Doing so, she starts kicking, quickly realizing how to get it down.

"OK, now use your arms as well." Issei advised, letting go of them as he did.

While a bit scared at first, Tosca quickly saw she wasn't sinking, and started laughing as she saw she was swimming.

"Kiba! Jeanne! I'm swimming!" She cheered.

"Nice going, Tosca!" Jeanne congratulated.

Issei clapped, and soon heard Asia jump in, holding onto the side.

"Oh, that's right, you're turn next. You ready?" Issei got her into position.

"Y-yeah, I can do it." Asia replied nervously.

Issei helped Asia move, and she mimicked Tosca, quickly getting it down herself. Issei smiled as he realized they had just needed the right push.

"Alright, have fun you two!" Issei encouraged.

"Hey, Issei?" Vali called out.

"Yeah?" Issei replied.

Vali held out some sunscreen before lying on a towel, undoing her top's string.

"Mind putting some on?" Vali asked.

Issei's face went red at that, quickly nodding as he headed over, making Irina giggle a bit.

"Those two are so cute at times." Irina smiled.

Issei took a deep breath, and then squirted some sun block on his hand, and then began the rubbing. Vali quickly gasped at how cold it was before relaxing into the feeling of her boyfriend's magical fingers.

"Ah... Issei, it's like you have the fingers of a massaging god." Vali replied with her eyes closed, and a blush on her smiling face.

"Really? You think so?" Issei asked in surprise.

Vali nodded, and right at that moment, everyone failed to notice someone seating themselves on part of the pool's fence.

"Ooh, my daughter's so bold!"

Most of the Devils, Irina, Kelsey, and Yuuma all widened their eyes upon hearing that voice. Turning around, they saw none other than Lilith standing on the pool's fence area, wearing an incredibly daring, black-colored swimsuit.

"M-mom!?" Vali exclaimed, holding her top up as Issei tied it back on.

"Hey!" Lilith smiled before waving.

It took a moment before anyone could properly react, which gave Lilith time to jump down before the group.

"When did you get here?" Issei asked.

"About 5 minutes ago, I would have said something, but I didn't want to interrupt until your swimming lessons." Lilith answered with a giggle.

The crimson-haired Queen paled at that.

'I didn't even sense her presence, she truly is the Strongest Devil still alive.' The Gremory Heiress thought.

Pulling her daughter into a hug, she looked at everyone.

"Why don't we go back into the club room? It isn't easy to talk out here." Lilith suggested.

* * *

Lilith takes a sip of some tea made by Akeno, sighing in delight.

"Riser wasn't kidding, the tea of your Queen is a real delight. I should probably buy the recipe." Lilith praised.

"T-thank you, Lady Lilith." Rias replied bashfully.

The Devil Queen sighed at that.

"I told you to stop being stuffy and just call me Lilith, being called Lady is too stuffy. Plus, now that you know the truth, you can't really deny the request of the Devil Queen." Lilith replied.

"W-well... if you're truly asking me to be informal, then I suppose I should respect that." Rias replied.

Tosca looked at Lilith a bit, taking in the current leader of all Devils.

"So, this is the leader of the Devils? Vali's mother?" Tosca asked.

"That's right. I've only met her twice before now, and it's been enough to tell she's a great person, and a positive influence on Vali's life." Issei confirmed.

Lilith giggled at that.

"Aw, what a sweet thing for my future son-in-law to say." Lilith replied.

"M-mom!" Vali blushed.

The Devil Queen giggled once more, looking at Irina and Kelsey.

"And you two must be Irina and Kelsey. It's so nice to finally meet the rest of my nieces." Lilith smiled, petting them on the head.

Kelsey blushed at that act out of embarrassment, while Irina smiled without any issues as the Mother of all Devils looked at her.

"It was quite the surprise when I heard you became Vali's new Knight, but I think it was a good choice. Promise you'll support the Lucifer household to the best of your ability." Lilith requested.

"I promise on my honor as her new Knight." Irina promised, giving a playful salute.

Vali smiled a bit, soon looking at Lilith.

"With that out of the way, is there any particular reason you're here?" Vali asked.

"Quite a few, such as the fact it's almost time for your Open House, and I am your mother." Lilith answered.

"Hold on, you mean that's-" Vali gasped.

She checked her phone, making herself give an embarrassing chuckle, realizing that she forgot how early the event was due becoming Kuoh Town's new Head.

"Oh no, I forgot about that!" Rias panicked.

Kelsey blinked a bit, feeling a bit confused by the Gremory Heiress' reaction.

"Wait, but you have the summit coming up. Wouldn't coming to this get in the way of your responsibilities." Kelsey asked.

"Actually, it won't, because this is part of my work. See, after a bit of conversing, it's been decided that we'll be having the summit here due to it being the target of Kokabiel's attempt to reignite the Great War." Lilith explained.

Everyone gasped at that.

"It's seriously going to be here at Kuoh Academy?" Yuuma asked in surprise.

"As serious as one can be Yuuma, and that's one of two reasons I'm here for Open House in the first place. While I'm able to freely traverse the school, I can look for any openings a possible enemy could use." Lilith explained.

After hearing that, it actually made a lot of sense.

"So, what's the second?" Bikou asked.

"Oh, guess I never mentioned it, but I'm actually the Director of Kuoh Academy." Lilith revealed, giggling a bit.

That made everyone's eyes widen, with only Rias and Vali not reacting.

"It isn't that surprising when you think about it. I mean, how else would an entire Town's territory manage to have Devil influence, and the means to properly excuse things like your absences, without question no less. Rias' father also helps me get decisions through, so that's also a thing." Lilith explained.

Issei chuckled a bit after hearing that.

"Wow, guess that's the kind of benefits you get as the Leader of an entire species and land." Issei remarked.

Lilith smiled in response, and then looked at Issei directly.

"Oh, that reminds me. I should probably go meet your parents while I'm here." Lilith requested.

* * *

At the Hyoudou Household, the twin Dragons watched as Lilith spoke with Issei's parents, all of them laughing.

"It's glad to finally meet you in person Mrs. Lucilee, though I must admit, I expected your hair to be like Vali's." Hana smiled, handing Lilith a glass of orange juice.

"Just call me Lily, and I'm guessing Vali showed you _that_ picture if you're asking that." Lilith replied.

Hana nodded her head, making Lilith giggle a bit.

"No, this is my natural color. That was something I did to try to get my husband's attention back when we weren't a couple. He told me he liked my natural hair because it was a nice contrast to his silver hair." She explained, playfully chuckling at the last part.

"Ah, so was your husband the one Vali's birth parents were related to?" Seiji inquired.

"That's right, the twin sister in that same photo was her mom." Lilith confirmed.

While that was happening, Issei and Vali watched from their spot at the table, with Issei giving a quiet chuckle at the situation.

"My parents have no idea they're talking to a religious figure, it makes me wonder what would happen if my dad tried having a drink with one." Issei remarked via a whisper.

"It's a little humiliating." Vali admitted, blushing a bit.

Lilith downed her drink, taking a relaxing breath from the taste.

"I hope my daughter's been behaving well under your roof, and hasn't been too much for you to handle." Lilith stated with a smile.

"Oh no, she's such a lovely girl. Keeps everything clean, eats all her veggies, cooks great food, and helps out around the house." Hana replied, praising the silver-white haired Devil.

"I do need to ask, where's Vali's father?" Seiji questioned.

Vali flinched at that, hoping Lilith had a good excuse.

"He's busy with his job as an adventure, and couldn't make it. Truth be told, I only managed to squeeze in a small visit for Open House myself, so I hope you don't mind taking care of my Vali for a little longer." Lilith explained.

Both Dragon Emperors sighed in relief.

**[Phew... she managed to dodge that bullet fairly well.]** Ddraig sighed in relief.

**(Indeed.)** Albion agreed.

After a few hours passed, a surprise deviation from their normal sleeping conditions came up as Issei came into Vali's room on her bed. The reasoning behind it? It would have been weird for Lilith to sleep on the floor for his room.

"Well, this is... different." Issei stated.

Lilith chuckled a bit, looking at the two lovebirds in Vali's bed while she rested on the floor. After a few minutes passed...

"I'm sorry..." Vali suddenly said, getting Lilith's attention.

"For what?" Lilith asked.

"Well, the fact you're sleeping on the floor, rather than a real bed, and all the embarrassed reactions. I know you're my mom now, but it can still feel awkward at times due to how long I didn't have one." Vali apologized.

The Devil Queen blinked a few times before smiling.

"Don't worry about that, it's fine. In fact, I'd like to thank you about the first part." Lilith replied.

Vali turned to her in surprise.

"If we were back in Hell, it would be unthinkable for me to be treated like a normal guest, so this is a nice change to be treated on an even ground. I actually feel more comfortable here than I would have been at a hotel." Lilith answered.

"I guess that's what people mean by _variety is the spice of life_ , it's literal." Issei chuckled.

"Guess so." Lilith giggled in agreement.

Once she finished giggling, she looked towards Issei, giving a gentle smile.

"Speaking of which, I've owed you a thank you for a while, Issei." She mentioned.

"Me?" Issei said, pointing at himself.

"I don't remember Vali having this much fun when she was living with me in Lucifaad, and I'm pretty sure it's all thanks to you. If you hadn't met her... then she wouldn't have eventually come to Hell, and then I'd have never found out that part of Lucifer's kindness managed to live on in her." Lilith smiled, getting a bit misty eyed.

Vali sniffled at that, making Issei rub her head as she gave a teary smile.

"You're welcome, and I guess I should thank you as well, giving her a mother again after so long." Issei replied with a smile.

"Of course, she's helped me heal from Lucifer's death the same way I helped her after she lost her mother. We've both healed due to having the other in our lives." Lilith smiled.

"Say, I never asked, but... how did you and dad fall in love?" Vali inquired.

Hearing that, Lilith's eyes widened before she giggled.

"That's the quite a story, but I guess you should hear how your heritage began." Lilith inquired as she looked towards the ceiling.

* * *

_In the land of Paradise, back when it was still the fabled Garden of Eden, the sight of God placing two forms of energy into the ground was seen. One of them was of Anima, and the other was of Animus. These energies mixed into the dirt to create a young human boy, and a young human girl._

"Back when Heaven was still new, God had only created Lucifer among the Angels, who he noticed had an androgynous appearance. Years after, when Heaven had developed into its own thing, he eventually used the energies of the concepts known as the Anima and the Animus, to create me and Adam from the dirt of Paradise, or the Garden of Eden as must Humans knew it, giving birth to the first man and woman."

"At first, the two of us were young and unaware of anything, leaving the Great Seraphs to raise us in a rotation system. That was when I first met Lucifer, who had been assigned to watch us first, and then... gave me my name. I didn't realize it back then, but our bond of love had begun there. Eventually, the two of us grew up, and we finally learned the truth of why we were born."

_Adam soon grew up to become the perfect-looking man, having handsomeness that put all else to shame, while Lilith became the perfect woman who gained the unmatched beauty she had in the present. One day, they saw God appear before them, getting their attention._

"He told us that the two were to be married, so we could become the propagators for mankind, and all other non-supernatural life in the world by extension. It wasn't a hard decision for Adam, who easily accepted his terms, and quickly agreed to the arrangement. However, the claim that women were smarter first came into play, because I had managed to consider more, and... I refused the offer, knowing my heart already loved someone else."

_Lilith shook her head at the offer, showing a saddened look on her face, and then... God's face suddenly contorted into something full of rage she had never seen before, almost as if it didn't just naturally happen. Before she realized it, the ground had opened up, making her gasp as chains bound her, and dragged her inside the cold, unyielding Earth._

_Adam watched as Lilith screamed, just as surprised over what God did, but seemed to quickly shrug it off. The ground soon closed itself, marking the start of what he intended to be Lilith's eternal imprisonment. Following that, Adam felt God remove part of his rib, using it to create Eve, and make sure she would never do what her predecessor had just done._

"For some reason, God was... unreasonable, he refused to accept my choice. Without warning, he ripped the ground open, and dragged me into the ground that Hell would eventually be used to form Hell, with Adam viewing me like a second thought. I was quickly replaced by Eve, who God made sure was naive and submissive, a choice that would later backfire on him even worse."

"Being the Angel of Justice, this act was what finally put Lucifer on odds with his own father, who could not see this as the Justice he was meant to represent. Eventually, this divide got so bad he abandoned Heaven, and make it clear by harming his sister, Cassiel; knocked his brother, Azazel, unconscious with a painful kick; and when Gabriel tried to talk him down, a single threat made her stand down. When that was clear, he exclaimed that he would save me, fully cementing his defection."

_Years would pass by, and Lilith could only lifelessly stare at the walls of the prison she believed that she'd never escape. Every time she tried to break her chains, or escape... the chains hit her with a curse that flared pain throughout her entire body. However, that all changed one day, when she heard something walking within her prison, making her see Lucifer appear before her._

"Even though I had given up all hope, just like his name's meaning, Lucifer ended up bringing me light. He rushed in, and when I asked why he was here, he told me everything, and most of all... that my imprisonment had made him realize he had fallen in love with me. When those words reached my ears, I was... it was a dream come true, because he was the reason I refused God, despite I didn't think he'd ever return how I felt."

"Because he was an Angel, he was able to free me from my prison, and took me away, fighting off Sandalphon, Metatron, and Sariel in the process... although we almost got captured, they failed because of Lucifer's actions indirectly creating Lucifuge, his "shadow" that helped us escape. We initially just went into hiding, living on our own, but when we finally met the girl who'd become Leviathan? That was when we decided to oppose God directly, and become a symbol of freedom."

_Lucifer held his hand out to the future Leviathan, followed by scenes showing him doing the same with the eventual Maou, and the other three members of the group that would eventually become the founders of Hell. Eventually, they all saw God descend from Heaven, showing the same trio of Seraphs that nearly captured God, along with Penemue, Camael, and Haniel._

"We found others, eventually being attacked by God and the remaining Great Seraph, now including Sandalphon, Metatron, and Sariel, who had been promoted into Great Seraphs for their near success in capturing Lucifer, prompting the battle that lead to us tapping into the Sacred Darkness, and becoming the first Devils in the world. Although the battle killed Satan, we managed to drive God away."

_The now Devil Lucifer, who had gained the strength of a deity, unleashed his Ethereal Twilight against God, who immediately retaliated with his own powers. Despite his best efforts, the ruler of the Angels gasped as God crashed into the ground, and fell unconscious. The Angels who eventually be labeled the Seven Heavenly Virtues retreated with their father, while the rest all stared at Lucifer, hinting to the fact they'd eventually leave Heaven themselves._

* * *

_Within the newly created Hell, Lucifer was seen standing towards Lilith, the girl he had freed so long ago, and... the girl he had fallen in love with. Moving towards her, Lilith saw him break off the last of the black chains from her prison, finally marking they were truly free of his grasp._

_"Lilith, from this moment on... there are no chains left in Heaven, or this world that will hold you. Now that you have this freedom, what do you wish to do?" Lucifer questioning, a smile on his face._

_Hearing this, Lilith walked up to Lucifer, hugging him close as she rested her head on his chest._

_"I was treated like a pariah, just because I wanted the freedom to have a choice in love, and you rescued me from that horrible fate. So, no matter what happens next... I will stay by your side." She answered._

_Looking him in the eyes, he saw her own shining with happiness, and the two quickly had their first kiss._

_"Lilith, will you marry me?" Lucifer asked._

_"Yes, I'll be yours, forever." Lilith accepted._

* * *

Finishing her story, the two Heavenly Dragons were both seen crying, with quite vocal cries coming from their Dragon partners, as even they were touched by the love story they just heard.

"T-that was so beautiful, like a Romeo and Juliet that didn't end with either one of their deaths." Issei remarked.

Vali wiped her tears away, looking at her mother.

"How cruel, for God to have done that to you, I'm glad you got the happiness you deserved." Vali sniffled.

"Yeah, God was basically a worse version of Riser's former personality, someone who did what he believed was right, without realizing it wasn't just his way or the highway. Although the weird thing is based on what I've learned from Lucifer... he didn't start acting that way until after I refused Adam." Lilith replied, explaining a detail her story didn't share.

That got the attention of the two, making them look at Lilith.

"Sorry, that's all I really know. Regardless of whatever made God end up that way... it ended up splitting the Christian Pantheon in four. The only reason we're still considered the strongest Pantheon is because of how many Longinus users end up with us." She answered, shrugging her arms.

"What about Adam and Eve, do you know what happened with them? I'm interested in how that's changed from the actual information Humanity's got." Issei asked.

Lilith thought for a moment.

"I don't have any idea what happened to Eve, other than I'm aware she's alive, but Adam's whereabouts are common knowledge. After she was born, the serpent in question, who was a unique serpent-like Angel named Samael, eventually tempted Eve like she had before. Thing is when God made her naive and submissive... he did it way too well. See, right before Eve ate the Fruit of Wisdom, she got called by Adam, who was hungry at the time." Lilith recalled.

"Let me guess, she gave him the fruit because he asked Eve to give it to him?" Vali guessed.

The Devil Queen nodded her head.

"Pretty much, and when she went to grab another fruit? She went to the Tree of Life by accident, eating the Fruit from that one instead, and that's how things really changed. Adam gained the same realization I did, and actually refused to take Eve... he was fairly harsh about it too, enough for us Devils to feel bad for her. God kicked him out afterwards, and instead of making a new man from Eve? He just tossed her out for letting it happen."

"Humanity's last chance, which was more or less successful, came from God creating Jesus within Mary Magdalene, so there were no further issues there. Eve went off the radar after that, but I feel someone knows where she is. Adam on the other hand? Well, he's actually Kelsey's father, as he did the same as the Angels who became the original Demons, where he eventually fell in love with Cassiel."

Issei's eyes widened.

"Wait, so he's the King of Demons!?" He exclaimed.

"Yep, didn't see that one coming, did you?" Lilith answered, giggling at the end.

The Sekiryuutei gave an odd chuckle, while Vali gave a playful one.

"Either way, regardless of how or the story behind it? I'm fairly sure strong enough feelings reach each other. That's why I have to do my best to keep Lucifer living in my heart. That's why I want you both to promise me you never let go of each other, regardless if anything happens to either of you. One most never deny the people important to them, or it'll hurt more than remembering they're gone." Lilith advised them, smiling as she put a hand to her bosom.

Issei took Vali's hand, making her blush.

"Don't worry, I'll never forget Vali." Issei swore with strong resolve on his face.

The heiress of Lucifer smiled at that.

"Well, we have a big week coming up, so... goodnight." Lilith yawned before going to asleep.

"Night." Vali whispered.

Soon enough, all three of them fell into a peaceful slumber.

* * *

The following morning, Issei stood by the door to his house as Vali stood next to her mother.

"I'll be showing my mother around town, so I may be slightly late to school. Make sure you tell the others for me." Vali stated.

"Got it, I'll see you there." Issei replied.

With that, the two went in the opposite directions. Eventually, once Issei got near the school... he felt his left arm tense up, showing Ddraig was reacting to something.

"Ddraig, what's wrong?" Issei whispered.

**[Trouble... more specifically, a huge mass of power.]** Ddraig replied.

Issei looked around upon hearing his partner state that, and began focusing his Chi to detect the source. It didn't take long for him to spot it near the school gates.

Standing there was a handsome young man with short black hair, wearing a combination of the gakuran worn by Japanese schoolboys in the fall, and ancient Chinese attire. The man aimed his focus towards Issei, and began to approach him.

'Crap, it looks like he was looking for me...' The Sekiryuutei realized.

Once the man got close enough, he stared at him directly, while Issei did his best to stay calm without raising any suspicion to his fellow students.

"So, you're the current Sekiryuutei, the one they call Issei Hyoudou. It's been a while since I've met new Longinus wielder." The man said.

"What!?" Issei gasped, realizing there was only way reason he'd know that.

In response, he saw the unknown man form a spear, making Ddraig's eyes shake in horror as he realized what it was. The spear in question had an abnormally long, blue-colored staff for a base, featuring golden metal decorations in the shapes of arrow tips which spiraled around in a double helix pattern. The decorations finish at the top of the spear which featured a white circle, which is completely empty, and has a cross that filled in the circle, but not completely.

There was a small silver stump which featured four protrusions, two of which were on the left, and the other two being on the right. The tip of the spear was silver, and similar to the staff of the spear, being longer than other types of spears.

'Ddraig, what kind of Sacred Gear is this thing!?' Issei questioned, feeling his body trembling from the energy it emitted.

The Welsh Dragon took a few heavy breathes, relaxing himself before he answered.

**[It's...]**

"My name is Cao Cao, and I'm the wielder of the original Longinus, otherwise the True Longinus." He declared.

* * *

**That's right... if there's any rival that should replace Vali's canon role, then it has to be Cao Cao! *cheers* I'll admit he's only here to cameo right now, because at this point in the story, he's way too powerful for any of our heroes to defeat. If he was able to give trouble to the Hakuryuukou by the point he had achieved his Emperio Juggernaut Overdrive, then making anyone fight him now is just suicidal.**

**Main point, Cao Cao is an opponent that marks a goal, and only when that goal is neared will I finally have Issei fight with him. There's a secondary reason that's also in the way, but I can't give you any hints about that one without giving away a major spoiler, other than it involves the rest of the Hero Faction, who have both their canon members, and some original ones.**

**Before I say anything else, know that if I have nothing against Kiryuu. I just feel in canon, unlike a certain duo, she never got punished for a few instances where she probably should have. As such, the scene from Chapter 12, and the brief thing with Irina here, are just in-story cases where she does get what's coming when she pushes herself a bit too far. Also, notice what Vali whispered to her? That'll be important during this arc.**

**We also got a glimpse at the story of Lilith and Lucifer, which will eventually be so important that I'll _have_ to show it in full, but that won't be happening for a long time. Also, to quote what our favorite Devil Queen said, did any of you expect that Kelsey's father was Adam? *chuckles* I'll also confirm that while her whereabouts are still unknown, Eve is alive due to eating the Fruit of Life, and she'll be important when she finally shows up.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

* * *

**Vali's Peerage** **:**

**King - Valiana Lucifer**  
Queen - Issei Hyoudou  
Bishops - Le Fay Pendragon, Asia Argento  
Knights - Arthur Pendragon, Irina Shidou  
Rooks - Bikou, Kuroka Toujou (Mutation Piece: x2 Multiplier)  
Pawns - Yuuma Amano (x2), Six Unclaimed Pawns

* * *

**Rias' Peerage** **:**

**King - Rias Gremory**   
**Queen - Akeno Himejima**   
**Bishops - Gasper Vladi (Mutated Piece: x4 Multiplier, Sealed), Valerie Tepes (Mutation Piece: x6 Multiplier)**   
**Knights - Kiba Yuuto, Jeanne d'Arc Yuuto**   
**Rooks - Shirone Toujou, Unclaimed Rook**   
**Pawns - Xenovia Quarta (x5), Tosca Shirayumi (x3)**

* * *

**Sona's Peerage** **:**

**King - Sona Sitri**  
Queen - Tsubaki Shinra  
Bishops - Momo Hanakai, Reya Kusaka  
Knights - Tomoe Meguri, Unclaimed Knight  
Rooks - Tsubasa Yura, Unclaimed Rook  
Pawns - Saji Genshirou (x4), Ruruko Nimura (x4)

* * *

**Bust Size of New Female Characters** **:**

**None**

* * *

**Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter** **:**

**None**

* * *

**Pairings List** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating**  
Ddraig/Albion - Married  
Tiamat/Fafnir - Married  
Ophis/Great Red - Married  
Saji/Sona - Master and Retainer  
Gasper/Valerie - Best Friends  
Kiba/Tosca - Friends


	16. Chapter 16

**Phew... this chapter took a bit longer than I expected, who knew writing about an Open House would make me feel so discombobulated? It was hard knowing which families to show, not to mention how to do the scene where Rias is told to finally free Gasper due to her very different stance in her fanfic, and how Vali's become the new head of the Kuoh Territory in recent chapters.**

**Well, either way, we're starting off with more of the scene between Cao Cao and Issei, and then... we're about to learn something interesting about the Dragons of this fanfic. After the fairly obvious reveal from last chapter, since I don't think anyone was that surprised to hear Great Red is Ddraig's father when you consider Ophis is Albion's, while the mention Ophis is his twin sister likely just caught some off-guard.**

**Also, just to remind everyone, Cao Cao has no further involvement in the Summit arc, he was just here to represent he's the "Vali" of this story. While they could fight him if they wanted, he's just too strong for any of our heroes to fight at this point, enough that he wouldn't just beat them... he'd destroy them, and that would end the story.**

**For the rest of the Hero Faction, you'll see them start showing up eventually, including someone who replaces Jeanne in the team due to her role. Right now, we're focusing on finishing the Summit arc so things like that can finally enter the spotlight, and the other factions of the supernatural world can reveal themselves. That, and this is the chapter where Gasper finally joins the story!**

**Now, it's time for us to get this chapter started!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

**[]** \- Ddraig Talking

**«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

**「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

**【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

**⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

**Beelzebub Clan**

**The fifth of the six Maou Clans that helped create all of Hell, founded by the original Beelzebub, the Maou who represented the Deadly Sin of Gluttony. Out of all the Maou Clans, the Beelzebub Clan is the most docile, and closest to nature, since their huge appetite lead to them learning how to excel at agriculture techniques to feed themselves, including gaining aid from bugs, hence Beelzebub's "Lord of the Flies" title, but with all insects in general.**

**A sign of their power comes from their bloodline ability, the "Nature's Rift", which is based on the deadly sin the clan is associated with. The ability allows the user to inhale things into their mouth through a vacuum effect, hence the latter half of the name, but the true form of this power comes from the former half of its name, which is the power to enhance themselves.**

**The nutritional sustenance from what they consume, at the cost of what they've eaten being treated like it never really was, can either be absorbed to empower themselves, or converted into a medicinal enzyme that lets emit a healing breath... or a saliva that others, and even themselves, prefer to not use. The ability to consume so much at once is the ability's way of easily gathering and replace what they've eaten if needed, while also working as a shield.**

**Other powers the clan have include the shared Maou Clan ability of holy light not being fatal to them like with other Devils, an unmatched sense of taste equivalent that can trace things like certain animals' senses of smell, the ability to devour anything (be it inorganic, pure energy, or something toxic) without consequence, an unlimited stomach capacity, and the ability to influence insects.**

**Like the other Maou Clans aside from the Lucifer Clan, one of their own caused the Devil's Civil War, namely the would-be heir of the time, Shalba Beelzebub. His actions lead to many Devils trying to destroy the clan, forcing Lilith to create a compromise through choosing Ajuka Astaroth as the Great Devil bearing their name, and having the current head give up their bloodline ability to him, which turned Ajuka's bloodline ability into his signature Kankara Formula.**

**In the present, the Clan's reputation has been restored due to Vali winning her Rating Game against Riser, with its current heiress being Niruili Beelzebub.**

* * *

**_Season 2, Summit Arc: Chapter 2 - Open House Embarrassment_ **

Issei sweated a bit, looking at the opponent before him with a nervous look on his face. While he had met another Longinus user before through Valerie, this time was different, as he was meeting a Longinus User who might just be his enemy. With the power he felt from the True Longinus, he instantly became apprehensive of the man before him.

'I can feel it... Ddraig's completely terrified, like his body's screaming that I should run away. I don't think this I can fight this guy on my own.' Issei thought.

His eyes instantly focused as he moved his hand to catch the tip of Cao Cao's Sacred Gear, making him pant a bit as he struggled with what might have been Cao Cao holding back against him. Regardless, the True Longinus wielder smirked at his action.

"Hmm... you aren't as vulnerable as your appearance implies, but it's clear I wouldn't even need to use any Prana to defeat you." Cao Cao stated, neither him or Issei moving.

"Damn it..." Issei grunted.

Cao Cao suddenly looked down, hearing the sounds of swords crossing under his neck, showing the Knight twins of Gremory had appeared without his notice. Among the two, it was Jeanne who seemed to be more alert.

"Don't you think this joke's gone on long enough?" Kiba stated.

"Yeah, it wouldn't be smart if we let you start a fight with Issei when the public's only feet away, and I doubt you want to involve the Hindu Pantheon when they already have enough tension against each other." Jeanne warned.

Cao Cao closed his eyes, dispelling his Sacred Gear. Upon doing so, both of Rias' Knights put their swords away.

"This is a surprise, of all the people I expected to see, you weren't one of them. How have you been since we last saw each other, Jeanne?" Cao Cao greeted.

Everyone looked at her, surprised by the fact he seemed to know the wielder of the Shadow Eraser.

"Wait, you two know each other?" Issei asked.

"Yeah, he's the leader of a group that's made of various descendants of famous figures... I was with him for some time after what happened with the holy Sword Project, but I left to join the Church after I found signs of Valper, hoping I might find a way to wake up Tosca, but I was there long enough to know he has the users of the Dimension Lost and the Annihilation Maker in his ranks." Jeanne admitted.

Issei immediately noticed Kiba's eyes widened.

"Uh, Kiba... are those-" Issei asked.

"Yeah, both of them are among the Sacred Gears that make up the Longinus." He confirmed.

'Then that means this group's no joke!' The Sekiryuutei realized.

Jeanne soon noticed Cao Cao look at her directly.

"Why not rejoin us? You've obvious dealt with Valper, and if I'm right, the church recently kicked you out." Cao Cao offered.

"Even if I did, your rule is only _Humans_ with Sacred Gears can join you. I've already been reincarnated as a Knight under Rias Gremory." Jeanne answered, looking a bit nervous.

Cao Cao sighed in disappointment, aiming his sight towards Issei.

"Tell me, Sekiryuutei... how do you think your power compares to everyone else in the world?" He inquired.

"What do you mean?" Issei asked with a slight glare.

"I mean how close to the top do you stand? Right now your rival is ahead of you, but I'd still place you fairly high, which shows you're being properly nurtured. That truly shows how well your methods work Hakuryuukou, or should I say... Valiana Lucifer?" Cao Cao answered, looking to the side.

Everyone turned to see Vali walking into view with the rest of her peerage, currently showing an angered look on her face.

"Vali?" Issei said in surprise.

"First thing's first, don't call me by my full name. And secondly, I don't need your advice, especially if you try anything against my Issei." Vali replied with heavy warning, her voice clearly angered.

"Oh, so you don't need my advice when you're only delaying the inevitable?" Cao Cao inquired.

Vali's glare intensified in response.

"You can't change the fate you have with the battle between Ddraig, and Albion. One day, you two will fight, because your predecessors will make sure the Juggernaut Drive makes it happen." He stated, making Vali's hand shake.

**«"I wouldn't be so sure, Cao Cao."»**

That voice caught everyone's attention, soon showing a small floating orb of green light floating by his side.

"The Will of Longinus... care to share what you mean? I doubt it's nothing considering what you're a mere remnant of." Cao Cao stated, looking a bit annoyed.

**«"It's the mere fact that the one you're mocking was able to push back against her predecessor's attempts to activate it. Even more, I can tell there's potential his beloved doesn't even know is hidden within his true strength, enough that they may actually do what's been impossible before now."»** The Will of Longinus stated.

"Hmm... fascinating, my Sacred Gear thinks you'll do something amazing, makes me wonder how your lives will really turn out. I hope when the time comes, I get to see it myself." Cao Cao mused with slight interest, smiling a bit.

Cao Cao walked off, whispering something to Jeanne as he did, though she showed no reaction. Once he was far enough, Vali took Issei's hand, shaking as she collapsed onto his side.

"Vali?" Issei asked.

"I... I've never been so terrified, to think I just stood my ground against the one who holds the spear that killed Jesus." Vali admitted, her scared face finally showing.

His eyes widened upon hearing that, looking at Irina for verification.

"That's right, it's the very spear that Saint Longinus killed Jesus with. In fact, the reason we call it the True Longinus is because that act created the Longinus, making it the set the standards the other 12 would eventually follow." Irina answered.

"Trust me Issei... while all the Longinus are deadly, that one's got the genuine experience among them. I've heard rumors that its Balance Breaker has the power of seven, without the restriction Kiba and Jeanne's have with only being able to have one active." Vali warned him.

"Shit... then he wasn't kidding when he said it wouldn't be too hard for him to beat me." Issei realized.

Feeling his girlfriend's head, Issei quickly noticed the sweat she was making, and realized she was in no condition to go to class as she currently was. Picking her up into a bridal carry, the Hakuryuukou blushed a bit.

"I-Issei?" Vali asked in surprise.

"You need to calm down a little before we get to class, I'll wait with you as you rest in the nurse's office." Issei answered.

Vali blushed a bit more, and just relaxed into Issei's arms as he carried her to the nurse's office. While the others stood where they were, Kuroka's eyes trailed to the side, some sweat forming on her face.

"I have a bad feeling about why that guy visited..." Kuroka said to herself.

* * *

While Vali was resting on the nurse's bed, Issei rubbed her head with his right hand to help her calm down.

"Thank you Issei, I feel calmer already." Issei smiled.

"Any time." Issei smiled.

At that moment, Issei's Sacred Gear formed, getting the duo's attention.

"Ddraig, is something up?" Issei asked.

**["There is... after meeting someone with the True Longinus, I feel there's something you should know. To be more specific, this is something Vali and Albion both agreed that you shouldn't know until the situation called for it."]** Ddraig answered.

**("Now that you've met another Longinus wielder that we can't truly say is an ally, the Four Factions are gathering to possible fully reunite into the Christian Pantheon, and have learned more about the Supernatural world? At this point, not knowing is a bigger risk for you.")** Albion added.

"Sounds like this is a big one then. Alright, I'm all ears." Issei replied.

He sat on the bed, helping Vali up as the both of them listened. With that, the two Dragons began sharing a tale that was the last thing Issei expected to hear, much less to be related to current events.

**["As you've already know, during the Great War, the Dragons refused to side with any of the Four Great Powers, preferring not to get involved. However, you've probably been asking this... why did the Dragons refuse? How did both of us become strong enough to threaten God and Lucifer? And what made our parents stronger than the leader of the Pantheon who gave life to the world?"]**

**["That's simple, it's because... while God did give life to everything on Earth, that didn't mean he created ALL life. Truth is, there was one race that came before him, which was the sole reason why they had powers no other species would ever possess themselves, allowing a few of them to surpass him and Lucifer. Based on what I said, care to make a guess on which race I'm talking about?]** Ddraig explained, looking at his partner.

Issei's eyes widened at that, quickly piecing it together.

God didn't create all life... something came before him... a power only a single supernatural race possessed... not to mention Ddraig's referencing beings that exceed him and Lucifer... only one species fit all that.

"Are you saying... the first creatures to ever exist on Earth were Dragons?" Issei guessed, surprise on his face.

**("That's correct Issei, we were the first creatures to form on this world, the one thing completely came from nature's influence. See, our parents live in this strange realm called the Dimensional Gap, which is like the blurred color mixture you find in a kaleidoscope. From there, two powers came into existence: infinity and dreams. The abyss of infinity created my mother, Ophis; while the illusion of dreams created Ddraig's father, Great Red.")**

**("The rest of our kind came from ripples of their birth, though we in particular were born under very different circumstances. The main reason our parents live in the Dimensional Gap is because Ophis prefers the silence within it, but for Great Red, he likes freedom of movement that lets him fly around and do tricks. Because of the former, Ophis initially didn't know about him.")**

**("However, there was a day that the two began to get bored, and didn't like the loneliness they felt. Eventually, while Ophis was asleep, Great Red was flying out of sheer boredom... and then accidentally crashed into her. The sudden shot caused a subconscious, yet focused release of their powers that fell out of the Dimensional Gap's borders, landing on this world, and aiming themselves at the broken shells of recently hatched Dragons.")**

Issei winced at that.

"Ouch... that'd hurt anyone if they don't see it coming." He remarked.

Vali giggled at that.

**["Anyways... Great Red and Ophis soon regained their bearings, which is when they had their first meetings with someone else. Because of the loneliness they had been experiencing for so long, upon seeing each other... it was love at first sight for them. Meanwhile, for the egg shards, they were instantly reformed, and the power inside was refined to a mortal level, soon hatching into me and Albion, with our powers decided by the eggs we hatched from."]**

**["When they finally got to know each other enough, they finally decided to start leaving the gap, and experiencing the wonders of Earth, where they would eventually find us. It was through them that we realized why they were our parents, but we weren't related despite that. Because we were born some of their power, our DNA came from the eggs themselves, so while we are their respective children, we don't share any DNA with them."]**

Snapping his fingers, the Sekiryuutei finally understood what Ddraig said after he met Ophis.

"I get it! The relation comes from birth alone, so there's no shared genetics for you and Albion to be siblings, and therefore avoid an incestuous relationship." He stated.

**["Exactly!"]** Ddraig confirmed.

**("This is where God's role comes into play. See, during one of their visits, the two noticed a sudden light being formed in the sky, but they also saw a darkness that was its natural opposite.")** Albion added.

Vali was able to tell what they were referring to in an instant.

"That light was likely the one that created God, and the darkness allowed Lucifer to become his equal." Vali realized.

**"(Yes, and since it was magical in nature, that lead to the Christian Pantheon having a strong tie to Magic over the other primordial energies. From there, he began using what he knew to create life, and nature likely chose to adapt to how he made it due the sheer quantity, making us Dragons the only beings to be formed from energy.")** Albion agreed.

**["The more material and physical life became the Angels, Humanity, and the other divine beings who'd call themselves God in honor of Elohim's title. We Dragons were initially miffed, but Great Red and Ophis told us since we lived how we pleased, that didn't give us right to decide what lived or died, and we should just accept them, or ignore them."]** Ddraig added.

"Plus, you and Albion could destroy gods with your ultimate breath attacks." Issei mentioned.

The two Dragons chuckled at that.

**["Yeah, there was also that, so we pretty much became the guardians of the Dragons."]** Ddraig remarked.

"You know, now that I've heard this, I have a question... just how powerful would you say God, Lucifer, and the both of are if your parents are the undisputed strongest?" Issei asked.

"I'll answer that. On the list for the Top 10 Strongest Beings, our partners are ranked 2nd, while my father and God were both ranked at 3rd place." Vali revealed.

Issei's eyes widened at that.

"Whoa... I knew they were strong, but sharing 3rd place was beyond my expectations. Though it also makes me wonder what finally killed them if neither our partners or their parents were involved." Issei admitted.

Hearing that, even Vali and their partners felt something was off. If Kokabiel had known what killed them, he would have said so, but the fact he didn't implied even he wasn't aware of this knowledge.

There was something missing in the story of their deaths to have it make sense, but that was a question for another time.

"Vali, I think we should head back to class now." Issei suggested.

"Yeah, let's get going." Vali agreed.

* * *

The two eventually walked into class, with Kelsey noticing them both having come in.

"Hey, you feeling better now?" Kelsey asked Vali.

"Yeah, it helped we got a small story to distract me from my prior nerves." The silvery-white haired Devil replied, moving her left hand.

Kelsey looked at it, realizing what she meant.

"Sometimes I'm kinda jealous I don't have one of those myself." Kelsey sighed.

Kiryuu chuckled at that, standing by her side.

"If you're talking about your-" Kiryuu tried to say.

Kelsey used her pinkie finger to crack part of the desk, giving her a flat look that instantly made Kiryuu stop.

"Never mind." She replied with her hands held up.

"Thank you." Kelsey sighed.

At that moment, Tiamat walked into the room, clearing her throat.

"Alright everyone, the parents are on their way, so if I could have a volunteer pass out the materials for today's class." Tiamat announced.

"Ooh, I'll do it!" Irina waved her hand with enthusiasm.

"Glad we have someone excited to do this kind of task." Tiamat smiled.

Irina walked up to the desk, and noticed Tiamat giving her PVC clay.

"Blocks of clay?" Irina said in confusion.

"It'll make sense when we officially begin, let's just say all the classes are purposely doing something that bends the normal scheme of things to show off to the parents." Tiamat answered.

In a few seconds, Fafnir entered the room, allowing all of the parents to enter the classroom. Among them one could see Seiji, Hana, both of Irina's parents, Lilith, Cassiel, Penemue, and Azazel.

'Holy crap... so many women! Can't... properly... use Scouting Sight on them!' Motohama thought, steaming coming out of his ears.

Matsuda turned as he saw Motohama slump onto his desk, confusing him.

"Welcome all parents for today's open house. For this special occasion, we're going to show the concept of how communication is defined by how we all view life, and the situations in it differently. It's like how even if we use the same words, we express our thoughts differently." Fafnir greeted, explaining today's class.

"As such, everyone will make something with clay, and it can be anything as long as it fits the one condition of being meaningful to its creator. If you don't have enough clay for what you're trying to make, we have extra blocks up here." She motioned to the students, who began sculpting.

Issei went into though on what he could make.

"Hmm... something meaningful to me. There's Vali, but I worry that might seem kinda vain... oh wait, I've got it!"

He used a bit of magic to help him shape his clay, getting his idea. Everyone else tied to the supernatural was doing the same, after a few minutes, Issei was the first to have his finished.

"Issei, I see you're done, care to share?" Tiamat asked.

"Oh, sure." Issei replied.

The entire class looked as they saw a sculpture of Vali hugging Issei upon her return from her training journey.

"It represents how meaningful my reunion with Vali was, it's probably the happiest day I've had this entire year, especially since we eventually ended up a couple not that long after." Issei shared, blushing a bit.

Hearing that, most of the class gave a united "Aww~", including the parents. Vali blushed a bit, but still looked happy.

"I'm done as well." Kelsey stated, showing a man.

"Hmm... I don't see anyone like that here, but I'm guessing that's your father?" Fafnir guessed.

"Yep, he couldn't come due to work. I chose him because he's an inspiration for me... the kind of person I want to be one day." Kelsey confirmed, blushing a bit.

Tiamat smiled at that.

"I think that's an inspired ideal, so keep working towards it." Tiamat remarked.

She soon noticed Irina's work, making her blink a bit.

"Whoa... everyone, looks like someone in this class has a big imagination." She smiled.

"T-thank you." Irina chuckled, blushing a bit.

Everyone saw her sculpture, which was all seven Excalibur blades crossed together on a podium.

"Holy crap, do you see that?" Katase asked.

"Amazing, those are so detailed." Murayama praised.

"My dad has a hobby for collecting oriental swords with a history to Christian churches, so I consider them my main experience to appreciating my faith." Irina explained.

"Oh yeah, I forgot you're Christian, they've got some neat stuff." Matsuda remarked.

Irina blushed again, giggling a bit.

"That's my little girl." Touji sniffled, crying a bit.

"Oh, dear Lord! Thank you for giving me such a wonderful daughter!" Gabriel prayed.

"Mu... stop embarrassing me you two!" Irina blushed in embarrassment.

Yuuma covered hers with her arms, shaking nervously about how everyone might react if they saw what she decided.

"Yuuma, don't be afraid." Fafnir encouraged.

"O-OK..."

She moved them to reveal a mask with a sad expression, but it was purposely starting to crack through the middle. This made some of the class tilt their hands in confusion.

"Yuuma, is that a representation of you gradually coming out of your nervous shell?" Issei asked.

The Fallen Angel slightly sunk into her seat, nodding a bit.

"Well, I did say it was a... gradual process." Issei chuckled awkwardly, a sweat drop on his face.

"I'm finished!" Vali shouted, raising a hand.

At that moment, everyone saw what she made, which had taken two blocks of clay to make. Needless to say, it shocked the entire room, being a sculpture of Ddraig and Albion circling around one another, using their signature god killing breaths.

"That's incredible, and I don't think I've ever seen Dragons like those before!" Murayama remarked.

"While the designs are definitely Vali's own creation, it's clear she based this sculpture off the legend of the Dragons of Wales and England, am I right?" Tiamat inquired.

"Yeah, that's exactly what this is based on. I always liked the mythical representation. In fact, I recall hearing rumors there was a third Black Dragon that represented Ireland." Vali confirmed.

"Quite the interesting mystery among myths itself." Tiamat nodded her head.

Matsuda hummed, realizing something.

"Now I get why she made the MHC." He realized.

Issei chuckled a bit, glad Open House wasn't going in _too_ weird of a direction... until some of the students crowded around Vali's desk. The Lucifer heiress sweated a bit as everyone got a bit closer than she'd like.

"Come on, let me buy that! I'll give you a day's worth of my allowance!" Matsuda offered.

"No, pick me! I'll give you a week's worth!" Motohama challenged.

"I'll give you a month!" Katase countered.

"A year, please sell it me!" Murayama threw in.

Vali's eye twitched at that, wondering if she should mention how much money she actually on hand due to her heritage.

"Ddraig, I jinxed it, didn't I?" He whispered.

**[Probably]** Ddraig agreed.

* * *

Later on, everyone met up, with those not in Issei's class admiring the sculptures. In the end, Vali decided not to sell it, exchanging it with Issei's.

"Wow, these are amazing." Tosca complimented.

"Man, you got the good class, ours just had us make some salad." Jeanne sighed.

Shirone rubbed her back.

"So, what kind of stuff did the Third-Years do?" Tiamat inquired.

Rias went silent at that, all while Kuroka tried her best not to start laughing. Luckily, no one could press on it because the sound of multiple boys screaming like lunatics was heard, all rushing to the gym.

"What are they doing?" Irina questioned.

"Hmm... let's see, they have cameras, going to an open space... ah, I bet that Serafall's over there. Like Sirzechs, she's here both for Open House and mandatory participation in the Summit." Tiamat guessed.

"That seems interesting, let's take a look." Kelsey decided, heading on over.

With that, the others decided to follow, and once they were there, Tiamat's theory was proven true. Serafall was in her signature magic girl outfit, posing as the Photography Club took pictures of her.

"Hey, wait a minute... I didn't realize that outfit was a Magical Girl Milky Spiral 7 Alternative cosplay." Yuuma realized, making Asia look at her.

"How do you about that show?" Asia asked.

"Through my one usual client, the one I had to ask my father to create a gender changing gun to create, Miltan." Yuuma answered.

At that moment, the image of Miltan, who now had the form of a cute, sexy-looking girl due her father's invention turning him into a girl, flashed through Yuuma's head. She had a strong resemblance to Serafall, but with brown eyes, wavy twin tails, and smaller chest.

"She had me watch it all in one sitting the first time, back when she first summoned me, and I couldn't fulfill her intended request just yet. I ended up liking it, and... kinda bought the DVDs myself." Yuuma explained, blushing a bit.

At that moment, Saji walked in.

"Knock it off! We are still on school property, and despite being related to the Council President, she's breaking rules as much as you are! Get out of here before I have to write all of you up!" Saji ordered as he got on stage.

"That's not right!" The leader complained.

Everyone left the gym room, leaving Saji to look at his master's older sister.

"Lady Serafall, didn't Sona tell you this isn't appropriate attire?" Saji asked.

**«"I get the feeling your master didn't tell her anything, though that's just my opinion."»** Vritra replied.

"That's right, Sona's a meanie and didn't tell me!" Serafall pouted.

Most of the group chuckled at that, recalling how much of a smothering sister she was... right as Sona walked in.

"Saji, what's going on here?" Sona asked.

"Uh, oh..." Saji breathed, seeing her come in.

Serafall cheered as she saw Sona, causing the Sitri heiress to realize the red flag she just raised.

"Oh, great... it's my sister." Sona realized, her hair already frizzing in response.

Serafall jumped towards her.

"I'm gonna require a lot more happiness from you, come on! You should have been running into my arms telling me how much you missed me. Then I'll say "Oh Sona, I missed you too!", then I'll give you a big fat kiss, then you'd kiss me back, and then that'd lead to girl on girl action and wouldn't that be hot?" Serafall stated, swaying back and forth as her breasts bounced up and down.

"G-getting... dizzy..." Tosca stated, her eyes spinning from the sight of her bouncing breasts.

Sona sweated, barely holding her composure.

"Uh... Rias, are you sure that Serafall's not trying to have an incestuous relationship with Sona? Because those words just scream it." Issei asked.

"I'm not even sure anymore." Rias admitted.

Saji blinked a bit, then cleared his throat.

"Lady Asmodeus, I..." Saji tried to say.

"Don't call me that! Call me Serafall, or Little Asmodey!" Serafall replied cheerfully.

"Uh... what?" Saji stuttered.

At that moment, Sona screamed in a panic, surprising everyone as her usual image finally broke from the stress.

"I can't take this anymore!" Sona cried, running out of the room.

"Wait, Sona come back!" Serafall shouted as she gave chase.

"Stay away from me!" The Sitri Heiress shouted.

Saji sighed, deciding to go after the two before things got even more out of hand.

"Uh... are all the Great Devils different in some way?" Issei asked.

"Aside from Diehauser and Alanira, they're all fairly passionate and full of flare. They even have a TV Show they do together that they call the Satan Rangers, and then there's a show Serafall does called Magical Girl Little Asmodey." Vali answered.

The Sekiryuutei gave a nervous chuckle in response to that.

* * *

As everyone returned from the gym, Issei's father noticed him walking by with the rest of the group.

"Hey Issei!" Seiji called out, getting the group's attention.

The Sekiryuutei turned to see his parents.

"There you are Rias, I've been looking for you." Zeoticus stated.

He was a young-looking man with the same crimson red hair as Rias, which was tied as a loose ponytail with a black hairband. He had bright blue eyes, and either a short red beard. It didn't take long for Issei to realize who he was.

"Hello father." Rias answered.

"Whoa! That's your dad, Rias? He looks like your second older brother." Tosca mentioned in surprise.

Vali kneeled to her ear, whispering to her.

"Remember how the powers inside the primordial energies works? While some unlikely people don't seem to have it going for them due to how old they look, for everyone else tied to the supernatural, you can look young for all of your eternal life." Vali explained quietly.

"Whoa, really? Then... no worries about things like wrinkles, tired joints, or sagging breasts?" Tosca questioned in surprise.

"None of those." Vali confirmed, recalling how Issei cheered when she told him that part.

The Pawn of Gremory sighed in relief.

"Ah, you must be Vali. I'm Zeoticus. I'd like to thank you watching out for her, my wife and I appreciate it." Zeoticus greeted with praise.

"No biggie, I'm only repaying the kindness that Rias showed me when we first met." Vali replied with a blush, rubbing her neck.

Lilith giggled at her reaction.

"Oh, I have an idea! Why don't we go back to the house where there's room to sit?" Seiji asked.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea." Zeoticus agreed, surprising both their children as they walked off.

Lilith then got worried, giving an odd laugh.

"Oh yeah, that was a clear red flag for them getting drunk... and I don't think it'll be as controlled as when members of the Asmodeus Clan do it." Lilith remarked.

Right after she said that, everyone heard laughing as Sirzechs walked down from the second floor.

'3, 2, 1.' The Devil Queen thought, holding her fingers up.

"Big brother, why are you laughing?" Rias asked with a flat look.

"Because it seems we'll be having a slumber party with father tonight." Sirzechs answered.

As he gave a slight chuckle making Rias groaned.

"Oh, and Rias? Could you, and Akeno come with me for a moment? I'd like to talk with you both about something important." Sirzechs requested.

"Fine..." Rias agreed, too embarrassed to care.

The redheaded heiress followed her older brother, with Akeno following as Vali gave an odd chuckle.

"Poor Rias." She remarked.

Without any of them noticing, Lilith caught up with Issei's parents, and Zeoticus.

"Oh, thought we lost you there for a moment, Lilith." Hana stated, casually saying the Devil Queen's real name.

"Nah, just had something to say real quick, and speaking of which..." Lilith replied, not surprised at hearing it.

The Devil Queen got close to each of Issei's parents.

"You've had to notice the powers he's starting to awaken, you know you'll have to tell the truth eventually." Lilith whispered.

Both went quiet at that.

"We know, but... right now he hasn't shown his true heritage yet." Hana sighed.

"I get how you feel, but you've gotten tell him eventually, Issei deserves to know that he's not Human." The Devil Queen answered.

Issei suddenly sneezed, confusing him a bit.

* * *

Back at the Hyoudou House, the two Dragons Emperors were quietly eating dinner, both their eyes shadowed as their parents were watching the recordings of their class. Like any teenager who had their parents gushing over them... they were completely embarrassed.

"This... is... torture!" Vali whimpered, covering her eyes.

"I'm dying right now!" Issei cried.

Lilith giggled at one of Vali's reactions when everyone tried to buy her sculpture from her, and Issei's eventual attempt to get her out of it.

"Aww~ my Vali looks so embarrassed right now." Lilith smiled.

At that moment, Seiji noticed one of Issei's expressions was kinda flat, squinting a bit.

"Issei, when did you eat a lemon in that class?" He asked.

"Why do you always say that whenever you film me!?" Issei screamed in embarrassment.

Vali grabbed a brown paper bag with eye holes, and placed it over her head. Issei quickly joined her, right as Rias walked in, making her see the two wearing them to her confusion.

"Hey Rias... welcome to the High School Students being embarrassed by their families Club." Issei sighed.

Following Rias in was Sirzechs, Grayfia, and then a familiar face in Yumina.

"Ah, I see you finally made it." Zeoticus greeted.

"Oh, what a lovely lady, and is this your daughter?" Hana replied before seeing Yumina.

Yumina giggled at that.

"You got a hole in one there, Mrs. Hyoudou. My name's Yumina Gremory." She answered, using her human alias.

"So, that would mean..." Seiji realized.

"Yeah, that makes me Rias' niece, even though we're the same age." Yumina confirmed.

At that moment, she noticed Vali with Issei... who still had paper bags over their heads.

"Embarrassing videos?" Yumina guessed.

"Embarrassing videos..." They repeated in a flat tone.

Yumina laughed a bit, scratching her head before grabbing a glass of juice to distract herself.

"Well, at least it can't get worse." Rias stated.

Right as she said that, Zeoticus started playing her videos, making her pale.

"OK, now it can't get any worse." Rias groaned.

Yumina saw the videos, and tried not to laugh... only to fail, and spit her out drink. The moment she stopped laughing, she blushed as she saw Rias giving her a blank stare, juice still dripping off her as her fellow Devils watched.

"Uh... sorry about that" Yumina apologized.

"I don't know what's worse... the fact I got hit by a juice-flavored spit take, or the familial humiliation." Rias said flatly while she stood in place, her expression unchanging.

Vali cleared her throat, grabbing both Issei and Rias by the hand before going upstairs.

"Come on Rias, let's go get you a towel from my room." Vali suggested.

Yumina downed the rest of her juice, and then placed the glass down as she followed them into the room of the Lucifer heiress. Since they weren't downstairs, the Dragon duo tossed the paper bag masks off their head as Vali found a towel.

"Here you go." Vali said as she tossed it to Rias.

"Thank you." Rias replied as she dried herself off.

While that was happening, Issei saw one of Vali's bras had fallen out onto the floor, making her flinch as she saw it.

"Hey Vali, this fell on..."

It took a few moments for Issei to realize he was holding, and the design it had.

"U-uh..." Vali blushed at that.

"Vali, as of seeing this, I think you're the sexiest girlfriend in the world." Issei remarked.

Vali blushed at that, smiling a little.

"I mean it, just how did you grow so big?" Issei asked.

Vali blushed even more at that, scratching her cheek slightly before she relented, deciding to tell her boyfriend what he'd probably learn eventually... especially if her mom decided to tell him.

"How should I explain this... you know how Lilith was meant to be first Human Woman before God made Eve to replace her? Both of them, and Adam, had something special about them that no other Humans have because of that whole thing with God having no intention for them to have Sin." Vali explained.

"You mean, like something in their metabolism that only takes beauty, while avoiding things like getting fat?" Issei questioned, trying to figure it out.

"Exactly, it doesn't give her any benefits aside from that, but it does have a 100% chance of being inherited, leaving it a permanent part of her family tree. When you combine that with my heritage to enhance it further... well, my beautiful appearance is the end result." Vali confirmed, blushing a little.

Scratching her cheek a bit, she figured there was one other detail to add.

"Well, that's not the only thing. The physiology of Devils is unique, so the higher up you are, such as Rias' figure being the result of having Bael Clan heritage? The strength of the Sacred Darkness within you? Even the desire to have yourself seen as attractive someone? Well, like I said when we faced Riser, I knew I found my soulmate deep down, so I wanted to be the most beautiful woman, the one you desired, and my body responded to my mind." The Lucifer Heiress admitted, giving a warm smile.

Issei whistled a bit before he hugged her close.

"Which makes you all the better, and all the more beautiful for it." Issei smiled.

Vali smiled at that, hugging him back.

"Oh, getting a bit off track here. Rias, what was Sirzechs told you about, if you can tell me that is." Vali asked, looking at her.

"It is, because only you can unlock the seal now." Rias answered.

The silver-haired Devil's eyes widened, realizing she had to be referring to her other Bishop that was still sealed inside the Forbidden Room, the one that was Valerie's childhood friend.

"Alright, we're finally going to meet Gasper!" Issei cheered.

Rias smiled at that, but only moments after she did, the twin Dragons saw a worried look on her face.

"I'll really need your help..." She sighed.

"Don't worry, I'll tell the rest of my peerage to meet us there." Vali replied with a smile.

"Me too. With Vali running Kuoh, I've gotta get used to being here full time." Yumina offered.

Rias smiled at that, glad she had friends like them to help her.

* * *

Late in the night, everyone was inside the old school building, standing by the Forbidden Room.

"So, you're saying that Rias has had a second Bishop in here all this time, and that he's in there because of being too strong?" Irina asked.

"Yeah, this Bishop's a childhood friend of mine." Valerie answered.

"His Sacred Gear was too dangerous to handle, so my brother decided he should be sealed away until I was strong enough to properly tame his powers." Rias explained.

This made the new members of the Gremory Team a bit nervous.

"In other words, this Bishop must easily be one of the most powerful members of your peerage, if not the outright strongest." Xenovia realized.

Rias soon turned to Vali, who nodded.

"OK, I'm about to undo the seal." Vali warned everyone.

Placing her hand on the door, Vali's accessed the unique spell, and then shattered the seal. The police tape, and the lock both vanished, making the Forbidden Room accessible to more than just Valerie.

Taking a deep breath, Vali opened the door... only for a loud scream to go off, making everyone cover their ears.

"That kid has a strong set of pipes..." Issei winced, rubbing inside his ear.

"I-I don't understand, what's going on!?" Gasper cried out, frightened from the door opening so suddenly.

"The seal has been broken, so you're free to come home with us now." Akeno explained, opening the coffin.

Soon, everyone saw Gasper's form revealed to them, and it was... an androgynous-looking Dhampir around the age of a First-Year student. He had platinum blonde hair styled in a short bog cut with several small fringes over his forehead, and pinkish-violet eyes.

"No! I don't wanna ever leave, the outside is too scary!" Gasper cried out, looking cute while doing so.

While most of the two clubs' members, and Yumina were well aware of Gasper's true gender by this point, for the newest members of their groups?

"Wow, she's such a cutie!" Jeanne said, hearts in her eyes.

At that moment, Kiba started giggling, confusing his sister.

"What? What's so funny, Kiba? Why are you laughing?" Jeanne questioned, still unaware of the truth.

"Gasper is a _boy_." Valerie answered.

Those who didn't know all suddenly froze upon hearing that, looking at the Dhampir again.

"He's... what now?" Tosca asked, sweating a bit.

"I realize he might look like, and dress like a girl, but we can all assure you that he is most definitely a boy." Rias verified.

Jeanne screamed in disbelief, Tosca gasped loudly, Irina's eyes briefly became black rings, Kelsey's eyes widened as her left eye twitched, while Xenovia... just kept staring in a frozen manner.

"He's not a girl!?" Kelsey shouted loudly, holding her head in shock.

"What? Who? When? Where? Why? How? And, most of all... why is he wearing the Girl's uniform!?" Tosca questioned.

Valerie gave a guilty laugh, making everyone look at her.

"Well... during our childhood, I was always dressing up Gasper in women's clothing, and... it kind of stuck" Valerie admitted, showing a guilty look on her face.

At that moment, Jeanne fainted into Kiba's arms.

"We have a Pawn down! We have Pawn down!" Tosca repeated in a panicked.

Valerie soon kneeled by Gasper.

"Hey there Gaspy, why don't you come outside with us? It's a beautiful night full of stars." Valerie suggested.

"I don't wanna, please don't make me!" Gasper panicked, shaking his head.

Tosca got closer, doing the same.

"Don't worry, Gaspy. We won't bite-"

As the Gremory Pawn took the Dhampir's hand, Gasper screamed... then he disappeared!

"Oh no, he's gone... wait, I didn't kill him, did I? Please, tell me that neither my Sacred Gears can do that!" Tosca panicked, looking at Rias somewhat apologetically.

"I'm sorry!" Gasper apologized.

Tosca calmed down, followed by everyone turning to see Gasper had somehow disappeared into the corner, shaking like a chihuahua.

"Please, don't hit me! I didn't mean it!" Gasper apologized.

Everyone who didn't know his power blinked in shock, or started to realize what it was.

"Did... he just teleport?" Asia asked.

"No, that's something I can do without magic, and what I felt was some kind of strange aura that spread throughout the entire room." Yumina answered.

"She's right, he manipulated time." Kuroka realized.

Taking a moment, Yuuma's gears turned as she tried to figure out Gasper's Sacred Gear, just like she helped Tosca learn hers were called the "Adamant Defense" and "Starlight Yumi."

After a while, the Fallen Angel Princess gasped, connecting the dots to his Sacred Gear.

"That's the Forbidden Balor View, otherwise known as the Evil Eye of Balor that Stops the World! This Sacred Gear's power allows its wielder to stop time for whatever's in their line of sight! While multiples exist, my father's heard rumors that one owner of it has shown signs that theirs might become a new Longinus!" She exclaimed.

Issei nearly fell over in surprise.

"Wait, did you just say is Sacred Gear might evolve into a Longinus? How's that possible!?" Issei asked in surprise.

"Although we don't have physical evidence of it happening, my father's studies have managed to prove that the 13 Longinus we have right now weren't all considered such at the same time. Due to that, it's possible that other Sacred Gears may be doing so as we speak." Yuuma explained.

"That's right, the Canis Lykaon became a Longinus after two different Sacred Gear fused into one is physical proof that more Longinus became such since the time of the Great War." Vali confirmed.

Yuuma nodded her head at Vali, smiling a bit.

"From what my father's managed to figure out, the process happens through what we know as the Light of Longinus, likely the power that gives each one the ability to use the Longinus Smasher." Yuuma finished.

Issei looked at the frightened Bishop of Gremory, amazed by the power he had hiding inside of him.

"Guess that's fitting for a Sacred Gear that can stop time." Issei remarked.

Pausing for a moment, he began to recall familiarity with the name Balor, though struggled to put a finger on why he did.

"If I remember right, Balor is..." Issei recalled.

**["An Evil God in the Celtic Pantheon, and the former mortal enemy of Lugh, the Faction's leader."]** Ddraig answered for him.

"You mean Gasper's is a Longinus candidate because the real deal's in his?" Issei inquired.

**["Yes, the one condition a Longinus needs is to have a consciousness sealed within it, and one that's one of a kind. This lets a Sacred Gear with only one copy of itself be able to qualify, or one that has multiple copies the means to evolve into a new Sacred Gear."]** Ddraig confirmed before explaining a bit more.

Valerie sighed a bit, making everyone look at her.

"And he's partially awake, subconsciously at least, because when Gasper was born... I was there to see his soul manifest. Everyone was being attacked by shadows, and Gasper's mother was literally cursed to death." She revealed.

"Holy shit... that Evil God title's no joke." Tosca gulped upon hearing it.

"That same event made me discover I had the Sephiroth Graal, and I was able to bring Gasper's mother back. Unfortunately, the others were beyond saving, as I think Balor may have devoured their souls. Even worse, what happened made Gasper's father keep him away from his mother... even when she begged to see her son." Valerie sniffled a bit, recalling what Gasper had to go through.

That surprised most of the group, right before Akeno continued.

"Even after Rias gave him a Bishop, and it became a Mutated Piece, his power was just too strong for him to control. You could even say it's been growing more powerful unconsciously. If he hasn't already achieved his Balance Breaker, then he's getting very close to doing so." Akeno mentioned.

* * *

Soon the conversation continued in the ORC room, Gasper hiding in a box in the corner. Issei tapping it.

"Hello? Come on out, your hiding in plain sight." Issei requested.

"Leave me alone, I'm not hiding! I'd rather be a Gasper in a box than around you all!" Gasper cried out.

The Sekiryuutei gave a loud sigh.

"I don't think this is working." He stated tiredly.

Rias nodded her head in worry, right as a magic circle appeared by her, Vali, and both their Queens.

"Rias, I believe it's about time for us to go." Akeno advised.

"Yes, you're right." Rias realized.

Vali turned to everyone, getting their attention as she cleared her throat.

"You'll have to excuse us. Me, Rias, and both our Queens have to go to a meeting about the upcoming summit. Oh, and Kiba, Jeanne?" Vali explained before turning to the Gremory Knight.

"Yeah?" Both inquired.

"Are you two free right now? Sirzechs says he'd like you to join us, something about wanting to share info on your Balance Breakers that make Cursed Holy Swords, probably so he can give some data on them to Ajuka." The silver-haired Devil explained.

The twin swordsmen stood up, with Jeanne nodding her head.

"Yes, we're free." He agreed.

Vali smiled before looking at everyone else, making them look at her.

"Until we can get back, I'd like everyone to do their best with Gasper, so make sure that you don't let him back into the Forbidden Room." Vali requested.

"OK, but... how do we do that!?" Irina questioned.

* * *

Gasper screams as Xenovia chased after him, having promoted to use a Knight's power.

"You call that running? Go faster, or you'll end up as Durandal's next victim!" Jeanne warned, chasing after the panicking Dhampir.

"Why are you being so mean to me!?" Gasper cried.

As the game of cat and mouse continued, the androgynous Dhampir quickly began dodging arrows fired by Tosca, which created small bursts of smoke when they hit the ground.

"Are we sure this counts as training? Because to me, it looks more we're traumatizing him by pretending to be vampire hunters." Valerie sweat dropped.

Shirone thought of something, and soon whispered it to Kuroka's ear, who gave a cat-like smile. Jeanne eventually stopped as Gasper started crying on the ground, and she had to catch her breath.

"Hey, Gaspy? Eat these." Shirone asked, holding out some garlic.

Valerie flinched a bit, while Gasper began freaking out.

"No way! You trying to kill me?" Gasper screamed.

"Wait, huh?" Tosca blinked.

Irina chuckled, looking up at Tosca who came down from the roof.

"Vampires and Dhampirs are both known for their severe garlic allergies, too much of it can risk killing them." Irina explained.

"So, basically... we're scaring him into training more?" Tosca questioned.

"I guess so." Yumina guessed.

Gasper kept running, but every once in a while, Kuroka appeared by a bush, making Gasper change directions.

"Oh, hey guys! Having fun?" Saji greeted, walking into view.

"Hi Saji, what's up?" Irina waved to him.

"I heard Rias finally released that sealed Bishop of hers, and I wanted to see what they were like." Saji replied.

"Over there." Tosca pointed at Gasper.

Saji turned to look at the panicking Dhampir, and gasped at the sight.

"Another pretty blonde!?" He exclaimed.

Irina gave a sweat drop, putting a hand on Saji's shoulder.

"Pretty, but also a boy." Irina revealed.

Saji's eyes went white, followed by the rest of the body before he collapsed on the ground, with everyone looking at him.

"A... a dude? Why does he look so hot in chick's clothing!?" Saji cried.

While that was happening, a sexy looking girl with long, wavy brown hair walked into view.

"Looks like you're all apparently playing vampire hunters." She remarked.

Most of the group freaked out before they went on the defense.

"Calm down you guys. After all, we're all Devils here." The unknown female replied, surprising those who reacted.

"Wait, you're a Devil? Then how come we've never seen you here before?" Irina asked.

Shirone cleared her throat, and as everyone looked at her...

"Wait, of course! This must be the spy that let my mother prevent Kokabiel's theft from making the Demons want to start a conflict." Kelsey realized.

"Right, which is why I normally have something hiding my aura so not even a Chi user can sense me." The female Devil revealed.

To prove as such, she took out a familiar pair of glasses.

"T-those glasses are..." Yuuma gasped.

Putting them on, a brief flash appeared across the Devil's body, revealing the form of... Kiryuu Aika!

"Kiryuu!?" Her classmates exclaimed in shock.

"Her real name isn't Kiryuu Aika, but Kiryuu _Agrat_. The Extra Devil Clan that serves under the Asmodeus Household." Valerie explained.

"You mean she's like Yumina, but for a different Maou Heiress?" Tosca asked in surprise.

Kiryuu nodded, looking closer at Gasper.

"I came to Kuoh Academy because my Master and the other Maou Heirs were considering attending the school themselves, so when I came, Lady Leviathan suggested that I act as a spy. Only the initial members of Rias and Sona's peerages knew the truth, and Vali let me know she knew the night we went to karaoke." She explained.

Saji thought for a bit, though failed to recall a Devil with the name of Agrat.

"Strange, I don't think I've ever heard of a Devil with her apparent Clan name." He remarked.

"That's because while most of the Christian Pantheon's knowledge is in Christian lore, some of it is scattered across other biblical interpretations, a huge chunk being in Judaism. That's where knowledge about Agrat can be found, where it mentions her as a Succubi, and being the one who gave birth to Asmodeus." Shirone clarified.

"Oh, I think I get it. Asmodeus' bloodline are the closest things to actual Incubi or Succubi, which don't actually exist, while the Agrat Clan is the same thing. That misinterpretation the latter gave birth to the former is also the link between their clans.

Kiryuu turned around, nodding her head.

"Exactly! As much as Humanity gets knowledge of us wrong, they can still get one or two things semi-right on occasion." Kiryuu snickered.

Standing up, the Agrat Heiress looked at Saji.

"And that timing was fitting, because I think you're our key in making some progress with Gasper." She stated.

"Me?" Saji pointed at himself, somewhat surprised.

**«"The Evil Dragons could only be controlled by Evil Gods, with Loki being the only one left in the world. While I'm not the Dragon he raised, aside from siphoning out Gasper's excess power, there's a chance I could make contact with the fragment of his soul that ended within this particular Forbidden Balor View."»** Vritra explained.

Everyone gasped at that.

"Guess we finally have a lead for training him then." Xenovia realized.

"Is that really the only way you guys have found?" Saji asked.

Valerie rubbed her head, giving an embarrassed chuckle as the host of Vritra gave her an odd look.

"Truth be told, we could have had Gasper simply drink some of Issei or Vali's blood, as that could help him manage his power. The problem is he's too afraid it'll get worse, and... well, while Vampires love blood, a Dhampir's human side makes us find it disgusting." She explained.

Both of the Gremory Bishops have their cheeks swell from disgust, clearly hating even the thought.

Everyone stared at that, making Yuuma look at Saji.

"Hey Saji, do you have the free time to help us out with this?" Yuuma asked.

"Guess I can spare some time." He replied.

* * *

Later on, Gasper was back inside his room, crying heavily. Irina was standing by Vali, Issei, and Rias to explain.

"After that, we tried training him to stop volleyballs in time using Saji to drain his power, but it didn't work no matter how much power we took from him... then, he just broke down and fled back in here. We tried to get him out, but eventually he just made us all feel guilty, so we didn't have the heart to do it." Irina explained.

"He actually guilt tripped you all? If only that worked on our enemies, he'd be our secret weapon." Issei remarked.

Looking worried, Rias knocked on the door.

"Gasper, please come out. I want you to know that I never wanted you in here." Rias pleaded.

All of them only heard Gasper cry even more, making Rias sad.

"What kind of King am I to him if this is all I can do?" She wondered, closing her eyes.

"Rias, I think you need to tell us his story, otherwise we're only going to make things worse." Vali suggested, remembering when Azazel told her to do the same.

The redheaded Devil went silent for a moment, and then turned towards the members of Vali's peerage.

"As Valerie revealed earlier, Gasper's human heritage comes from his mother. For the Vampires, they care much more about pedigree than us Devils, to the point its nearly their entire culture... not even the Celtic Pantheon they're allied with likes them that much. Either way, his nature as a Dhampir left him discriminated against by his own family, while the human world saw him as a monster." Rias revealed.

"And, what about his power to stop time?" Issei inquired.

"It made everything even worse, and that's not even accounting his power to stop time. No one can know what happens to them when time stops, and while we know he'd never hurt anyone with it, others refused to see it... he wasn't just feared, he was loathed." Rias answered.

As Gasper cried, a tear fell on the eye of a black bunny plushie he was holding, making it look like it was crying with him.

"I wish I couldn't do it! I wish they didn't stop! I hate this power more than anyone else! I never asked for it, so why did the world give me such a horrible power? Why can't I have the normal life everyone else has!?" He shouted sadly, sniffling a bit.

As Vali heard those words, her eyes widen as she recalled a familiarity to them.

"Rias, let me try to reach Gasper, I think I know how to help him... no, I think I'm the only one here that _can_ help him." Vali offered.

Hearing that, Rias smiled.

"If you think you can do it, then I'll put my faith in you." Rias permitted.

Rias vanished through a magic circle, while Issei looked at Vali.

"I'll go back home, and let my parents know you won't be back for a while." Issei stated.

"Thank you, Issei." Vali smiled.

She kissed him on the cheek, making him blush as he disappeared in his own magic circle. Irina gave her a hand motion for good luck, soon vanishing in the same manner. When it was just her, Vali sat down, her back against the door.

"Hey, Gasper? Are you afraid?" Vali asked.

Gasper's cries stopped as he heard that, making her realize she got his attention.

"I'm a descendant of Lucifer, but I'm also part human, so I have the power of Albion inside of me. Altogether, I have the power of the darkness that all Devils came from, and the power of a Dragon that can destroy gods. I admit it, that much power seems frightening... and yet, I refuse to let that fear stop me." Vali continued.

"But... don't you worry about losing what you care about most? That you could lose them all because of your power? How can you keep going without any doubts like that?" Gasper wondered.

"It's simple Gasper, because... when I was only 6-years old, my mother was killed because I _didn't_ use them... because of my fear." Vali revealed, tearing up a bit.

Gasper's eyes widened at that, gasping as he opened the door, where he saw Vali recalling that painful memory.

* * *

_Vali fell to the ground as Rizevim struck her, making her shake a bit. Her father only stared at her with contempt, all while a third man that resembled Grayfia and Yumina gave her a smug look. When Vali was alone, she cried as her mother, a black-haired woman hugged her close._

"I was a Human/Devil hybrid, letting me be born with the Divine Dividing, with the only family I ever knew being my grandfather, father, and mother. Among those three, all the men in my life treated me horribly, leaving my mother as my only light. I wasn't treated like the young girl I was... I was treated like a tool."

_Vali was thrown off a cliff by Rizevim, her Devil wings sealed off as she fell, screaming until she barely reduced the crash into the ground by manifesting her Sacred Gear in its wing form. She was still heavily hurt, without Rizevim caring a bit._

"The training and conditions for it were hellish, and worst of all... he made me stain my hands with blood of innocents. My one Rook's mother was one of those victims."

_A 5-year old Vali shook as her hands were covered in the blood of the deceased Master Nurarihyon, a once powerful Youkai, with the dying body of what looked like an older Shirone standing next to him... because it was her and Kuroka's mother._

_"Please, I beg of you... find my daughters, keep them... safe. Don't let the last two Nekoshou... disappear from this world." The Nekoshou begged, smiling as her eyes filled with tears._

_Vali's eyes shook before she screamed in horror._

"My grandfather told me if I didn't do what he said, then my mother would die... I didn't want her to die, so I listened to him. Despite all that, my mom wouldn't let that happen, and she finally convinced me to refuse him... which is when everything changed."

_Rizevim knocked Vali to the ground, making her hold her cheek as he teleported both her mother, and father into the room. Euclid use his magic to bind them into place, leading to Rizevim's son to panic, while Vali saw her mother look at her with a teary smile._

_Not wanting to let this happen, she held up her hands to try and free her mother with her Ethereal Twilight... yet when she tried to use it, Rizevim's face plagued her mind, showing the giant version of him that she'd see in her mind before awakening her DxD L form, leaving her unable to use it._

_Knowing this was her end, Vali's mother sniffled before giving the brightest smile she could manage._

_"Vali, you're not his slave anymore, so go... become who you want to be, and stop his evil from plaguing this world." Vali's mother stated, closing her eyes as she accepted her coming fate._

_"Mommy!" Vali cried._

_In just mere seconds, Rizevim attacked them both, making Vali's eyes widen in horror as her mother's life was snuffed out. Her dead body was still smiling, making Rizevim grit his teeth as it stole all the satisfaction of killing her._

"Right in front of me, before my very eyes, I watched my grandpa murdered her. The look on her face... it was just like the one Kuroka's mother made, but her words? Her smile even after death? I'll never forget them as long as I live. Maybe she didn't plan to die, but she had been willing to sacrifice her life, just so I could live mine."

_Vali ran through a place she didn't know of, Rizevim flying after her with the intention to murder in the same manner he killed her parents. Nearly tripping a few times, she eventually found herself cornered at the edge of a cliff._

_As her grandpa neared her, Vali did the only thing she could think of..._

_" **ETHEREAL TWILIGHT!** "_

_Rizevim was caught off guard as Vali unleashed the most powerful burst of her signature power he had ever seen, making him scream as it nearly hit him. The force ended up being so strong, the cliff's edge broke, making Vali fall with it._

_Upon being able to see again, Rizevim looked to see she was gone, and walked away with a smug look, failing to realize that Vali had survived the fall._

"I ran, not knowing what else to do, and luck was the only reason I escaped. By that point... I didn't even know why I was alive anymore. I lost the only light of my life, and it was the worst pain I had ever experienced."

_Vali's form was seen laying on the ground, and the sight was horrible. She was now all battered, broken, beaten, injured, and... had the lifeless look she didn't lose until she first met Issei._

_The Lucifer Heiress' eyes unknowingly shed tears, soon closing as the sound of Azazel's footsteps neared her._

* * *

Gasper lowered his face, now feeling guilty he made her remember that.

"I'm sorry, you shouldn't have had to think about that... I'm a bother to everyone." Gasper apologized.

Vali opened the door a bit more, surprising Gasper.

"Who said you're a bother? Cause I didn't." Vali smiled, making Gasper look at her in surprise.

"B-but I..." Gasper whimpered.

"You're not a bother Gasper, because you're my friend." Vali reassured him.

Gasper showed surprise at that.

"I'll make sure to help you gain the strength to support Rias and Valerie, and if anything frightens you? It'll have to deal with all of us as a consequence. We'll make sure your powers work in the best way, so you can use it save lives, and no one will fear you anymore." Vali offered, holding out a hand.

"I... I don't know, I'm already afraid of this power. Can't you just find someone to take it away?" Gasper questioned.

"You fool!" Vali exclaimed.

Gasper froze that, not expecting Vali's reaction.

"Both of us are bearers of Sacred Gears, and we can never escape that fact. If you don't learn to stand up now, then you'll just be afraid... for the rest of your life!" Vali exclaimed, pointing at him emphasis.

Gasper gasped at that, as it the words hit a barrier holding him back.

"The man I'm in love with holds the Sacred Gear that rivals mine, and everyone says we can't defy the destiny that will force us to fight each other! Despite that, we refuse to accept that, and we will show the world we'll be together! You have your friend Valerie believing in you, even now, that you can control your power, and see the same beautiful word she's gotten to live in! Do you wanna make her keep crying forever, or do you wanna stand up for her like a man should!?"

Hearing this, Gasper smiled as he felt a fire inside him light up.

"You're so amazing! Even though you bear a legendary power, instead of being afraid of it, you've found this unbelievable courage! Hearing you tell me that, I feel like I can be brave too!" Gasper praised, his eyes sparkling.

With that, the Hakuryuukou smiled as she finally helped Gasper find his spark, remembering how she found hers thanks to Issei.

'Sometimes, all we need is to take a step forward.' She thought.

* * *

**Looks like Gasper's found his motivation, guess all he needed was someone to understand his story, and tell him that if not for himself, to control his power for Valerie. *giggles* However, this chapter revealed something even more shocking. Issei's parents are aware of the supernatural, and seem to have been this way all along. So, that begs the question... if Issei isn't Human, then what is he?**

**Finally, we got a glimpse of Vali's birth mother, who resembles Lilith (hence why Vali's been really happy since Lilith adopted her), and what kind of person she was to have her death leave the impact it did. She was a great woman, having the courage to face her death with a smile. The bigger surprise is the fact that Vali managed to kill Master Nurarihyon, a powerful Youkai, along with Shirone, and Kuroka's mother.**

**I'll confirm now, the fact she killed Nurarihyon as a 5-year old does feel as impossible as it sounds, and there's a reason for that... although you won't be finding out why until a long time, though it's definitely as suspicious as it looks. As for the case of the Nekoshou sisters' mother, I can confirm that both Kuroka and Shirone are aware that Vali killed their mother, as she's told both of them.**

**Luckily, neither of them blames her, as they can easily tell Rizevim forced her to do it, considering that both of them are aware of how old she would be by then. Combine that with knowing how horrible Rizevim is, and it isn't hard for them to point the guilty finger at him. However, despite knowing that, neither of them are suspicious of Master Nurarihyon's death, if only because they only know how strong Yasaka is.**

**Then we have the reveal that Kiryuu is actually a Devil, the very spy that Cassiel mentioned in the previous chapter, and most of all... she serves under the current Heiress to the Asmodeus Clan of all things! *giggles* After this reveal, not to mention how I've showed a Concept Talk on two of the Maou Clans so far, I think you've all realized by now that the reveal of the other Maou Heirs is on the horizon :)**

**Now, the last thing I'll talk about before we finally close the door on today's chapter? What just got revealed about the Dragons being around before God. The main reason for this comes from the fact that the DxD in the series is heavily implied to be Dragon related, and considering how powerful most of the Dragons we've seen can be, combined with the traits I've given to their race as a whole... why not?**

**God was never mentioned to be one of the strongest beings in canon, but since I've seen a few stories that don't use canon's version of the Top 10, I decided to throw him in, sharing his spot with Lucifer as the 3rd Strongest Beings when you ignore deaths, sealed being, and etc., mainly due to the fact as mentioned in chapter, God made most of the world.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

**A/N: Kiryuu's real appearance as a Devil resembles a younger version of the woman that was being targeted by a man under the effects of Issei's roaming potential from Episode 2 of the HERO season.**

* * *

**Vali's Peerage** **:**

**King - Valiana Lucifer**  
Queen - Issei Hyoudou  
Bishops - Le Fay Pendragon, Asia Argento  
Knights - Arthur Pendragon, Irina Shidou  
Rooks - Bikou, Kuroka Toujou (Mutation Piece: x2 Multiplier)  
Pawns - Yuuma Amano (x2), Six Unclaimed Pawns

* * *

**Rias' Peerage** **:**

**King - Rias Gremory**   
**Queen - Akeno Himejima**   
**Bishops - Gasper Vladi (Mutated Piece: x4 Multiplier), Valerie Tepes (Mutation Piece: x6 Multiplier)**   
**Knights - Kiba Yuuto, Jeanne d'Arc Yuuto**   
**Rooks - Shirone Toujou, Unclaimed Rook**   
**Pawns - Xenovia Quarta (x5), Tosca Shirayumi (x3)**

* * *

**Sona's Peerage** **:**

**King - Sona Sitri**  
Queen - Tsubaki Shinra  
Bishops - Momo Hanakai, Reya Kusaka  
Knights - Tomoe Meguri, Unclaimed Knight  
Rooks - Tsubasa Yura, Unclaimed Rook  
Pawns - Saji Genshirou (x4), Ruruko Nimura (x4)

* * *

**Bust Size of New Female Characters** **:**

**Miltan - 84 cm**

**Kiryuu Agrat - 105 cm**

* * *

**Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter** **:**

**【** **Adamant Defense** **】** **  
The first of Tosca's two Sacred Gears, a defense-type that gives her the power of absolute defenses that are incredibly difficult to break, being like diamonds to a normal human.**

**【** **Starlight Yumi** **】** **  
The second of Tosca's two Sacred Gears, a bow-type that enhances her senses, while firing special arrows that can somewhat home on their target. It gets its name for being the bow Artemis used before the events with Orion, which took in some power from both deities.**

* * *

**Pairings List** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating**  
Ddraig/Albion - Married  
Tiamat/Fafnir - Married  
Ophis/Great Red - Married  
Saji/Sona - Master and Retainer  
Gasper/Valerie - Best Friends  
Kiba/Tosca - Friends


	17. Chapter 17

**Alright, we're starting to near the end of Season 2 now, all that's left is to deal with the rest of Gasper's situation, the meeting with Michael, and then we finally get to the Summit to deal with the first official battle with the Khaos Brigade. This is also the chapter where the Student Council will start showing more involvement that will fully set in Season 3 and beyond.**

**Speaking of which, I should mention how they'll become more involved from here. There's two reasons specifically, but I can't share the first one due to spoilers, other than it revolves around this story's manner of pairing Saji and Sona. The second reason has to do with how in canon, they join the DxD Team, so think of their involvement as preparation for that.**

**Now, the biggest question you'll probably be asking? How will the scene with Akeno go since everyone already knows her heritage, and she doesn't have her canon issues with it? Well, I'm not skipping it, so the scene will be changed into a conversation between her and Vali about how they feel about their Half-Human heritage. That's all I'll say about it here, so the rest will be said in the scene itself.**

**This chapter will also be where we finally get to the Summit as well, and it'll definitely be different from canon. The only part I can reveal here? Two of the many new faces involved on the eventual Alliance's side. While I won't give away who they are, I'll say both are some of the more powerful beings in the DxD universe, and I had planned for them to join the fight with Kokabiel, but decided to introduce them here instead**

**So, without any further delay, let's get this chapter started!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

**[]** \- Ddraig Talking

**«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

**「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

**【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

**⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

**Asmodeus Clan**

**The last of the six Maou Clans that helped create all of Hell, founded by the original Asmodeus, the Maou who represented the Deadly Sin of Lust. Because of the original Asmodeus having an incredibly large harem, and her fertility being the greatest among all Devils, the Asmodeus Clan is large enough they have dozens of backups heirs. Most of all, they are the origin behind the mythical Incubi/Succubi, due to Humanity's misinterpretations of them.**

**A sign of their power comes from their bloodline ability, the "Perfect Vision", also known by the nickname of "The Eyes that Invade All", which is based on the deadly sin the clan is associated with. As the name implies, they're like the Mantis Shrimp of all Devils, as their eyes have access to all forms of sight, which includes being able to gather information over something they've merely glanced.**

**However, it doesn't just stop there, as the nickname of their power comes from another ability it has... the ability to allow one to induce mental attacks that cause incredible amounts of phantom pain. Although, they don't only use it for pure combat, so when one considers the ability represents the sin of Lust... well, it becomes pretty clear what else this ability can do. Overall, it shows how all of the Maou Clans have dangerous powers.**

**Other powers the clan have include the shared Maou Clan ability of holy light not being fatal to them like with other Devils, the power to read someone's pheromones (which can work in ways such as lie detection, but not again someone with multiple pheromones, such as a Sacred Gear user with a sealed consciousness inside of it), a heavy resistance to pain, an enhanced sense of smell, and immunity to physical/mental control, hypnotism, or intoxication.**

**Like the other Maou Clans aside from the Lucifer Clan, one of their own caused the Devil's Civil War, namely the would-be heir of the time, Creuserey Asmodeus. His actions lead to many Devils trying to destroy the clan, forcing Lilith to create a compromise through choosing Serafall Sitri as the Great Devil bearing their name, and having the current head give up their bloodline ability to him, giving Serafall the ability to understand an opponent with just a glance.**

**In the present, the Clan's reputation has been restored due to Vali winning her Rating Game against Riser, with its current heiress being Shuriliu Asmodeus.**

* * *

**_Season 2, Summit Arc: Chapter 3 - Light and Darkness_ **

Saji was seen walking towards a cafe with Momo and Ruruko, the two Student Council members that he had no idea had crushes on him.

As they had to stay up late to finish up some student council work for the upcoming leaders' summit, they all decided to go get food together. As they were walking, Saji told them about Gasper.

"The little guy just has too much power for his own good. Even my Absorption Line couldn't get enough to keep him controlled." Saji explained.

**«"We still have the blood idea, but Valerie said that all Dhampirs find blood disgusting due to their Human heritage, so I don't think we'll see them consider it anytime in the near future."»** Vritra remarked.

Momo put a finger near her chin, drifting into thought.

"So, the main challenge is to help a Dhampir control a candidate for a Longinus that has the power to freeze time, goes off whenever he's too excited, and might possibly already be a Balance Breaker if not close to it." Momo summarized.

"I feel bad, I wish there was a way to help him. It seems like at the moment, it isn't just his Sacred Gear, but his apparent Anthrophobia." Ruruko wondered aloud with a sad look.

Saji crossed his arms in thought for a moment.

"Hmm... maybe it might help to summarize everything about him." He suggested.

The trio took a moment to do just that.

"Let's see... we know he's a Dhampir, Valerie is his best friend, he seems more comfortable around Valerie, is a cross dresser..." Ruruko began.

"He seems to be a shut-in, makes his contracts through a computer, hides in a cardboard box when scared..." Momo continued.

"Then there's the fact he seems quite jumpy, which is what causes his Sacred Gear to go off without intending it... wait, maybe there's a way to fix that?" Saji finished, soon getting an idea.

Ruruko thought for a moment, remembering something.

"Actually, when I saw Asia start taking classes, she had a lot of trouble talking with people. Whenever she had to deal with people face to face, she got extremely nervous, but she was more comfortable if she was talking through her phone." She mentioned.

"Hmm... if its face to face, then it's not unlike stage fright. The question there is how do we help with that? We can't give him a phone, as that defeats the purpose of controlling his power to stop time." Momo wondered.

They kept thinking as their food came, leaving a paper bag filled with some bread sticks...

Seeing it, they all got an idea.

"That's it!" They all exclaimed.

Everyone looked at them, and they quickly looked away, slightly embarrassed about the scene.

"Ironically, this happened to me not to long ago..." Saji chuckled, recalling his talk with Issei.

* * *

Vali was seen within Gasper's room, talking with him about some of the old stories with her peerage during her training journey.

"And that's when Bikou told us he doesn't like wild bananas for the same reason you shouldn't give man-made ones to a normal monkey. It was something about them tasting more like Peaches, which is another of his favorite foods." Vali explained.

"Really?" Gasper questioned.

At that moment, a familiar white twin tails walked into the room, noticing how calm Gasper looked.

"Wow, looks you did a good job." Tosca stated.

"Hey Tosca, did Rias send you to check my progress?" Vali asked.

"She did, and it looks you've gotten a lot more comfortable now, Gaspy." Tosca smiled.

Vali giggled a bit, rubbing his head.

"I shared my past with him, and I think having that common ground made it easier for the meaning of my words to reach him." The Lucifer Heiress explained.

"Makes sense, I'd probably have a similar case with my year without aging, and them my coma-"

At that moment, Tosca noticed Gasper was sitting in his box again.

"Uh... Gaspy, why did you go back in your box?" Tosca questioned, making Vali notice.

"Oh, I'm sorry. When I'm talk to people, I just feel better in here." Gasper apologized.

He soon held his arms out.

"But hey, don't take it personally, at least I didn't close the top this time." He mentioned.

Vali took notice of that.

"Hmm... well, you are part Vampire, so I guess you prefer being boxed in since it's like being in a coffin." Vali considered.

"Then a lack of room would help him, but we can't bring that box everywhere, and you wouldn't be allowed to take it into class unless the supernatural world was known... which we can't do either." Tosca scratched her head.

Gasper sighed a bit, right as Saji's group walked in.

"Then we came just in time, as we thought of a solution to this." Momo mentioned.

"Oh, really? What is it?" Tosca asked.

"Well, we were eating lunch when we got a bag of bread sticks, so we figured it might help if we have something cover his eyes when in class, and a mask when he's not." Ruruko answered.

Vali blinked at that, gasping as she snapped her fingers.

"I have just the thing!" Vali realized.

Forming a magic circle, she went to her room for a brief moment, and came back with the paper bags she and Issei wore while their parents were embarrassing them. Before anyone could even ask about it, she put it over his head.

"You like that?" Vali inquired.

"Well, I do feel a little calmer..." Gasper replied.

Testing it out, everyone stared at him all at once, seeing if that bothered him in any way. After a few seconds...

"Hey, I'm not panicking!" He said happily.

Everyone sighed in relief.

"Well, that solves the one in general, but what can we allow him to wear in class?" Tosca questioned.

"Easy, we can have Sona give him permission to wear sunglasses. We just need to say that he transferred from a country with less light, and say he's sensitive to Japan's stronger sunlight until he's comfortable around people, which is when he can take them off." Momo answered.

"Smart thinking." Tosca replied.

At that moment, he turned to everyone as his eyes glowed with red light through the holes.

"How do I look?" Gasper said in an unintended creepy tone.

Everyone flinched at that.

"Uh... you're definitely giving off a Vampire vibe?" Vali replied, unsure if that was the right choice of words.

"You mean I have a better reputation as a Dhampir?" Gasper asked.

Everyone slightly turned their heads away, their eyes drifting further as they all sweat dropped.

'Nope.' Everyone thought in unison.

* * *

During the lunch break, Issei and Vali were eating with Asia, who was detailing how Gasper's first day of class went. After eating a bit of a sausage, the Sekiryuutei made a reply.

"So, everyone was friendly with Gasper, and he didn't stop time even once?" Issei asked.

"Yeah, he was a little nervous, but his sunglasses made it bearable enough for him." Asia answered.

Vali sighed in relief upon hearing.

"That's good to hear." Vali stated.

At that moment, they heard a familiar sound of girls reacting to Rias, and Akeno. They looked up to see the duo walking towards them.

"Oh, hey there guys, glad we found you." Rias greeted.

"Vali, do you have any plans after class today, or are you free?" Akeno inquired.

"I'm free, so what do you need?" Vali questioned.

"Can you meet me at the largest shrine in the southern area of Kuoh Town? It's the one with the red torii gate." Akeno explained.

Hearing this, the Sekiryuutei and former Holy Maiden were confused.

* * *

Wearing a black-colored zipped hoodie with short sleeves, and blue shorts, Vali was seen walking in the southern area of Kuoh Town. Eventually, she found the stairs to the shrine in question, noticing the red torii from afar.

"Oh, now I get it. This must be the shrine Akeno lives in." Vali realized.

She began walking up the stairs, and upon making it halfway there...

"Hello, Vali." Akeno greeted.

Vali looked to see the Gremory Queen walk into view from the trees to the right of the stairs, wearing the traditional Miko outfit of the Himejima Clan.

"Thanks for coming, I hope you forgive me for the sudden invitation." Akeno greeted.

"It's fine, after all the summit prep I've been doing, I needed a break." Vali reassured her, waving her hand.

Looking up at the torii again, she asked the obvious question.

"So, is this your shrine?" Vali asked.

"It is. After my parents married, they left to start a quiet life together, and found it here. Unfortunately, my mother and I don't directly live in this shrine anymore." Akeno confirmed while explaining a few things.

"And I'm guessing until Rias' family handled it, the Himejima Clan could still try attacking you two again." Vali realized.

Eventually, they walked into the shrine area, letting Vali see the place Akeno lived during her childhood. It was quite simple, yet had a cozy and comfortable feel to it.

"Well, it's definitely a nice shrine, despite all of that." Vali remarked.

At that moment, Vali suddenly covered her eyes as a bright light formed, making her notice a cross of light overhead.

"So, this is the current Hakuryuukou. It's nice to finally meet you in person, Vali Lucifer." A familiar voice said through the cross.

As the cross neared the ground, the light faded to reveal none other than Michael, one of Vali's technical Uncles. Once he was on the ground, she finally found her voice.

"Holy..." She breathed.

"I am Michael, otherwise known as the Second-in-Command of the Angels." Michael greeted.

Vali finally realized why Akeno brought her here, a shrine was probably one of the best places to meet an Angel without any problems.

* * *

Inside the main shrine building, Vali looked at Michael as he stood across from her, unsure of what to say to the Great Seraph before her.

'Actually, why does he want to see me in the first place? Is this somehow related to my father?' Vali wondered.

Right at her thought ended, a light formed in the middle of the room, materializing into a sheath... one that she quickly recognized had a similarity to a specific sword she had been familiar with.

"Is this-" She realized.

"Behold young Lucifer Heiress, this is sheath that belonged to the Sekiryuutei that once wielded Ascalon." Michael confirmed.

The sheath floated into Vali's hands.

"OK, I guess that explains why you would need to give it to me, but shouldn't you have brought Issei if that was the case?" Vali questioned.

"You are correct, but there was something I wished to talk with you about, so I chose to deliver it to you." Michael explained.

"What is it then?" Vali questioned.

Michael closed his eyes for a moment, his smile being replaced by a more serious expression.

"Hear me child... I've heard the tales of your courage in saving the Gremory Heiress from a forced marriage to a man that would not respect her, changing him into a better man in the process. Then I heard of your determination to stop Kokabiel from restarting the Great War once more. That is why I came here, because with recent events, the time has come for all of us to work together... or die trying."

"As you already know, the Great War is where all the Factions of the supernatural world, and the Four Great Powers, had their large-scale fighting come to an end. However, we still have small skirmishes, and what Kokabiel did has been one of three incidents in recent years that threatened to be more than this. If this pattern is to continue, then eventually, all will be brought to ruin."

Vali sweated a bit at hearing that, though she had a feeling Michael's explanation wasn't finished just yet.

"Unfortunately, even that's not our biggest concern... the Demons have been keeping eyes on some strange movements for the past five years, something I believe you heard when you were involved with Utsusemi Incident, did you not?" Michael inquired.

"Yeah, even though I was only 12 at the time, I remember Penemue mentioning they were looking into a group making scary movements. Actually, not only that, but last time I met my sister, one of her worries was Walburga's involvement meant that the Utsusemi Agency managed to accomplish something." Vali answered.

"And it's that fact we're worried about. There was quite a lot that Cassiel realized that Kokabiel couldn't do on his own, beyond the aid he gained from Valper. As a result of this, we have reason to believe that another could attack us, and possible the other Supernatural Factions across the world." Michael explained.

Vali sweated at that, easily realizing who he was referring to.

"I definitely know a few worrisome names seem to lack a tolerance for peace off the top of my head, though I'm sure they're just some of many." The silvery-white haired Devil agreed, sweating a bit.

"Yes, and that's why this summit will hopefully provide us with the opportunity to make peace between the Four Great Powers, and have the Christian Pantheon start an Alliance." Michael replied.

"Wait, alliance... as in-" Vali asked in surprise.

Michael nodded, smiling once again.

"Yes, there's a good chance whatever threat is hiding from us will not be enough for us to face, and we may not know what people have allied themselves to it. As such, we need this summit to be the first step to doing what has never been done before, uniting as much of the supernatural world as we possibly can, if not all of it. Perhaps even creating the means to reveal our existence to Humanity." The Seraph of Faith answered.

"Amazing, to actually make that a reality..." Vali was in complete awe at the heights they were trying to reach.

"Yes, and as the daughter of Lucifer, you know fairly well this wouldn't be the first time. Not only did we all come together to stop the destruction caused by Ddraig and Albion's duel on our battlefield, but there was a time the Four Great Powers were all connected through Heaven." Michael remarked.

To the surprise of the silver-haired Devil, Michael kneeled on one leg to her.

"So, I beseech you, child of Lucifer... will you please help to align the goals of the Christian Pantheon?" Michael asked.

"Of course! I've seen the mess that's happened, and... I know my grandfather's still out there, causing some of the problems we're worrying about today or will worry about tomorrow. There's no way I'd back out of something this important when he's a risk to everything." Vali promised resolutely.

Smiling at her, Michael stood back up.

"Thank you, and now I will take my leave." Michael answered.

Vali soon recalled something, and stood up herself.

"Oh, wait! Before I forget, I have something I'd like to ask you at the summit... will you permit it?" Vali asked.

"Yes, we shall hear you out when next our paths cross." Michael promised.

At that moment, he vanished in a cross of light, leaving the heiress of Lucifer, and the Queen of Gremory by themselves.

* * *

Inside another room of the shrine, Akeno poured a cup of tea for Val, who took a deep sip of it. After she finished it, she breathed out a loud sigh.

"Vali, are you alright? You seem a little tense." Akeno inquired.

"After what we just heard, who _wouldn't_ be tense?" Vali inquired in return.

The Gremory Queen giggled at that.

"Fair point, it is quite the ambition they're going for. Although I wouldn't say it's impossible, as I've seen my one cousin who now leads the Himejima Clan unite the Five Principal Clans together, and forced their traditions to change so what happened to me would never be repeated just because of things like love or Sacred Gears." Akeno reassured her.

Vali looked at her, though without revealing she knew the event she was referring to.

"That's not what I was referring to Akeno, it was something deeper... the very fact an unknown threat exists out there. One that my grandfather may know about, or worse, be responsible for depending on the conditions in place. Because I'm a Lucifer, that's a stigma that I worry will come back on me, the very Princess of the Devil race." Vali clarified.

Akeno blinked, only then remembering the difference Vali had from other heirs to a certain household.

"That's right, you have a bigger weight than most of us, and you aren't as old or experience as others like your mother." She realized, sipping her own tea.

"I know that when it comes to possibly ruling Hell, that I don't have to really think about that decision for a while. Even so, there's the question of how people will react to the fact that I'm a halfbreed? How will the Devils accept me when it comes to how Hell is right now?" Vali questioned in reply.

Akeno showed surprise at that.

"With this Alliance, the times must change, and that's what scares me... how will I make those changes good while getting the Devils to side with them? That's the weight I carry, and I already know it's hard, because I'm sure that while a few may have just had to keep an image, there were some genuine insults to me during my Rating Game against Riser for the fact I'm part human." The silver-haired Devil stated.

Hearing that, Akeno recalled some of the comments they heard about Vali during her match.

_"I bet she only won her match by pure luck."_

_"To think the Lucifer name tarnished itself with the blood of a Human, I bet Lucifer's secretly crying as he watches this fight."_

_"Her becoming our leader one day? No way, just keep Sirzechs in power!"_

She was sure her fellow peerage members wanted nothing more to shut them up, but doing that would have only caused trouble for her brother. This was likely the kind of thing Vali would have to change, the declaration she had made during the match.

"Akeno, can I get your honest opinion?" Vali questioned.

"About what?" She inquired.

"Well... what's it like to be viewed negatively because you're a halfbreed? I couldn't ask Valerie or Gasper because it didn't feel right, but you're not carrying the same weight as they are, or at least you've come to terms with it. I guess what I'm saying is out of everyone I know, you seem like you'd give me the best answer through your experience." Vali explained.

The Queen of Gremory sipped her tea in response, knowing Vali was right that she'd probably have the most experience to share.

"I guess you have a point, so I guess to summarize it from the start... both of my parents loved me, even if most my extended family wasn't the same. However, what I think really defines what made me who I am now through what I was began the night that I was separated from my father." Akeno began.

"That's right, because of the truce, you can only see your father if Sirzechs and Azazel manage to create a circumstance for you to see him. You're probably one of the few who are hoping for the Christian Pantheon's reunion the most." Vali realized.

Akeno nodded at that, then resumed her answer to the Lucifer Heiress.

"My parents met when my father landed at this very shrine, having been wounded during a battle. She nursed him back to health, and did her job so well that soon enough, they fell in love, got married, and settled down to spend a quiet life together. A life that soon brought me into the world. However, one day... my wings began to grow, and I was too young to know they weren't something everyone had."

"Our neighbors finally began to notice, and they began to hate them, began to fear them. My father couldn't always be there, so he could only go on missions if he would be fast, or Azazel could send someone to watch us, and it wasn't long before I realized my father held a weight we couldn't help him bear. Sure enough, there was a night he went on a mission, and... my mother's own family hid until he left. They thought my mother was tainted by Baraqiel, and didn't see me as an innocent girl."

Closing her eyes, she remembered that scary night.

* * *

_Shuri was seen holding a young Akeno close, with a Himejima Clan member wearing a mask standing before her with a katana._

_"You can't do this! Please stop, she's just a little girl!" Shuri begged._

_"How unfortunate, it seems your heart has been tainted beyond recovery by the Fallen Angels... I'm afraid it can't be helped." The man stated, raising his weapon._

_Akeno's widened n fear._

_"Leave mama alone!" Akeno screamed as she saw it swing down._

_*SLASH*_

_Akeno saw her mother shield her, cutting a deep wound to her black._

_"Mama!" Akeno cried._

_"Now, to take care of-"_

_Before the man could finish, a sudden magic attack struck him, burning his arm as his weapon shattered. The sight of a Devil glaring at him from a distance sent him, and those with him into a panic._

_"A... a Devil? Why is it here!?"_

_"You will leave, now... or you'll see why Devils are a much worse enemy to face than any Fallen Angel!" The Devil warned them, standing before._

_At that moment, they all vanished, and the Devil neared Akeno, who grabbed onto his pants._

_"Please, I beg of you, save my mama! Don't let her die!" Akeno begged._

* * *

_In the Gremory House, a young Akeno was seen crying in her room alone, hitting her wings in anger._

_"Why papa? Why did you have to be a Fallen Angel? If you were a normal daddy, mama and I would still be with you right now! None of this is fair! I hate these stupid black wings, it's all their fault!" Akeno cried out, hiccupping a bit._

_At that moment, she heard something slid through the window, getting her attention as she saw what looked to be Kalawarner flew away in a hurry._

_Looking at the ground, she picked up the letter, and opened it to see something surprising._

* * *

Vali's eyes shook in horror, struggling to tell if her story was better than hers, worse than hers, or an odd mixture in certain aspects.

"What was in that letter?" She asked.

"It was about the Utsusemi Agency, and about how things would change so they wouldn't hunt me anymore for what I was. However, most of all, I saw one of the few involved was the current Hakuryuukou, who despite had her name hidden out respect... chose to admit they were a Human/Devil hybrid." Akeno revealed.

The silvery-white haired Devil suddenly went silent

"Akeno, are you saying that..." Vali realized.

"Yes, those words saved me from hating my Fallen Angel side, because I saw some of my own family working alongside them. It made me realize that while I couldn't change what I was born as, it didn't define who I was. That one letter led me down the right path, so... you don't realize how happy I was when I heard your story, and then saw you were the person that inspired me." The Queen of Gremory confessed.

The Lucifer heiress gave a silent gasp at that.

"I wanted to tell you the truth for such a long time, but... I didn't think I should. Your eyes told me your own lineage caused you so much pain. As such, I decided not to say anything, not until I knew it was alright. That's why I'm glad you asked me this, because that finally gives me the chance. So, thank you, Vali." Akeno said before bowing.

Vali took a deep breath, sipping her tea again.

"To think that I helped someone this much without realizing it, I... I never knew." Vali breathed, still feeling it sink in.

The Fallen Angel of Himejima looked at her as she turned her head to look outside.

"I've... never been as sure about my heritage. My Devil side made me be related to that bastard that's the only reason I was even born, but it also made me find Lilith, who I connected with so well because she just seemed to be a more beautiful version of my mother. My Human side is why I got to see the kindness of my mother, but because it gave me a Sacred Gear, it's also what gave me my pain."

"I have something to hate, and something to love, but I'm also somewhere else from where I began. Which side do I fully view myself from? No, the question is how do I view myself? That thought scares me for a lot of reasons, mostly the fact that people say I can't defy the conflict between the Heavenly Dragons... what do I need to know the answer I'm looking for?"

She shivered a bit, and that's when she felt Akeno put her hand over hers.

"Akeno?" Vali was confused.

**「** **High School DxD: Opening Arrange** **」**

"The answer you need doesn't just have to be what you are. After all, you're the greatest woman Issei could ever hope to meet, and I can tell how lucky he is to have you. Isn't that one way of saying who you are?" Akeno inquired.

Vali's eyes widened at that.

"I mean... look at you, if there was anyone who could be called perfect, you'd qualify. We've all seen who you really are, and you're strong, smart, refined, a good cook, kind, easily more beautiful than me. If those aren't the signs of being a great woman, then they're at least the good signs of being person. It just proves how kind of a soul you really are, but you didn't get them just because you were a Human or a Devil."

"Who you are is Valiana Lucifer, a girl who prefers to call herself Vali, and what defines isn't either of those, nor is it the Dragon inside of you. Even though you've been hurt, traumatized, and lost a lot... you've gained so much more, healed from what hurt you, and stood up again on your own. All of that was the result of you choosing to keep moving forward, because you didn't give up."

Vali's eyes shook at that, soon tearing up as she heard it.

"I feel so stupid... I was looking at things like it was black or white, and never considered there was another answer beyond those two. No, it isn't just three either, there's so much more out there." She sniffled, but with a happy tone to her voice.

Akeno smiled at that.

"Have your doubts vanished?" She asked.

"No, not yet, but... I think that I'm getting closer to finding the answer I'm looking for. When I finally do, I bet it'll be great." Vali answered.

Tears fell from her face, and her smile began to quiver, surprising the Himejima Priestess.

"Vali, are you alright?" Akeno asked.

"I... is it alright, for me to stop holding it all in?" Vali asked, sniffling a bit.

Realizing what she meant, Akeno moved to her side, putting a hand on her back.

"If this goes through, it'll be a new beginning, so... if you have anything you want to leave behind, let it go now, or hold it in and regret it was something you chose to hold onto." She reassured her.

At that moment, and then... Vali began to sob, finally letting years of tears flood out, never to return.

"I wanted to spend more time with my mother! I wanted to hug her closer when I was crying, I... I wanted to save her that day, and spend more time with her! I wasn't ready for all of it to end! I never even got to tell her how much I loved her, or thank her for everything she did for me! I wanted to know what it was like to have a father than loved you, and it hurt to know Lucifer was gone, and I'll never know how it feels first hand!"

"So many expect so much from me, and... I'm so afraid I could let them down! I'm so afraid that I won't be able to overcome the curse of the Heavenly Dragons, and that it will destroy the love I have with Issei before it even begins! My peerage, all the friends I've made, and Issei? They've all let me have some idea of a normal happy life, but how do I make all of their hopes reach the end we all seek? I... want to believe, and I know they'll help me, but I'm still so scared of what's to come."

Vali slumped onto Akeno's lap, where the Gremory Queen rubbed her head.

"Feel better?" Akeno asked.

"Yeah, letting all of that out... it felt good. It's like a heavy weight's been lifted off me." Vali answered, taking a deep breath.

The Gremory Queen smiled.

"People say the first step is always the hardest, and I think you've finally taken that step." She smiled.

Vali looked at her, confused.

"Because it takes a brave person to admit they're afraid to fail. I can tell it's been hard for you, and I know what it feels like, being unable to see my father felt the same as losing him, especially when I knew he was alive, grieving without the wife and daughter he needed. However, during my time in the Gremory Mansion, I realized something important... those who are the most afraid, but still keep moving forward, have the greatest strength in this word."

The Lucifer Heiress' eyes widened, remembering something Albion once told her.

**_("Never forget this. I truly believe that one day, you'll be a Hakuryuukou that isn't considered a White Dragon that represents Supremacy, but one that represents Hope.")_ ** _Albion's voice echoed._

She smiled a bit.

'I get it now, that's what you meant... isn't it, Albion?' Vali thought.

**(It was.)** Albion smiled.

Vali stood on her feet, and remembered what happened each time she met her friends on her training journey, how she learned Lavinia was her Half-Sister, and most of all... how she unlocked her Balance Breaker in the first place.

She would keep moving forward, just like she moved on from the trauma of her pasts once she realized her love for Issei.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

"Now there's the smile we all like to see." Akeno giggled with closed eyes.

"Yeah, just promise me you won't tell Issei about what I did here, it would be really embarrassing if he found out." Vali asked.

*ACHOO*

Hearing that, both of them suddenly froze, before suddenly turning towards the door.

"Uh... hi?" Issei chuckled.

Both Issei and Rias were seen standing by the door, making Vali go pale in horror.

**("Oh boy... I think we know where this is heading...")** Albion chuckled nervously.

"H-how long have you two been there?" Vali asked.

Issei gave a nervous laugh, while Rias tried to avoid the question, though that was useless once Issei's hand lit up.

**["Since you asked Akeno about her feelings of being a halfbreed."]** Ddraig revealed.

Vali immediately freaked out at that.

"They were there for the entire thing!?" She screamed, slumping onto her knees.

Issei gulped a bit, scratching the back of his head.

"Uh... Vali, if it makes you feel better, we can talk about this tonight." Issei suggested, doing his best to keep a poker face.

"Yes, thank you..." Vali replied.

She got on her feet, slowly walking to the stairs so she could leave. Issei followed her shortly after.

"Well, at least she didn't run away." Rias remarked.

"I'm pretty sure she was smart enough to realize it would have only embarrassed herself more if she had." Akeno replied.

As he followed Vali back home, Issei had a bead of sweat on his face.

'I'd like to say something, but I don't think this is a good time because of what happened.' Issei thought.

"Issei?" Vali suddenly said.

"Uh, yeah?" Issei blinked.

She turned to look at him, making him somewhat surprised as he did.

"I want you to look me in the eyes and honestly answer me when I say this. Do you think that for whatever comes next, I'll be able to do it, without a doubt in your mind?" The Hakuryuukou asked.

"Of course I do, because I've always believed in you." The Sekiryuutei asked, doing just that.

Hearing that, Vali moved a hand over heart and tightened it, looking at the sky with a smile holding a newfound confidence.

"That's right, because you'll always be with me." She whispered.

Issei swore she heard her say something, but decided not to ask about it as the continued heading home.

* * *

Back at school, the Student Council was currently with Gasper, helping him train while the others dealt with last minute preparations, whereas they already finished up with theirs.

The Dhampir Bishop's eyes were glowing purple as he held up a volleyball using his powers, and after a bit...

"And... stop!" Tsubasa said, clapping her hands.

Gasper dropped it, feeling exhausted from holding it up, while Valerie smiled from the spot she was watching from.

"You're improving by the day, Gasper. You're able to catch one ball out of every 5 we send your way." Reya replied, making Gasper smile.

"Yeah, that's a huge improvement. You couldn't even get one at first, and then you were able to catch one out of every 20. At this rate, you might be able to lower to every one out of 3, possibly 2 by the time the summit starts." Saji praised.

Grabbing another ball, the host of Vritra readied another volleyball.

"Alright... next one, here we go!" Saji exclaimed.

He hit it towards Gasper, and when he tried to stop it like before... it hit him right in the face, making everyone wince.

"Ah! Gaspy, are you alright?" Valerie asked in a panic.

"Ow... Valerie, I think I need an ice pack." Gasper said, a bit dazed as his eyes rolled around.

Valerie quickly rushed to go get one, with Ruruko surprised by the speed she moved at.

"If I didn't know any better, I think Valerie might have feelings for him." Ruruko mentioned.

"Really, you think so?" Saji questioned.

Gasper suddenly blushed after hearing that, getting everyone's attention.

"M-me and... V-Valerie?" Gasper said, getting flustered.

Tsubasa kneeled by him, his blush not getting any lower.

"You know, it isn't unreasonable. You two are childhood friends, both ran away together, and she ended up becoming a Devil just to bring you back after hunters killed you. I'd say she might honestly like you that way, especially since being a Dhampir means you both suffered through the same things." The Sitri Rook mentioned.

"U-uh... I..." Gasper blushed.

"Ooh, I think Gaspy's starting to notice he might feel the same way." Ruruko giggled.

Meanwhile, the rest of Sona's peerage, with the exception of Sona, watched from the student council room's window. They saw Valerie return, putting the ice pack on Gasper's head.

"It looks like they're really going at it to help Gasper. It's really been a while since I've seen everyone work so hard, at least since Ruruko joined us." Tomoe remarked with a smile.

"Weren't you trying to help him Momo?" Tsubaki inquired.

"I was, but he said something about me making him train made him feel guilty." Momo admitted, scratching her head.

Tomoe looked at Tsubaki, who shrugged her shoulders.

"Had it been someone like Xenovia, then I'd have understood due to what she did with Durandal earlier, Momo on the other hand? I don't get the logic in that one." Tsubaki groaned.

The Knight of Sitri blinked a bit, trying to think of the connection

* * *

Around the red beams held at the top of a construction site's current protect, Azazel was seen staring towards the city lights below, admiring the scenery.

While he sat there by himself, the sight of a magic circle appeared behind him, showing a young man with short, brown-colored hair walking out, and a black dog with a blade in its forehead following.

Right after the duo came out, the next to appear was a beautiful woman with long flowing blonde hair, and sapphire blue eyes, wearing what appeared to be standard Magician robes in white, possessing an ice theme. The silkiness of her hair, and her facial expressions, both resembled Vali's fairly well.

"There you two are. Thanks for picking up Lavinia for me, Tobio." Azazel smiled.

"No problem. I also dealt with that favor Shemhazai asked me for, so I'm completely free to attend tomorrow's meeting." Tobio answered, resting his back against the girder's walls.

"I'm just glad that I get to see my sister again, has Vali been doing well?" Lavinia asked.

Azazel flashed while a thumb's up, while a thought entered Tobio's head as he looked towards the moon, a nervous look on his face.

"Just to ask, how likely are the odds of something happening during tomorrow's meeting?" He inquired.

"Is this one of your gut instincts, or did you hear something troubling?" Azazel asked.

Tobio got up, walking near him.

"Considering what's happening, I don't think it'd matter if I was either. Though I'll admit it's the former... I just hope if something does happen, we'll be able to take care of it." Tobio answered, looking towards the city.

At that moment, they didn't notice the sight of someone listening in on them, giving a dangerous smirk.

* * *

Issei fell onto his bed, sighing as he let his thoughts wash over his mind.

"Poor Vali, you were always smiling on the outside, but you've been suffering on the inside all this time. I was supposed to know you better than anyone else, but despite that, I couldn't see your inner struggle... damn it, I can't think about this without hating myself." Issei said to himself.

"Issei?" Vali's voice rang from behind the door.

The Sekiryuutei had his attention turned to the door as Vali opened it, coming in wearing her usual pajamas.

"Oh, Vali..." Issei greeted a bit nervously.

The Hakuryuukou walked in, sitting by Issei's side before comfortably resting against his head, a blushing smile on her face.

'That's good, it looks like she's back to normal now.

"I wanted to apologize about earlier, when you ended up seeing an embarrassing side of me." Vali apologized.

"Hey, it's fine. I mean..." Issei tried to say.

Vali cupped his face, then gave him a gentle kiss, and making him blush from the surprise.

**「** **Highschool DxD: Omoi, Yosemasu** **」**

"No, from now on, I promise to be more honest with you, and the others. I owe you that much, because to achieve my dreams, we have to work together, without holding anything us back." Vali smiled at him.

Issei gave a goofy, lovestruck-type laugh in response, making the Lucifer Heiress giggle.

"That's my Issei." Vali stated.

"Uh... yeah, so about that question from earlier?" Issei questioned.

Vali resumed her cuddling, hugging Issei's arm into her cleavage.

"No need, what matters is that you're here with me, and that's where I want you to be... forever and always." Vali smiled, blushing even more.

Issei's blushed brightly, but then smiled back.

Looking at each other in the eyes, the two kissed each other again, hugging each other close until sleep finally decided to take them.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

As she sat within earshot of Issei's room, Kuroka gave a bright smile.

"There we go, that's the Vali Lucifer we all know and love, so don't you ever give up on yourself." The Black Nekoshou smiled.

While she was listening to the Lucifer Rook's words, Kelsey began pondering over a big decision.

* * *

The following morning, right as the sunrise came, a lone figure was seen hovering in the air close to Kuoh Academy, cloaking his perception so no Human could see him. He was a feminine, young-looking man that resembled Ophis when it came to his features, with long, messy red hair, and golden eyes.

His attire was something you'd normally seen being worn by a punker, wearing a blue sleeveless shirt that had a metallic chain necklace hanging over it, and an opened red jacket with short sleeves that was torn up. His jean shorts were gray-colored, and also torn, with a crimson bandanna tied on left leg. Like with Ophis, he was also barefoot, having no need for shoes.

"So, tonight's finally the night. I wonder what will happen?" He questioned, his voice similar to Ophis'.

"I was hoping you'd arrive, Great Red."

Looking at the nearby electric pole, the figure that was now confirmed to be Great Red noticed his wife standing on top of it.

"Glad to see you here, Ophis." He answered.

The Dragon of Infinity jumped into the air, and quickly landing by her husband's side.

"I'm assuming you've come to see how far Issei's managed to grow?" Ophis guessed.

"He is an interesting Sekiryuutei after all." Great Red answered.

Both of them suddenly noticed a strange feeling suddenly faze through the air, and quickly motioned their eyes to it. Great Red soon gave a light smile.

"And it seems like the opportunity will arise, very soon." He stated.

* * *

After the sun finally set, a wave of magic cut off the perception of everything supernatural that was gathering at Kuoh Academy, finally marking the time of the summit as the members of the Four Great Powers began to gather at the school.

"This is it everyone, the time of the summit has finally come." Vali alerted.

Everyone nodded, and prepared to head to the meeting room.

"Gasper, behave yourself while we're gone. While we'd like you to come, since you still can't control your power just yet, it risks stalling negotiations. Luckily, Tosca's offered to watch over you while we're gone." Rias pet Gasper's head.

"OK." Gasper understood.

Tosca walked by with a box of snacks, smiling as she handed him a gaming handheld.

"Don't worry, Shirone let us have some of her usual snacks, and Saji gave us this old game console for you to play on." Tosca comforted him.

Gasper nodded, and started playing on the game console.

"Alright, let's go guys." Vali declared.

The three peerages left the room, leaving the two to their devices as they head to a meeting area where they'd be seeing some of the major players of each races' forces, or as Vali knew it, all of the Longinus wielders that were directly tied to the Four Great Powers.

Upon entering the room, various people were seen, though Vali immediately gasped as Tobio and Lavinia entered her line of sight.

"Tobio! Lavinia!" She cheered, rushing to them.

Hearing her sister, the blonde wizard gave a smile, and caught her in a hug once she was in reach. Tobio smiled, rubbing the Hakuryuukou's head in a brotherly manner.

"Good to see you Vali." Tobio greeted.

"How's my little sister doing?" Lavinia smiled, rubbing her cheek again Vali's.

"Lavinia, s-stop it!" Vali giggled.

At that moment, both of them noticed Issei, prompting Tobio to walk up to the Sekiryuutei, who sweated a bit.

"You must be Issei Hyoudou, right?" Tobio inquired.

"Uh... yeah, that's me. Vali's Queen and her boyfriend... which I think you already know." Issei confirmed.

Tobio nodded, offering a hand.

"Tobio Ikuse, the Slash/Dog Team's leader, the wielder of the Canis Lykaon." He greeted.

Issei took it, right as his black dog came out of his shadow. Issei used his Chi to read its aura, and immediately sensed its power as a Longinus, making his eyes widen.

"Wait, is that... a living Sacred Gear!?" Issei gasped.

"Yep, he's the being in my Longinus, or rather happens to _be_ the Longinus itself. I call him Jin." Tobio confirmed.

Lavinia soon let Vali go, hugging Issei close, and making Vali's eyes widen as she pulled him into her gifted cleavage.

"Vali's right, you're such a handsome cutie! I'm Lavinia Reni, the wielder of the Absolute Demise, and your soon to be sister-in-law!" She squeed before introducing herself.

"LAVINIA!" Vali shouted, blushing in embarrassment.

The blonde magician giggled, letting a now flustered Issei go, who nearly stumbled onto his butt.

"Where's your Longinus at?" He mumbled as he nearly stumbled.

Lavinia smiled, motioning to a snowflake she wore in her hair, and then tapped it. Right as she did, a three-meter tall ice sculpture formed. It had six eyes on the left side of its face, with no nose or mouth, while the right side looked to be studded with what resembled the thorns of a rose.

"Whoa!" Issei jumped, finally regaining his bearings.

"That thing's like ten feet tall!" Saji shouted loudly.

Issei began to back up a bit, soon bumping into a pair of people, making him turn around in response.

"Crap, sorry about that!" Issei apologized.

"It's alright, it was by... wait, is that you, Issei?"

Blinking a bit, Issei got a closer look at the two, right as Kelsey smiled at the sight of them.

The first of the duo was a girl with long, soft and silky, wavy golden-brown hair tied in pig tails that reached mid-back, and an incredibly buxom figure. She had a modest expression on her face that showed her pink eyes, and wore a loose green T-shirt, white shorts, and futuristic white sneakers with pink accents.

The second of the duo was also a girl, though she had night blue-colored hair that reached mid-back length, green eyes, and a slightly less buxom figure than the girl beside her. She was wearing a pink jacket with short sleeves that couldn't be closed, with a blue T-shirt underneath, a pair of khaki shorts, the same shoes as the first girl only with blue accents, and a strange pendant necklace.

"Hina? Nanami?" Issei shouted.  
"Hina! Nanami!" Kelsey exclaimed.

Upon saying the same names, the two looked at each other, pointing at them.

"You know them!?" They both asked each other.

The night haired girl, Nanami, looked at the two, ignoring the looks everyone else was giving to them.

"We met Issei once when we visited this place, became quick friends with him, and it seems like he remembered us. We never expect we'd meet him again, or that he'd be the Sekiryuutei." She explained.

"And, we know Kelsey because we helped her during the Jequn Incident." Hina explained.

Vali blinked, looking at Issei.

"They were the ones that helped me try making other friends around three years ago. I guess we got so busy, I forgot to mention them." Issei apologized, giving an awkward chuckle.

Nanami giggled, lightly hitting Issei on the back.

"Or maybe you just didn't want to touch on the topic that we're a couple?" Nanami teased.

"Eh?" Issei blinked.

Nanami looked confused, and Hina kneeled by her ear.

"We got together _after_ we met him, not before." She explained, a nervous sweat on her face.

"Eh!? Aw, crap..." Nanami finally remembered.

Hina gave a slight giggle towards her girlfriend, while Tobio put a hand on Vali's shoulder.

"Don't underestimate those two. Both of them, like myself, are considered among the Strongest Humans in the world." Tobio warned.

Issei and Vali's eyes widened, although considering everyone here was...

'Just what Longinus do the both of them have?' Issei wondered, sweating a bit as the thought.

Shirone and Kuroka soon noticed someone off to the side, being the odd one out among the group. He looked to be a young by with dark orange hair in a spiky shape, and golden eyes, with his clothes being a white suit. The one odd thing was a golden mask on his face.

"Who are you?" Shirone asked.

"Regulus." He answered, his voice sounding too deep for his age.

Kuroka blinked, and soon noticed his aura.

"Shirone, this boy... I don't think he's the wielder of a Longinus, he _is_ the Longinus." Kuroka mentioned.

"Wait, if that's true, and he said his name's Regulus..." Shirone gasped.

Regulus nodded his head, making the two go silent as they realized they were talking to the Regulus Nemea, who had been rumored to have recently joined the ranks of the Devils. The only thing about him that was unknown was who his King was.

"Calm down you two, he won't bite."

Both of them turned, revealing a man who was wearing priest's clothes, having blonde hair in a unique messy style and green eyes. Irina gasped as she saw him, and hoped over.

"Hey Dulio, it's been too long!" She greeted, holding up a hand.

"Irina, how's it going?" Dulio replied, giving her a high five.

"Whoa, so that's the strongest Joker of Heaven?" Yuuma breathed, her eyes shining.

Issei was confused by that.

"Remember why Angels and Fallen Angels reincarnate with a deck of cards? The Joker is the equivalent to an Evil Piece, but as a powerful 14th card instead of a random card." Vali explained.

"Oh!" Issei realized.

Taking a moment, the Heiress of Lucifer began counting all of the people in the room, along with herself, Issei, and Valerie.

"Let's see... altogether, we have 9 Longinus users here." She realized.

"Holy crap! Guess if anything, this summit's prepared." Saji remarked.

At that moment, everyone heard a knock on the door, showing Kiryuu peaking her head inside.

"Everyone, it's time." She alerted them.

With that signal, everyone headed to the meeting room, where Vali knocked on the door.

"We're here, may we come in?" She asked.

The door opened up, and everyone walked inside. Upon coming inside, everyone saw the heads of each faction gathered around a round table with two (three in the Angels' case) of their fellow leaders seated to their left and right.

For Lilith, she had Sirzechs and Serafall by her side. For Azazel, his wife and Shemhazai were together. Michael had Gabriel, Uriel (who had hair like Katase, only with a pinker hue to it), and Raphael (a strong looking man with gray hair) seat with him, with the former being next to Gabriel's free side.

For Cassiel, it was her fellow Great Seraphs turned Demons, who were Haniel and Camael, who were both women. The former had vivid, dark green hair that reached to her arm pits, with a light blue gradient at the bottom, and light blue eyes. Camael had messy, dark red hair with dark orange accents that made it look like her hair was an actual fire, which also reached her arm pits, and her eyes were a snow-white color.

"Whoa, so these are just some of all the big cheeses among the Four Great Powers..." Issei breathed.

Following this, everyone who entered the room moved to their following species' side, and those who weren't went with the side they were best allied to. Most of them went with the Devils, with Tobio standing by Azazel, and Lavinia by Cassiel.

"We're all finally here. Now, before we officially start, I'd like to introduce my daughter Vali, and her retainers. She led the sisters of my fellow Great Devils sitting with me against Kokabiel, giving Ophis the time she needed to stop him." The Devil Queen stated.

"I thank you all again for stopping that maniac, he nearly made a mess of things right under my nose." Azazel replied.

Cassiel giggled at that, looking towards the Grigori Leader.

"Azazel, what did we say back in Heaven about cleaning up your stuff after you were done using it? You should be glad these kids did it for you." Cassiel teased him.

Camael face palmed at that comment, while Haniel elbowed her.

"Ow..." Cassiel rubbed her arm.

"You promised to stay on topic, so I better not see you do that again." Haniel reminded her, tapping her fingers on her arm.

Lilith chuckled a bit before clearing her throat.

"Now, with all of us here... I hereby announce this summit has begun!" Lilith exclaimed.

Hearing the official announcement that the summit had start, each race's guards readied their arms for any potential threats that threatened their meeting.

Unknown to them, such a threat was slipping under their noses.

* * *

Vali reached the end of her report on the Kokabiel Incident, where she explained how Ophis ultimately saved them at the last moment due to them being friends.

"All remaining details will be in the additional reports I've submitted." Vali finished.

"I, Rias Gremory, confirm the accuracy of the report as a witness." Rias stated with a hand up.

"I, Sona Sitri, also confirm the accuracy of the report as a witness." Sona gave the same response.

Lilith nodded at that.

"That will be all, thank you ladies." Lilith stated, moving her hand to stop Serafall from praising Sona at an inappropriate time.

"Azazel, care to share your thoughts? Kokabiel was your brood after all." Cassiel asked.

"Kokabiel went rogue, and chose to act on his own, threatening my remaining daughter without hesitation. I'm fairly sure that even if I had been there, he still would have continued his plans, even if he just had to relocate them." Azazel sighed.

"So, what you're saying is that you're pretty sure Kokabiel would have still attacked regardless of Fallen Angel influence?" Sirzechs questioned.

Yuuma cleared her throat, and raised her hand.

"You have something to share?" Sirzechs inquired.

"I heard Kokabiel insult my father in every possible way for dropping out of the war. I think that's proof enough." She replied.

Cassiel hummed, then nodded her head.

"Good enough for me, Jequn did plenty of the same things back when she betrayed my faction, although her words were more tied to her apparent nihilism towards everything." The Demon Queen replied.

Gabriel showed her worries at that, putting a hand near her chin.

"What troubles me most is what his motivations were. Not just his dissatisfaction with the status quo, but the apparent fact he spoke like the war had to continue, and such a mindset is worrisome due to the level of power he had." The female Seraph mentioned.

"Yeah, the prick was a racist who thought Fallen were the alpha beasts, just because God and Lucifer died. He knew this more than anyone, and yet he still believed we were the superior species among them all." Penemue replied.

Kelsey sweated a bit.

"There's a problem coming from every side, and every faction..." Kelsey realized.

"Sweetie, the way you worded that makes it sound like we wanna declare a war against each other." Cassiel sighed, giving a playful smile.

"I do believe your daughter has a point. Your faction was the one who noted that Kokabiel couldn't have achieved this by just his and Valper's combined efforts, and with that in mind, there must be another party at work." Uriel remarked.

"Yeah, I've had this worry myself... including the possibility that some of the guards we have stationed outside may be traitors." Raphael admitted.

This got everyone on edge.

"The seeds of discontent..." Serafall said softly.

"If that's true, then does that mean what I believe it does?" Sirzechs inquired.

"Of course, so let's just make peace already and have the Christian Pantheon be done with this stupid conflict already." Cassiel stated.

Everyone was surprised that Cassiel got to the point so fast.

"What, isn't that the point of this summit? Besides, I think we all want the same thing, don't we?" Haniel answered.

"Yes, I believe it is... though something tells me there's secondary reason why Cassiel feels it's better for us to unite as soon as we can. Am I right?" Lilith agreed, looking at the Demon Queen.

In a rare event, Cassiel's face got a bit more serious.

"Camael, care to share what you found out about that odd group we've had tabs on for the last few years?" Cassiel requested.

The Demon Lord nodded, turning all eyes on her.

"Tell me... is anyone here familiar with a group called the Khaos Brigade?" She inquired.

With that line alone, the entire air of the Summit changed, and not for the better... as some invited guests began sneaking in, ones that a certain magician knew all too well.

* * *

**Well... that bomb's just been dropped. The Khaos Brigade has already been mentioned not near the end of the attack, but during the Summit itself. Just what kind of things will the Demon Lords reveal about this group? Will Gasper still end up being captured by Magicians? And most of all, what kind of forces will the Khaos Brigade send when the soon to be Alliance has 9 Longinus wielders on their side?**

**At the very least, Vali's helped Gasper become more comfortable, and Michael has delivered the sheath of Ascalon to Vali, which will let Issei summon it without needing his Boosted Gear to pull it out. This is a good thing because summoning it from the Boosted Gear would take longer, and he'd lose vital seconds he might need, and drawing from a sheath would give him.**

**There's a few new faces alongside the Devils, including two old friends of Issei's, and I don't think it's a mystery which Longinus these two own. Their full names are Hina Mitsuya and Nanami Kanzaki, who's last names were chosen based on each half of the name for the canon owner of their Longinus, although I only went with this due to each part of his full name being a name for other characters, and because of an idea that I can't reveal due to spoilers.**

**Either way, they're the first same gendered couple in the story, and with that having come to light, there's some things I should say. There may be others, including in the major characters, though I will say that I won't show a yaoi couple among them. I don't have a problem with two men being in love, but I'm just not comfortable with actually writing it. Oh, and due to magic, it is possible for couples of the same gender to have a child by biological means.**

**My favorite thing about this chapter was how I redid the Akeno scene. Considering that she has that big sister thing going for her, I felt that her and Vali having a scene about being Halfbreeds was a good way to have her act like it for Vali, who isn't as sure about how she should feel about her own heritage due to Rizevim's influence. Also, just like Issei helped Akeno get some weight off her chest, she did the same in getting Vali to let out her own fears.**

**So, with all of that out of the way, the only thing left is for the first battle against the Khaos Brigade to finish up the Summit arc, and this time... it'll be Issei's turn to shine! He hasn't had a chance since the Raynare arc, and since Vali had more importance during the final battle of Season 1, it's only fair he gets the right of ending the final battle of Season 2.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

* * *

**Vali's Peerage** **:**

**King - Valiana Lucifer**  
Queen - Issei Hyoudou  
Bishops - Le Fay Pendragon, Asia Argento  
Knights - Arthur Pendragon, Irina Shidou  
Rooks - Bikou, Kuroka Toujou (Mutation Piece: x2 Multiplier)  
Pawns - Yuuma Amano (x2), Six Unclaimed Pawns

* * *

**Rias' Peerage** **:**

**King - Rias Gremory**   
**Queen - Akeno Himejima**   
**Bishops - Gasper Vladi (Mutated Piece: x4 Multiplier), Valerie Tepes (Mutation Piece: x6 Multiplier)**   
**Knights - Kiba Yuuto, Jeanne d'Arc Yuuto**   
**Rooks - Shirone Toujou, Unclaimed Rook**   
**Pawns - Xenovia Quarta (x5), Tosca Shirayumi (x3)**

* * *

**Sona's Peerage** **:**

**King - Sona Sitri**  
Queen - Tsubaki Shinra  
Bishops - Momo Hanakai, Reya Kusaka  
Knights - Tomoe Meguri, Unclaimed Knight  
Rooks - Tsubasa Yura, Unclaimed Rook  
Pawns - Saji Genshirou (x4), Ruruko Nimura (x4)

* * *

**Bust Size of New Female Characters** **:**

**Lavinia Reni - 108 cm**

**Hina Mitsuya - 105 cm**

**Nanami Kanzaki - 102 cm**

**Camael - 95 cm**

**Haniel - 92 cm**

* * *

**Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter** **:**

**None**

* * *

**Pairings List** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating**  
 **Ddraig/Albion - Married**  
 **Tiamat/Fafnir - Married  
Ophis/Great Red - Married**  
 **Saji/Sona - Master and Retainer**  
 **Gasper/Valerie - Possible Crush on both sides**  
 **Kiba/Tosca - Friends**  
Hina/Nanami - Dating


	18. Chapter 18

**Sorry this took a while. As some of you may have noticed, I got to a highly anticipated arc for my Date A Re:Live story, and I just couldn't stop typing chapters for it. As a result, by the time I had finally realized it, I had already written three chapters ^^; *chuckles embarrassingly* Therefore, I figured that I should at least get the first half of the Season 2 finally finished before I got back to the craze of its Kurumi arc.**

**For the upcoming battle, I have this to say... Azazel's not the only leader we'll see fighting! If you really think about it, why did they only show Azazel fighting? I mean, if he beat Katerea by himself to show the Alliance's power, then why not just have him be her sole opponent, and have the others deal with the other Witches they could have clearly been able to take on together. That, or have Michael fight first, and then Azazel pull out Fafnir on her.**

**Also, there's a small surprise in this chapter, one I can't give you any hints to or I'll automatically give it away, because that very hint just happens to be the answer to what the surprise is. As for the Innovate Clear and Telos Karma's powers? We still don't know enough about them, so the ones that appear in-story are my own creation based on their names and titles, while their canon powers will manifest as Sub-Species once we learn about them.**

**Now, the only thing left to say is... let the chapter begin!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

**[]** \- Ddraig Talking

**«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

**「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

**【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

**⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

**Belphegor Clan**

**The third of the six Maou Clans that helped create all of Hell, founded by the original Belphegor, the Maou who represented the Deadly Sin of Sloth. While she was always a lazy compared to her fellow Maou, they all agreed (Lucifer especially) that she had the most natural talent. Not only that, but she was also the most durable Maou, being able to tank a handful of lethal attacks without worry most of the time.**

**A sign of their power comes from their bloodline ability, known as "Crack", which is based on the deadly sin the clan is associated with. As the name implies, the power of Crack allows its user to tear through attacks or defenses coming their way, but only works if they use it against an attack from an opponent that's more powerful than the member of the Belphegor Clan that's using it.**

**The original Belphegor lacked this restriction, being the originator of this power, which shows that any member of the Belphegor that can overcome their laziness enough to give an effort in developing it, their Crack will overcome this restriction as well, which will simply leave its main weakness be how fast they can use it against a flurry of attacks.**

**Other powers the clan have include the shared Maou Clan ability of holy light not being fatal to them like with other Devils, magical reserves higher than any of the other Devil clans, natural talent for whatever they try to learn, the ability to instinctively evade attacks at a superhuman level (even when asleep), and the ability to release their aura at close-range, which can make those nearby become lethargic.**

**Like the other Maou Clans aside from the Lucifer Clan, one of their own caused the Devil's Civil War, namely the would-be heiress of the time, Zentiika Belphegor. Her actions lead to many Devils trying to destroy the clan, forcing Lilith to create a compromise through choosing Roygun Agares as the Great Devil bearing their name, and having the current head give up their bloodline ability to her, giving Roygun the power to make tears that can manipulate time.**

**In the present, the Clan's reputation has been restored due to Vali winning her Rating Game against Riser, with its current heiress being Leelexe Belphegor.**

* * *

**_Season 2, Summit Arc: Chapter 4 - Summit Shakedown, Part 1_ **

Back inside the old school building, Tosca was seen chewing on some pocky sticks, while Gasper was playing on Saji's handheld console, and as he did... Gasper suddenly stopped and got worried.

"I hope everyone's OK, what if the summit goes bad and then... crap, why'd I even think that in the first-" Gasper began to panic,

Tosca slipped the paper back on his head, and he quickly calms down.

"Thank you, I feel calmer now." Gasper relaxed.

Tosca smiled at that, about to take a juice box... only for her eyes to shrink a bit, suddenly sensing something as she stood up.

"Huh? Tosca, is something-" Gasper asked.

She quickly shushes him, putting her hands by her ears as her heightened hearing picked up a conversation.

**_"Are you sure there's little opposition here?"_ **

**_"The only ones here are some young brat and the Dhampir. They won't even see us coming thanks to the mole we snuck into each faction's guards, so capturing him will be easy."_ **

Tosca's eyes widened, realizing there were traitors among the guards.

"Gaspy, get in the box, and whatever you do... don't take off your mask or open it." Tosca warned.

"Huh?" Gasper replied worriedly.

"We've been betrayed, so I need get you to the emergency gate." Tosca explained.

Gasper panicked, doing what Tosca asked.

Picking it up, Tosca immediately rushed out of the room, right as the terrorist Witches began appearing from a special magic sigil to force their way inside. From a distance, Tosca realized what they were.

'Witches, and based on those magic circles they're using, they've at least gotta rank around the same level as a Mid-Class Devil.' Tosca realized.

The Witches looked around, but didn't see any signs of the two.

"Where are they? We know that they're here." A witch asked.

"It seems we may have underestimated them, the one they left here must have had a way to sense we were coming. She's likely fleeing to an emergency exit they've planned for this." Another answered.

"Quick, spread out and capture them!" The first Witch ordered.

Tosca sweated as she kept moving, holding up a device to see how close she was to the magic circle... only for Witches to get in her path.

"Crap..." She winced.

"There's nowhere to run, now hand over the Dhampir!" A witch demanded.

Tosca made a defiant face, forcing the witch to attack, only for Tosca's eyes to glow as a shield formed to block the spell. Using the chance, Tosca ran away from the single witch.

"So, you can block attacks, but you can't escape us with just defense!" The witch shouted.

"Good thing I have offense." Tosca said quietly.

Briefly tossing Gasper's box up.

" **Starlight Yumi!** "

Her signature bow formed as Gasper's box landed on her shoulder. The Witch gasped as an arrow flew at her, making her scream as it exploded, which ended up making Tosca panic.

"Crap... that's gonna draw more of them here!" She realized.

Looking at the area ahead, she noticed the three paths in the hall, giving her an idea. She aimed another arrow at the ground, causing smoke to form, right as the more Witches came. By that point, two barriers were blocking all but the middle path.

"She must have gone forward." A witch stated.

"No, that could be a trick, she could have gone through the ones that are blocked to make us think that. It's a tactic to confuse us, or at least split us up, we need to-" A witch denied.

An arrow exploded on the right path, getting their attention.

"Get that barrier down, she took the right path!" The witch ordered.

Listening from a distance, Tosca smiled as they fell for her trick. She slid down the stairs, rushing out of the way as more Witches began to notice her.

'Almost there, just a bit more.' Tosca panted as she ran faster.

"Going somewhere?"

Tosca suddenly stopped, accidentally making Gasper pop out of the box as they saw a Witch swarm surround them. Noticing the magic circle, a Witch quickly disabled it, making her sweat.

"No..." Tosca breathed, realizing they were trapped.

Gasper panicked a bit, with Tosca noticing the Witches behind them.

"We've got you now, so it would be best to do as your told and give us the Dhampir." A witch demanded, glaring at Tosca.

"Forgive me, Gaspy." Tosca apologized.

The Pawn of Gremory readied her Starlight Yumi, right as the witches attacked her.

"No..." Gasper whimpered.

At that moment, Gasper's eyes suddenly changed shape, and rings of light shot off him, catching everyone off guard as the signal to his Balance Breaker activating for the first time.

"That light, oh no..." Tosca gasped, instantly forming a barrier.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

At that moment, a sudden field of energy shot out from the old school building.

* * *

Everyone stared at the name Camael just revealed... the Khaos Brigade.

"Khaos... that word alone sounds like bad news." Serafall finally broke the tension that had formed.

"Is there information you can share?" Michael questioned.

Camael sighed, nodding her head.

"From what I can gather, it's made out the more dangerous elements within the supernatural world, including our Four Great Powers. Devils from the Anti-Maou Faction, the Angels who never felt God was wrong, Fallen Angels loyal to Kokabiel, and Demons that just want to cause the mayhem. That's only among what I've confirmed, I have reason to believe there's more..." She answered.

This got everyone nervous.

"Whoever's in charge must be someone strong, but who would gather such dangerous people together?" Gabriel questioned.

Scratching her head, Camael wasn't sure how to answer that.

"Whoever's in charge, we don't truly know, but I think we have some good candidates. Any of the traitors who started the Devil's Civil war could be one, or maybe... it could even be Rizevim, as he'd cause chaos just for the heck of it." Haniel theorized.

That made all of the leaders look at one another, until Cassiel sighed, putting her feet on the table as she leaned back.

"The answer's simple, isn't it? If our own kind is gathering to fight against us and others, then it only makes sense we gather together to stop them. Our perpetual four-way stalemate isn't helping us, or this world. I assume we all believe that?" She stated, looking at her fellow leaders.

"Hmm... yes, I think Cassiel has a good point. We no longer have the power of God or Lucifer, and the War stole many a great deal from us, I rather not face anymore." Michael agreed.

Irina gave sad reactions over the reminder that she ever got to meet her grandfather.

"Let's not forget the nine Longinus users we have gathered here count as a 5th party being involved. So, I'd feel we should hear their thoughts on the matter." Lilith suggested.

The nine all began thinking, and it was Vali and Issei who'd give the first answer.

"I speak for my thoughts and Issei's. We only want to use our powers to help those in need, and nothing more." Vali stated, making Lilith smile.

"I've seen many orphaned children around the world, and those the church has taken in are like siblings to me. I wish to share the joys of the world to them, so I want those joys to never disappear, by doing all I can to protect them." Dulio replied.

"I saw the ugliness of humans who were put in unfair conditions harm even more people, the only way to stop that is to break the cycle before the whole world is dragged into it." Tobio answered.

"I agree with Tobio, as I saw the same thing as him." Lavinia responded.

"I... I want what's best for Gasper, I don't wanna hurt people." Valerie said nervously.

"Agreed, no more war." Regulus replied.

"U-uh... I want to be friends with everyone, not enemies." Hina quietly replied.

"Same here, I've seen enough of this senseless violence." Nanami remarked.

Hearing that, Sirzechs looked at the others.

"It seems they've all chosen to favor the reunification of the Christian Pantheon, so I don't see any reason not to do the same. We'll deal with those who oppose it when they become an issue, since we still need to find them." Sirzechs replied.

While most of them nodded, only Gabriel and Lilith didn't, just smiling without any motion... Vali blinked at that, though Jeanne was a bit more attentive to it.

"Vali Lucifer, did you still have a question you wanted to ask me?" Michael asked.

"Oh, right! Thank you for reminding me Lord Michael." Vali replied.

She took a deep breath, soon giving a serious face, making some of the other Devils nervous.

"I'm sorry if this offends you, but... you weren't fair to Asia, so why was your only solution to kick her out?" Vali questioned.

This caught Irina, the former church members, and even Lilith off guard... that question sounded like she just stepped on a landmine. Although none of the Seraphs seemed bothered by it, aside from Gabriel having a look of guilt.

"She loves God more than anyone, and while I heard Irina's reasoning for this, what I don't get is why you had to kick out everyone like that? Asia, Jeanne, Xenovia... they were all people I could tell would have been trusted with the truth. Even if Asia's situation went beyond your control, you could have still brought her to Heaven to make her a Brave Saint, but you didn't... just tossed her aside where people like Yuuma's sister could use her for the very things she'd never do." Vali continued, her expression not faltering.

"Vali, stop-" Rias tried to interject.

"No, she's right." Gabriel interrupted.

Aside from her fellow Seraphs, that answered surprised everyone.

"Only his system remained after God's death, and the only thing we had to keep the faith was our power to administer divine protection, mercy and miracles. That meant any threat to the system threatened our very survival... however, for what else you spoke of? I'm to blame for why such drastic measures were to happen." She revealed.

This caught everyone but Irina by surprise.

"You see, when we finally learned how to reactivate the system, I was the one intended to become the new center due to my virtue being the most fitting, a final request left by our father, as Michael's role was not meant to be a leader, but to inspire us in the bleakest. However, my grief over our Father's death ended up blinding me, and by the time I realized how careless I was, the damage was already done." Gabriel explained.

"In other words, you had to do this. You were already in pieces, and your hand was forced, Kokabiel himself said you've lost a lot of believers... which I bet was tied to that." Vali realized, looking saddened.

The Lucifer Heiress easily understood how things were for Heaven and the Angels, things had gone beyond their control, even if the reasons behind it were very different. Losing God was like missing an important, but not completely vital gear in a machine.

The Female Seraph nodded her head.

"My negligence became clear, and today, the church barely functions... my own people are struggling to survive because of me. I should have been trying to inspire everyone in the darkest time, but I let my glow fade instead, and now we're mere flickers because I cost us most of the faith and believers we'd need to survive. Had I been fulfilling my role from the start, we could have found another way."

She stood up and bowed, making Irina's eyes widen.

"Mother..." She breathed.

"Jeanne, Asia, Xenovia... you were all hardly heretics, and I ask for your forgiveness." Gabriel apologized.

Nothing was said for a moment, but then those the Seraph of Hearts was apologizing to finally answered her.

"Apology accepted, Lady Gabriel." Jeanne accepted.

"I agree, while I grew up with my faith, and admit it leaves have some regrets... I'm happy with my current life as a Devil, the only sadness I feel is to others who met the same fate, and weren't as lucky to gain the same miracles." Xenovia replied.

"As am I, and I'm so much happier with my life now. I've met people I cherish who also care about me." Asia smiled.

Gabriel smiled before tearing up, closing her eyes.

"Thank you all, you have kind and forgiving hearts." Gabriel said in gratitude.

Cassiel sniffled a bit, using her sleeve to wipe her tears.

"Dang it, that hit me right in the feels!" Cassiel cried.

At that moment, Regulus suddenly shifted a bit, then focused his head to look outside.

"Is something wrong, Regulus?" Lilith questioned.

"I feel some kind of disturbance coming from..." The cloaked Longinus wielder answered.

Right as he said that, Cassiel and Azazel instantly grabbed their respective daughter's arms, right as a strange purple wave washed past everyone. After it passed, everyone noticed a majority of the people in the room had been frozen, while those who didn't either had their Sacred Gears manifested against their will, or found their Holy Swords had appeared in their hands.

In the case of Hina's, her Longinus it manifested as a golden version of Asia's Twilight Healing, but with the signature design doubled, and green gems encrusted on it, though there was a single blue one in the center area. For Nanami's Longinus, it took the form of a gold locket with red designs, and stylized like a duel flame.

"That was... anyone know what's going on?" Issei questioned in surprise.

"Just as it looks Issei, time just stopped, and it seems the only ones that weren't affected are those who had a Holy Sword or Longinus, were strong enough to resist it, or were touching anyone who fit the other qualifications." Lilith answered, looking around.

Yuuma shook in fear, suddenly understanding why her father grabbed her so suddenly.

"Wait, if time was stopped, then that would mean the only culprit behind it is..." Kelsey realized in horror, looking towards the old school building.

Valerie gasped, rushing to the window.

"Gaspy!" Valerie cried out.

At that moment, a crystalline barrier formed around the school area, showing the sight of more witches like the ones who attacked Tosca and Gasper moments earlier. Lavinia quickly recognized their robes as they appeared.

"Are those..." Hina questioned.

"They're witches... how rude! I'm a real life magic girl, and they're flat out ignoring me!" Serafall answered, pouting angrily.

Nanami face palmed at that, shaking her head.

'That's not what you should be worrying about Serafall...' Nanami sighed.

"Hexennacht... just what is Walburga trying to pull?" Lavinia quietly questioned.

Xenovia stared at the area, looking a bit confused.

"I'm confused, I thought Gasper could only freeze what he was looking at?" Xenovia inquired.

"Normally he can, but what if he unlocked his Balance Breaker? It must allow him to spread the effects out of his range at the cost of strong enough powers being immune to the effects." Jeanne guessed.

Right then, she saw a magic circle appear by her, showing Tosca in a crouching position.

〖"Jeanne? Thank goodness, you weren't affected!"〗 Tosca smiled, panting a bit.

"Tosca? Wait, do you know what Gasper's power set off?" Jeanne asked.

〖"I do... some Witches came after us, and they destroyed the emergency magic circle before we could get to it. I'm pretty sure they were planning to kill me, and the stress awakened Gasper's Balance Breaker, which I only avoided by putting up a defense in time."〗 Tosca explained.

That comment was enough to get even the leaders of the Four Great Powers worried.

〖"Now he can't stop his power, but worst of all... the witches were ready for it. I don't know how much longer it'll be before they break through my barrier either. Please, hurry over here! Also, I managed to confirm there's trait-"〗 Tosca begged.

Her magic circle fizzled out right there, cutting her off.

"Wait, Tosca! What was that last part!?" Jeanne shouted worriedly.

Looking outside, Penemue noticed something that made her gasp... the guards were slowly disappearing as their time frozen forms were all shot at by witches.

"Teleportation magic... that can only mean someone's connected to the gate within this barrier." Penemue realized.

Raphael held out his hand, attempting to call for back up outside the barrier...

It didn't work.

"Not only that, it seems like we're unable to transport any additional troops to us either. We've been cornered." Raphael grunted.

Lilith gritted her teeth.

"Of course, Tosca was trying to tell us we really did have traitors in our ranks!" Lilith realized.

"No way, so Cassiel's theory was right?" Yuuma said in horror.

"Take a look at this situation, Yuuma. They had the means to counter Gasper's powers, created a gate that lets their forces get in while keeping ours out, and then they attack us after everything else? Their timing was just too perfect... we've been betrayed, plain and simple." Lilith explained, squinting her eyes in anger.

Hearing that, Issei tightened his fist.

"I bet it was Cao Cao, he's the only other Longinus user who came her that could have done it." He stated.

Cassiel shook her head, getting Issei's attention.

"It wasn't him. Cao Cao's not allied to any of us, so he'd have no way to verify the meeting's exact time, or know where Gasper was hidden. The Witches couldn't have told Tosca that intentionally, so she must have heard them with her heightened sense of hearing. With how most of them are frozen, I bet each of our guards was hiding a mole in plain sight." The Demon Queen replied.

"I think we have more evidence over there." Uriel warned, pointing to the side.

New magic circles appeared, showing a symbol the three Devil leaders recognized, and dropping out Devils wearing skull-like masks from them. Shortly after, the circles for Fallen Angels caught the eyes of the two Grigori members, seeing the members of their kind who were loyal to Kokabiel's pro-war beliefs.

"Damn it, Kokabiel's dogs!" Azazel grunted.

"And the Anti-Maou faction... never thought those revolutionaries would return this soon." Lilith sneered.

"I bet at this rate, we'll see some Angels and Demons who'll want the same kind of blood. The Witches themselves look like don't agree with us uniting any more than these war maniacs do." Lilith sneered.

Sirzechs looked at everyone, getting their attention.

"I recommend we take action now. If we don't remove Gasper from the enemy's grasp, then we won't be able to fight back." Sirzechs suggested, making Lilith nod.

"The problem there is these Witches from Hexennacht have likely sealed our ability to teleport, and they already cut off Vali's magic circle." Lavinia explained.

"Worse is because Rias was frozen, we can't walk around the issues through using her spare Rook to do a Castling." Serafall groaned, looking more worried by the second.

Tobio whistles, getting everyone's attention.

"We'll use Jin here to send two people in while he sneaks via his shadow form. I recommend Issei and Valerie due to the former's ability to penetrate defenses, and the latter being Gasper's childhood friend." Tobio explained.

"That's right, the Canis Lykaon has the same powers as the Shadow Reflection. That's perfect for sneaking past them." Nanami realized.

Lilith nodded her head, soon looking towards her daughter and Nanami.

"Vali, you and Nanami go upset their ranks. We need to make sure they don't see what they're doing." She ordered.

"Get on Nanami, we're going into the fire." Vali questioned.

Nanami nodded, and hopped on Vali's back, adjusting herself as the Hakuryuukou's six pairs of wings spread out. Taking into the air, Vali flew past the Witches and got their attention as she turned around.

"Here we go!" Vali exclaimed.

**("Vanishing Dragon: Balance Breaker!")**

As the scale mail formed, Vali screamed as she began channeling her next level of power, surprising her passenger.

"Whoa... uh, what're you doing?" Nanami asked worriedly.

The Scale Mail began to flash into a silver color, making it clear what power Vali was about to activate, with Nanami's eyes widening as she watched.

"The pure White Dragoness dwelling within me, rise up from your Supremacy..." Vali chanted.

**("The silvery-white Morning Star bonded to me, claim the throne of Dawn...)** Albion chanted.

"The one who represents Supremacy..."

**("The unfathomable father of all Devils...")**

" ** _We shall transcend the limits to accept the oath, so all evil... kneel down before our bright and glorious existence!_** " Both chanted together.

A bright light flashed, knocking all the terrorist Witches away as her evolved scale mail armor appeared.

" **Diabolus Dragon: Lucifer!** "

Nanami gave a whistle of impressiveness, right as the Witches all began firing spells at them.

"All yours, Nanami!" Vali announced.

"Got it!" She replied.

She tapped her locket as the Telos Karma's power awakened itself.

"Go, Pandora!" Nanami announced.

**«"Understood!"»** Pandora replied.

Right as the attacks hit Vali's body, Nanami threw out her free hand, which created a barrier around the both of them.

**«"COUNTER!"»**

In just moments, all of the Witches' attacks hit the barrier... only to immediately launch themselves back at their targets with double the power and speed. The Telos Karma wielder smiled as enemy army razed itself through its own attacks.

"Holy shit..." Issei breathed in shock.

"The Telos Karma was created by a sacrifice Pandora made in the Great War, with the locket being the real form of what everyone calls Pandora's Box. Using the enemy's own power against them is just one of many abilities this Longinus possesses." Hina explained.

"Glad to know she's on our side." Issei smiled.

Sniffing around, Jin barked to alert everyone.

**«"The scent leading towards the old school building is nearly empty of the enemy's aroma, this is my best chance to take you there."»** Jin revealed.

"Alright, you heard my partner." Tobio remarked.

Issei and Valerie prepared to go, before right before they did, Azazel grabbed the former by the shoulder.

"Here, take this with you before you go." Azazel recommended.

Issei saw a silver bracelet with a purple gem embedded on it being placed into his hand, confusing him a bit.

"Depending on what happens, use that to regulate Gasper's power. It should help control his Balance Breaker." Azazel explained.

"Smart thinking." Issei smiled.

Jin sunk into the shadows, and the duo jumped inside of it, prompting the black wolf to rush towards the old school building at top speed.

"Alright, let's prepare a counter attack while they rescue Gasper." Sirzechs suggested.

"Well, if it isn't the unworthy Great Devils, and little Miss Devil Queen!"

**「** **Highschool DxD: Sirzechs VS Creuserey - Play and Loop** **」**

Everyone's eyes widened at that, looking around for the sight of the voice, and that's when Lilith noticed a magic circle with a crest resembling a monstrous sea serpent curled like an "S", the crest of the Leviathan Clan.

"Shit, it's her..." Lilith said with a scowl.

Appearing from the magic circle came the sight of a tall bespectacled woman with a voluptuous figure, purple eyes, and tan skin. She had long brown hair that was tied into a bun, and wore an extremely low-cut dress with a high slit that exposed a large portion of her cleavage.

"Katerea Leviathan..." Hina breathed in worry.

"Should have known the traitor of Leviathan might be swimming around if the Anti-Maou Faction was here." Lilith revealed, her scowl still holding.

The traitorous Leviathan responded by raising her staff into the air.

"I'm here to bring destruction, and chaos!" Katerea exclaimed.

An explosion went off, and from any onlookers, including Katerea, it looked like she had destroyed everyone inside the meeting room. However, from within the smoke, the former Leviathan heiress saw Hina holding a hand up to enhance a protective barrier that everyone made.

"Hina Mitsuya... you and Nanami are a pain in my side as always!" Katerea growled.

"Katerea, just what are you trying to accomplish here aside from pointless sadism you clearly haven't learned only cost you everything!?" Lilith demanded.

The traitorous Leviathan laughed at that.

"I'm thinking the exact opposite of everyone at this disgusting meeting! If God and Lucifer aren't around anymore, then we should have a revolution in this world!" Katerea announced.

Lilith glared at her, looking at her as nothing more than a spoiled brat that whined for everything to go her way.

"Of course, this is no mere Devil's coup d'état considering the witches, and whatever else you're hiding." Azazel realized.

"You nailed it Azazel! No one wants a world where you cover up the deaths of God and Lucifer, so we'll take this decaying realm, and reshape it in our image!" Katerea verified before stating her group's ambitions.

Lilith sighed before making a serious face, and materializing a black outfit meant for battle.

Seeing the sight, Sirzechs and Serafall both realized Lilith had just been pushed to the edge, and gotten serious. The Devil Queen teleported in front of Katerea, her aura flaring out.

"Having the gal to say you'll throw our kind into another war when we're facing extinction? The Anti-Maou Faction is too blinded to understand their acts will only doom our kind." Lilith answered coldly, soon flaring her aura.

"Heh, you don't scare me your old hag!" Katerea mocked.

"That insult doesn't work on those with eternal youth! Besides, I bet you only say that because you know that unlike yourself, I'm actually beautiful." Lilith smirked.

Some of the others gasped at the insult she just threw, while a vein of anger formed on Katerea's forehead.

"I'll teach you to mock me!" Katerea promised.

"Katerea, listen well! As the Great Devil Queen, I _will_ end those who stand against the current Hell, so prepare to meet yours!" Lilith announced.

Lilith holds up her hand as she formed a sphere with her Ethereal Twilight.

Right at that moment, Azazel noticed a device of his glow from his pocket, taking out a jade spear with a purple spherical gem on top. Yuuma noticed it, realizing what it was.

"Dad, is that the special Artificial Gear you told me about?" Yuuma asked.

"It is, and it looks like it just found a problem." Azazel confirmed, looking to the side.

Right at that moment, various magic circles formed, revealing a small army of the same golems that Issei fought with during Kokabiel's attack.

"The Gogmagogs!" Irina gasped.

"Aw crap, I guess that answers who Kokabiel's benefactors were." Kelsey realized.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

From the sky, Nanami noticed the Gogmagogs below.

"Vali, think you can handle these witches by yourself? The others might need my help against those Gogmagogs." Nanami asked.

"Go ahead, being in a pinch will help this form of mine grow stronger." Vali replied.

Hearing that, the Telos Karma wielder smiled before falling back, a mirror like effect surrounding her body as she fell towards the ground, but landed on her feet. Upon seeing her fall, Sirzechs looked at everyone.

"Everyone, be ready. It seems it's time for us to join the battlefield." He advised.

"What about everyone still frozen in time?" Jeanne questioned.

Sirzechs looked at Nanami, who was running towards them.

"Nanami will handle that. She can form a better defense than this one to keep them safe, especially as the Witches know the risk of attacking her by now." Sirzechs reassured her.

Jeanne nodded, and Serafall soon dropped the barrier, causing everyone to rush out against the Gogmagog army.

Nanami slid behind them, forming a new barrier to shield their time frozen allies, instantly repelling those near her who realized the powers of her Longinus.

"I can't do much until Jin gets back, so watch my back." Tobio asked Penemue, holding his Sacred Gear's scythe.

"Sure thing, he shouldn't take much longer." Penemue agreed.

Right at that moment, they noticed a Fallen Angel circle appear behind them, making the female cadre glare as she saw Dohnaseek manifest from it.

"Well, hello there, Lady Penemue." Dohnaseek said mockingly.

"I thought you died during the stunt Raynare pulled, guess that was just wishful thinking." Penemue sighed.

Dohnaseek scowled at that, remembering the annoyance of how the two Heavenly Dragons ruined everything.

"Those bastards..." Dohnaseek growled, remembering it all.

* * *

_"Come on, let's all go home." Vali declared happily._

_At that, everyone did, but before she followed them, Vali noticed Yuuma staring at the room._

_"Yuuma, are you alright?" Vali asked._

_"Y-yeah, I just... need a moment to, you know..." Yuuma answered._

_Vali nodded, and followed the others as Yuuma kept staring at the place that had become her sister's deathbed. Standing before the damaged structure of the abandoned church... a somber fell on her face, and she picked up a single burnt feather on the ground. While clear who the fire came from, only a Fallen Angel close to another could recognize who a specific feather belonged to._

_At that moment, Yuuma sniffled before crying. Despite how awful she had become, how much she tormented her, and how much her changes made her hate her... Yuuma still couldn't stop the pain of her death, because she had still been her big sister._

_"Damn it, Raynare... why? Why did you go down this road? Why were you so stupid!?" Yuuma cried, her voice shaking._

_She dropped the feather on the ground, stomping it until the last remnant of Raynare was shred apart. Finally, Yuuma walked out of the church, unable to bear being inside of it any longer... right as some rubble moved, showing a Fallen Angel that had survived Vali using her Primal Abyss._

_"That stupid Devil, when I get my hands on-" Dohnaseek grunted._

_At that moment, he saw the damage present, making his eyes widen in horror._

_"What!? No, where is..." Dohnaseek panicked._

_He stepped around, soon seeing the shredded feather of Raynare, quickly making his eyes shake as he grabbed the shreds._

_"All of them... will pay!"_

* * *

"Those bastards, they took everything... now, I'll take away everything you have!" Dohnaseek screamed, removing his hat.

Upon its removal, the scars Dohnaseek had obtained were finally shown as a burn that went across his upper left face, but with a black tint. His one eye's pupil had completely faded, showing he was blind in it.

"Please, you're gonna blame us? Raynare and everyone else you knew had all chose to go rogue, and as a consequence... you all got what you deserved for trying to gain more power so selfishly." Penemue stated with a glare.

"And you care nothing about your own daughter being one of those who died!?" Dohnaseek questioned angrily.

The female cadre's eyes were shadowed at that, making her aura flare.

"My eldest daughter... I regret how she ended up, but that was her choice in the end, one that Yuuma chose not to follow. Now, I'm going to fully clean up the mess she started!" Penemue shouted, holding up a hand.

She swung it forward, making orbs of light fly at Dohnaseek, who unfolded his wings in response.

* * *

After a long trek, Jin's shadow finally reached the old school building, spitting out the duo through the hole the Witches made when they invaded. After they were out, Valerie let go of Issei, petting the wolf on the head.

"Thank you, Jin." Valerie said in gratitude.

"Yeah, now go help your partner, we'll handle the rest from here." Issei thanked as well.

**«"Good luck."»** Jin replied.

Jin slithered back the way he came, and right as the duo prepared to head inside...

*BOOM*

That caught their attention, making them see the explosion caused by Katerea.

"Issei, what was that?" Valerie asked.

"Don't know, but I can find out like this." Issei replied, pointing at his eyes.

Valerie looked confused at what he meant.

**["TRANSFER!"]**

Issei's eyes turned completely green, and began to glow as he focused his sight towards the new school building, his vision zooming like binoculars.

"You can even boost your senses?" Valerie asked in surprise.

**["That's right. I've been teaching him for a while, but he didn't learn how to do it until after we beat Kokabiel, hence why you've never seen him use it before now."]** Ddraig answered.

Issei soon noticed Katerea, seeing the magic circle with the Leviathan symbol as she began fighting with Lilith.

"I see a woman I don't recognize, and she's fighting Lilith. The only thing I can make out is her magic circle's crest resembles a sea serpent, either of you recognize it?" Issei asked.

"That must be Katerea Leviathan, she was the traitor of the Leviathan Clan that helped cause the Devil's Civil War." Valerie replied.

"In other words, she's one of the leaders for the Anti-Maou Faction." Issei realized.

Valerie nodded, right as Issei saw Katerea using five different Devil powers at once, surprising him as he noticed the Aura Break among them.

"Hold up, did she just use five different Clan abilities?" Issei questioned.

**["From what I've heard, the Leviathan Clan's bloodline ability lets them copy the powers of others, barring a few exceptions, and keep them as their own. Luckily, if she's fighting against Lilith, then it'll do her little good."]** Ddraig explained.

"Yeah, saving Gasper so we can undo the time freeze is the best way we can help them right now." Issei agreed.

Valerie tapped Issei's shoulder, getting his attention.

"Issei, just to be safe, we need to go in there at full strength. I'll need some of your blood." Valerie suggested.

"Alright, go ahead." Issei replied.

Holding out his arm, Valerie took a deep breath before she sunk her fangs into it, immediately turning green from the taste. Luckily, her eyes began to glow as she managed to stomach a single mouthful.

"Alright, I'm ready." Valerie said, taking the lead.

Changing into a swarm of bats, Valerie screeched a few times, using echolocation to find their friends among the terrorists.

"Issei, this way!" Valerie shouted as she took the lead.

"OK!" Issei replied.

Following the Sephiroth Graal's host, Issei soon saw a few Witches ahead of them.

"There's intruders here!" A Witch exclaimed.

"Damn it, they got around us disabling their ability to teleport! Don't let them through!" Another shouted.

They held out their hands.

"Get out of our way, you terrorist bastards!" Issei shouted, flaring up a bit.

**["Welsh Dragon: Balance Breaker!"]**

The Witches gasped as Issei revealed his identity, right before he smashed his fist into the ground.

**["BOOST!"]**

All of the Witches screamed as Issei sent his Chi through the ground, ripping it apart. From the room where Tosca was holding her barrier, she saw most of the Witches get smashed through the wall, surprising the rest as Issei rushed into view.

"Valerie, hang on!" Issei shouted.

"Hanging on!" Valerie replied, gathering her bats around his armor.

Issei threw a left hook.

**["PENETRATE!"]**

He smashed through Tosca's barrier, and she responded by immediately formed a new one before the Witches could use the opening it left.

"I can't believe the Sekiryuutei managed to get here!" A witch growled in anger.

"Oh man... thanks guys, but I don't think I can hold this barrier much longer, so please tell me you've got a plan." Tosca smiled, panting as she did.

"That depends on Gasper..." Issei admitted.

Tosca paled at that, while Valerie's bat form gave a worried expression over the fact they didn't have an actual plan.

* * *

Yuuma formed a few light orbs while holding a shield of light by her father, who had his artificial Sacred Gear examining the barrier in an attempt to find a weak spot. After a bit, the purple orb shined.

"Yu-Long, what did you find out?" Azazel asked.

**«"The good news is there's a way to take it out, the bad news is that Issei and Valerie just happen to be with it."»** Yu-Long answered.

"So, the enemy gate is connected to the temporal rift? Is that why this barrier's here?" Yuuma asked.

"Most likely. We'll have to just keep buying time, as we can't afford a war of attrition here." Azazel answered, a bit worried about their current standing.

As a Gogmagog trio prepared to fire at them, Yuuma's eyes widened.

" **Crystal Flurry!** "

A few crystalline spheres flew from a distance, hitting through the golems as they became stony Swiss Cheese, leaving them up to be shattered entirely by rings of light. Yuuma showed surprise as Irina and Kelsey landed beside her.

"Kelsey? Irina?" Yuuma said in surprise.

"We need to team up, this force is too large to fight while we're spread out." Kelsey stated.

"Besides, the three of us are cousins, so why not prove the peace we're fighting for is worth it by fighting together?" Irina smiled.

Kelsey showed surprise at that, then smiled herself.

"Come on then, let's make it so we aren't forced to be enemies anymore!" Kelsey declared.

"Right, we stand together!" Yuuma replied, forming a light sword.

They all jumped ahead, surprising the enemy forces as they did. Yuuma shouted as she spun around, cutting her sword through some of the Anti-Maou Devils, and the renegade Demons.

Irina quickly whipped Excalibur Mimic at the enemy Fallen Angels, and rogue Angels, giving Kelsey the chance to create more of her crystal spheres.

"Take this!" Kelsey screamed loudly.

The spheres flew forward, taking out everyone they hit... right as a Witch went after her exposed backside. Hina quickly noticed this, and turned towards her.

"Quick, all of you duck!" She shouted.

Not understanding why, all three of them did, though the one Witch just adjusted his aim.

" **Innovate Clear!** "

"Wait, what!?" The Witch exclaimed in surprise.

He didn't get time to properly react as suddenly sprouted from the ground, slamming him and any nearby witches with their incredible strength.

"Thanks Hina!" Kelsey smiled.

"Always happy to be help out, now let's get all of you back to full strength." Hina replied before she held out her free hand.

They all felt a pink aura wash over them, causing them to not just be healed of their minor wounds, but have themselves restored in a way that not even Asia or a Phoenix Tear could achieve.

"I was wondering why her Longinus resembled Asia's Twilight Healing, and now I know." Irina said in awe.

"The Innovate Clear is the strongest Healing-type Sacred Gear there is, one could say it's the Twilight Healing's superior predecessor." Yuuma smiled.

Saying that, the Fallen Angel Princess wondered something.

"Hey Hina? Is the Innovate Clear's ability to reshape manipulate materials also real?" Kelsey inquired.

"It is, you need it?" Hina asked.

"Yeah, combine it with the Kelsey's Crystal Flurry!" She answered.

Kelsey smiled at that, and immediately formed more of them, prompting Hina to hold a hand out to them.

"Fraxinus, have any suggestions?" Hina inquired.

**«"Hmm... let's try this."»** Fraxinus suggested.

Hina heard her whisper to her, and nodded her head in agreement, making her rings give off a bright glow.

**«"INNOVATION!"»**

The crystal spheres became spiked, and gained a strange energy inside of them, causing Kelsey to throw her arms back in preparation to use the enhanced version of her father's power.

"Have some of these!" Kelsey shouted.

She launched them all forward, and this time, the Khaos Brigade's forces tried to form magical barriers... only for the spheres to explode! The spikes even shot off, flying everywhere to create even more explosions.

"Whoa... crystal bombs. Maybe I should pitch that idea to my father?" Yuuma wondered, surprised by the result.

Right as multiple Gogmagogs prepared to fire at them, a loud roar goes off, causing the ground to break. The group showed surprise, and turned to see the Regulus tossing his mask to the side.

"Stand back, I'd like to stretch my own four legs." He asked.

"Alright, they're all yours." Hina asked.

Regulus got onto his hands, and his current form shifted into that of a four to five-mater Lion that looked to be made of solid gold. Giving a mighty roar, he rushed through the enemy army, knocking them all to the side.

"Fire! Take that beast down!" A Witch screamed.

They all fired spells at the Longinus, but that proved to be a fatal error when the projectile attacks were instantly fizzled out by contact from its skin.

"Looks like you idiots didn't know the Regulus Nemea is immune to all projectiles!" Azazel exclaimed.

"What!?" The Witches shouted.

Giving a fierce roar once again, the land in front of the Nemean Lion began to rupture, and the sonic force of the shock wave sent them all flying in an instant.

After that, Cassiel was seen flying by her daughter's side.

"Kelsey, just took a closer look, and I think my power can seal up that gate they're using. Let's limit their numbers as long as we can." Cassiel alerted her.

"Alright, let's do it." Kelsey nodded.

**「** **Testament of a New Sister Devil: Chaos is Defeated** **」**

Both of them unleashed a blue zig-zag of energy, which immediately reached out for the enemy gate.

" **Gravity Force!** "

Everyone nearby began feeling a strong pressure, realizing they were warping the space and gravity of the specific area they aimed at.

"What is she doing!?" A Witch demanded.

"Look, something's happening to the gate!" Another Witch pointed out.

The blue energy began to glow, and compressing itself in a manner that resembled a black prism, causing all the Witches that were attempting to go through it to be forced back to the gate's origin point.

"We'll only be able to hold it for 10 minutes top, watch our backs!" Cassiel warned.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

Everyone looked towards the old school building, knowing Gasper needed to be rescue before the Witches trapped on the gate's other side all began to swarm inside.

"After those Demons!" Some AMF Devils screamed.

Kiba and Jeanne soon jumped into view, swinging their swords simultaneously. The Devils were knocked back, and in response, even more gathered around them.

"Alright, time to show our final Balance Breakers!" Jeanne stated.

"Right!" Kiba agreed.

Both of them stabbed their swords into the ground, and then...

" **Balance Breaker: Blade Knight Mass!** "  
" **Balance Breaker: Glory Knight Trooper!** "

At that moment, a bunch of living armors formed, with Jeanne's being gold and red, while Kiba's were silver and blue.

"What the!?"

Before they had a change to react, both Knights of Gremory and the living armors they just created charged at the Anti-Maou Faction's forces, making an explosion of smoke go off.

"Good luck, Issei." Irina prayed, hoping a miracle would happen.

* * *

Back inside the old school building, Issei was currently trying to think of a plan before Tosca finally ran out of gas.

'OK, looking at the situation we're in... the problem here is that if I seal Gasper's power with the band, it'll end up leaving us wide open to attacks. Having Tosca drop the barrier to use a wide area attack is also a bad idea, I can't guarantee I wouldn't hit the others, and Tosca making a smaller barrier could risk it dropping, or the Witches all coming after me. Worse of all, my Boosts don't have the power to increase stamina.' Issei thought, seeing how little he could really do.

**[This is something we should only be feeling when dealing with annoying mind puzzles!]** Ddraig groaned.

At that moment, Gasper looked towards Issei, tears in his ears.

"Please, Issei... just kill me!" Gasper begged.

That caught the attention of his friends, while Valerie nearly fainted.

"Don't say things like that!" Issei shouted.

"It would be better for everyone if I was dead, I'm a useless coward, and not only that... look at what happened? My stupid power's causing all of this, so I don't deserve to live anymore!" Gasper replied loudly.

A Witch scoffed at that response.

"How stupid, you should have brainwashed such a dangerous creature, so you could him to be your own personal weapon!" She stated.

Valerie snapped at that moment, screaming loudly that everyone was knocked off their feet.

"All of you bastards shut your mouths! My Gaspy is not a weapon, and he's not a monster! People like you... you're the heartless bastards that are the real weapons, because unlike you, we actually respect the life you don't give a damn about ending! Someone like all of you, people who don't understand life's value, have no right to call him that!" Valerie screamed.

Even Ddraig felt her anger, something that he was actually _impressed_ by!

"If any of you call the Dhampir that I love a weapon ever again, I'll rip you to shreds myself! You hear me!?" Valerie shouted as she confessed her feelings.

Issei and Tosca's eyes widened in surprise, while Gasper was frozen in shock.

"Don't you remember, Gasper? The day we were found by Rias?" Valerie asked.

* * *

_Deep within the region of Romania, Valerie cried over Gasper's dead body, not using her Longinus to revive him because she was too weak to revive him._

_"Gaspy... I'm so sorry, this is all my fault!" Valerie cried._

_"Poor thing." A female voice replied._

_Valerie gasped in surprise, turning to see a familiar redheaded Devil riding on a white horse. Taking out a Bishop, the female Dhampir realized what she was._

_"You're a... Devil?" She gasped._

_"Tell me, what's his name?" Rias asked._

_"Uh... it's Gasper Vladi." Valerie answered._

_Putting him in the proper position, and placing the Bishop on his chest, Rias began the process._

**_"In the name of Rias Gremory, I call to Gasper Vladi. Hear my command! Return thy soul from the shadows of death to the human realm, and rise once more as my Devil retainer! Wake as my healer and clergyman!"_ **

_The piece sunk in, making Gasper take a deep breath as he comes back to life._

_"Gaspy!" Valerie cried tears of joy, hugging him._

_Rias smiled at the two, catching their attention as they looked at her._

_"Live for me, little one. At the same time, find a way of being that will make you happy." Rias stated._

* * *

Valerie's smile didn't fade, even as her flashback ended.

"Not just that, I made a vow when I joined her... that I will never abandon you." Valerie swore.

"Thank you..." Gasper cried.

Tosca sniffled at that, right as she noticed her barrier starting to flicker.

"My barrier's about to fall!" Tosca grunted.

"Crap... someone give me an idea here!" Issei shouted.

"I don't know, I only realized to empower myself with your blood when I was in a panic to save..." Valerie replied.

She gasped, realizing what she forgot.

"Of course, that's it!" Valerie realized.

"What's it?" Issei asked.

"Issei! Vampires don't just drink blood to empower themselves, but to control it! Gasper might be able to control his Balance Breaker if he tastes your blood!" Valerie exclaimed.

The Witches were confused by what she was blabbering about, right as Issei drew his sword.

" **Ascalon!** "

Right as he drew it... everyone gasped as he cut into his hand, knowing full while that it'd give him excruciating pain due to Ddraig's power living within him.

**["Issei!"]** Ddraig shouted in concern.

"Don't be afraid Gasper! Do it, show them what kind of man you are! We believe in you!" Issei shouted, holding his bleeding hand out.

The Gremory Bishop paused for a moment, and then licked some of Issei's blood, making his eyes flash.

"Yes!" Tosca cheered, dispelling her barrier.

Both Dhampirs instantly spread into a flock of bats, confusing all the Witches as they became the only thing any of them could see.

"That is so awesome!" Issei exclaimed.

* * *

Penemue yawned as she dodged Dohnaseek's attacks, making him growl.

"Why are you running coward, am I too powerful for you to take down now?" Dohnaseek shouted.

"No, I just wanted you to get angry." Penemue smirked darkly.

The female cadre instantly rocketed forward, stabbing her finger into Dohnaseek's body, and making his face widen in a silent scream. She grabbed it before grabbing his chest, and throwing him into the ground.

"What... the hell?" Dohnaseek demanded through a weak breath.

"Anger makes you dumb isn't just a saying, you got careless when you let your anger only focus on who you were fighting, allowing me to use that against you." Penemue answered.

Raising her hand, she formed a giant, purple-colored lance of light.

"Goodbye, Dohnaseek." She quietly said.

She tossed the lance down, stabbing right through Dohnaseek's body, and making him dissolve into nothing. Penemue wiped her hands clean as she finally killed the traitorous Fallen Angel.

"As strong as ever, Penemue." Tobio praised.

"Thank you, now it's time for you to show your stuff." Penemue replied.

The Slash/Dog Leader turned to see Jin finally appearing, leaving his shadow as he rushed within reach of his wielder.

"Alright boy, let's go!" Tobio smirked.

**«"Right!"»** Jin replied.

Tobio tossed Jin's scythe to him, making it slink into the spot on his forehead before covering Tobio in shadows, who began to chant.

" **I sing for the slaying of a thousand humans. I celebrate the slaying of ten thousand goblins. The name submerged in total darkness, and that of the celestial black dog that drifts through the polar night! Thou, will perish by mine own black blade to be something absurd, the creator of the deformed!** "

Black-colored armor began covering Tobio's body.

" **Balance Breaker: Night Celestial Slash Dogs!** "

Tobio soon appeared in a Wolf-based Scale Mail armor, with his face in full view.

"Get ready, because this wolf's ready to howl." Tobio warned the terrorists.

Tobio thrust his hands out, sending a rain of black blades to soar through the sky, and smash into the enemy forces like a shadowy avalanche. Penemue winced briefly as she heard them scream.

"Ready to do this, Typhon?" Dulio inquired.

**«"Ready and raring."»** Typhon replied.

Dulio twirled around in the sky, causing a strong blizzard that instantly froze most of the Gogmagogs, who all gave their usual beeping as they were frozen. This gave the Great Seraph the opening they needed.

Uriel released a holy flame, Gabriel fired off rings of light, Raphael created glowing saw blades, and Michael then fired off a wave of light spears. The four attacks condensed together, splitting off into threads of light that purged all of the members of Anti-Maou Faction within its range.

"Damn it, you Angel bastards! You'll-" A Devil roared.

The Devil was purged as Jeanne shot past it, smiling as she held Hauteclere in her hand, and then jumped to be back to back with her younger brother.

" **Sword Birth!** "

" **Blade Blacksmith!** "

Two waves of blades shot through the ground and sky, piercing through many of the rogue Angels, and nearby Gogmagogs. Among the latter that survived, they all quickly equipped every possible weapon they could release from their bodies.

"Everyone, stay on guard." Arthur warned.

Right as the Gogmagogs were about to strike, they all began to suddenly short circuit, making everyone see Haniel snicker as she created rings of lightning that spiraled through all the magical Golems.

"All yours Camael!" She stated.

"I love those words!" Camael cheered.

Camael instantly zoomed forward, her body splitting into seven, with their colors being the usual six that made a rainbow and white. She and her copies rushed through all the Gogmagogs, causing them to burst.

"Never mind, it seems we're fine now." Arthur corrected himself, a nervous sweat drop on his cheek.

* * *

Meanwhile with the two female Devils, Lilith blasted her dark magic through all of Katerea's abilities, blowing her away before the Devil Queen appeared before her, smashing her fist into the traitorous Leviathan's face.

Katerea was sent flying into the school walls, with the wife of Lucifer shaking her hand.

"Had enough?" Lilith questioned.

At that moment, Katerea suddenly began laughing as she got back up, confusing Lilith.

"That's so funny?" Lilith inquired.

"Oh, I was just thinking how exciting your final moments would be." Katerea replied as she opened her hand to reveal a strange symbol with six eyes.

Lilith's eyes widen as she saw it, right as the former Leviathan heiress felt a spike in her power.

'No... that marking, it isn't possible! That thing is just a myth... isn't it?' Lilith thought in disbelief, feeling a bit nervous.

Katerea opened her left hand, causing her to blast out a huge beam of power, but the Devil Queen simply grabbed the attack with her one hand, surprising her opponent as her power boost seemed to do nothing.

"If you that's enough to defeat me, that just shows how naive you really are." Lilith replied.

The Mother of all Devils rushed forward, and before Katerea knew it, she was missing her hair bun... and the arm that held the strange symbol.

"I'll kill you!" She screamed furiously.

Lilith snapped her fingers, and fell into a gate made by the Power of Hole singularity, allowing Azazel switch places with her.

"I hope you don't mind the sudden tag out, but I find it more of an insult to the Anti-Maou Faction if you're the one who ends her." Lilith apologized.

"Oh, no need to apologize, this works out for me as well." Azazel replied, taking out his Artificial Gear.

* * *

Both Dhampirs still had their forms swarm across the Witches, and a few of them began latching onto their bodies.

"Attack them, attack!" A witch ordered.

While trying to fire off their beams, shadows and fog stretched out of the bats' forms, completely blinding them as their mana start to burn off their bodies as a gray smoke.

"My strength!" A witch panicked.

"They're somehow drinking our magic power instead of our blood!" Another answered.

Using their moment of confusion, Issei swung Ascalon, while Tosca fired her arrows. Multiple witches were struck, and while she had a chance, a Witch fired at the two... only for the shot to stop in midair.

"Impossible!" The witch screamed.

**«"It's no use, I can see every move you're making!"»** A deeper version of Gasper's voice spoke.

Everyone noticed the bats representing Gasper show an eye symbol on them... getting Ddraig's attention.

**["Ooh... it looks like Balor just woke up..."]** Ddraig said

**«"TIME OUT!"»**

The entire room of Witches was frozen in time, the power of Balor completely overwhelming their protection.

"Tosca, you're up!" Gasper shouted.

She nodded and readied a charged arrow, forcing Issei to hit the deck as it fired. The entire wall of the Old School Building exploded, sending all the Witches flying.

"Uh... that might have been overkill." Tosca apologized.

"I'm more worried about if Gasper's new friend is on our side or not..." Issei replied, looking at the eye.

**«"No reason to be weary of me. While I might be an Evil God's surviving fragment, there's no for me to go rogue when I've got no body to do anything in. What I do depends on my master, and you are his allies, so consider me the same."»** Balor replied.

The eye vanishes, and Gasper was seen with a dazed look.

**["Phew... we're clear, and if our estimates are right, so is everyone else."]** Ddraig sighed in relief.

* * *

At that very moment, Kelsey and Cassiel felt the last bits of their power exhaust themselves, making her collapse onto their knees.

"That's it, we're out..." The Demon Queen panted.

"Here they come!" Irina said, holding her sword close.

The gate was now free to be exited... only for it to instantly disappear, surprising all of the Witches. Those who were frozen also found themselves able to move, but confused to where they were, and what had been happening since time had stopped.

"Hey, what's going on here?" Rias asked.

"I'm not sure, but it seems like Gasper was involved." Sona realized.

"Oh good, you're all moving again. That must mean Issei and Valerie managed to save Gasper and Tosca from the Khaos Brigade's clutches." Nanami sighed in relief.

She undid her barrier to look at them.

"No time to explain the full story, but the Khaos Brigade that Cassiel's group brought up just attacked us, and they used Gasper's powers to their advantage. Everyone you don't recognize right now is an enemy!" The Telos Karma reader summarized in an instant

While initially surprised, Rias quickly took to the air.

"You heard her, we've got terrorists to stop." Rias exclaimed, readying an attack.

Everyone quickly followed as the battle turned in their favor.

* * *

**Well, that's the first round of the Khaos Brigade's attack subdued. There's still a few left for next chapter, but a good deal of our group got to fight, and the Longinus Wielders have proved what makes them dangerous, regardless of how strong each one is. Not only that, but you've gotten to meet the spirits sealed inside most of them, with only Valerie's still hidden.**

**All of the Longinus have a sealed consciousness/beast inside of them, a choice I made due to Sun Wukong's one comment towards to George, and because I think it helps further make the Longinus truly one of a kind, because most supernatural beings tend to be one of a kind, or at least specific/special individuals. When the last few wielders appear in story, a Concept Talk will be made to reveal what they are.**

**Speaking of the Longinus, if you haven't realized it by now, and because there's so many that it's a good time to reveal this fact... in this story, the Longinus don't have a tier ranking, and are all equally powerful as one another. My main reason for this is that all of the Longinus will be important, so I figured that with how Issei and Vali are the story's main characters, I should have them all on even ground to prevent the High-Tier ones from outshining theirs.**

**I think some of you remember how this season's opening had a strange symbol at the end, right? Well, you just saw it yourself, and while next chapter will confirm it the same was it was revealed as an Ophis snake in canon, I think it shouldn't be too hard to figure out who the symbol is connected to. All I can tell you is that in this story, Ophis isn't considered an antagonist at any point.**

**Well, this is it... the next chapter will be the end for the Summit Arc, and Season 2 of this story! Get ready for the aftermath, the amazing line about how the world keeps going without God or Lucifer, and most of all... to see some cameos for a few notable characters that I think you'll enjoy seeing early. Let's just say in Season 3, expect a few minor events to happen much earlier than they did in canon.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

* * *

**Vali's Peerage** **:**

**King - Valiana Lucifer**  
Queen - Issei Hyoudou  
Bishops - Le Fay Pendragon, Asia Argento  
Knights - Arthur Pendragon, Irina Shidou  
Rooks - Bikou, Kuroka Toujou (Mutation Piece: x2 Multiplier)  
Pawns - Yuuma Amano (x2), Six Unclaimed Pawns

* * *

**Rias' Peerage** **:**

**King - Rias Gremory**   
**Queen - Akeno Himejima**   
**Bishops - Gasper Vladi (Mutated Piece: x4 Multiplier), Valerie Tepes (Mutation Piece: x6 Multiplier)**   
**Knights - Kiba Yuuto, Jeanne d'Arc Yuuto**   
**Rooks - Shirone Toujou, Unclaimed Rook**   
**Pawns - Xenovia Quarta (x5), Tosca Shirayumi (x3)**

* * *

**Sona's Peerage** **:**

**King - Sona Sitri**  
Queen - Tsubaki Shinra  
Bishops - Momo Hanakai, Reya Kusaka  
Knights - Tomoe Meguri, Unclaimed Knight  
Rooks - Tsubasa Yura, Unclaimed Rook  
Pawns - Saji Genshirou (x4), Ruruko Nimura (x4)

* * *

**Bust Size of New Female Characters** **:**

**Katerea Leviathan - 93 cm**

* * *

**Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter** **:**

**None**

* * *

**Pairings List** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating**  
Ddraig/Albion - Married  
Tiamat/Fafnir - Married  
Ophis/Great Red - Married  
Saji/Sona - Master and Retainer  
Gasper/Valerie - Valerie's confessed, Gasper's feelings still unconfirmed  
Kiba/Tosca - Friends  
Hina/Nanami - Dating


	19. Chapter 19

**When you begin a story or part of a story, like with the Season format I use for this story, the one thing that you can never expect? How soon you may end up reaching the end. After beginning in Chapter 11, Season 2 is finally reaching the climax we've all been waiting for! Get ready, because in this chapter, a bomb full of twists, revelations, and more is about to drop!**

**Last chapter had us deal with the summit being invaded by the Khaos Brigade, and while they've gotten through most of their main troubles, they still have to deal with Katerea, the remaining enemy forces, and most of all... just who am I having replace Vali as the final opponent? Well, whoever it is, you won't have to wait long before Issei finally throws down with them.**

**As a friendly reminder, with the Summit Arc finally finished, this story has finally reached the point where it will gradually diverge from canon. It'll still take a little time for it to fully become noticeable, but I can assure you that you'll start to notice in Season 3, and it'll gradually keep going from there. For now, time for Issei to have his moment to shine in a season finale. That, and have those cameos I mentioned in last chapter's ends notes.**

**Before we begin today's chapter, I just want to thank everyone for all the support you've given me up to this point. It's all because of you that this story has made it as far as it did. Actually, it's even the reason I was ever able to get the courage to go beyond the first chapter, because I was a little scared when I first began writing this, if only because I had the normal jitters one has before making a story.**

**This is something I once heard from the Fairy Tail anime that I feel was an important Aesop that reflected for me at this very moment: "Writing a story is like showing your butt to the world", something I'm pretty sure meant you have to be brave to do it. No matter what, someone will see a story you make, for the sole reason that you, the one writing it, are seeing the very thing you've created.**

**So, to all my fellow authors who read this story, here's my advice to all of you. When you write a story, it's because that story is an idea that you've created. As such, don't be afraid of what people will see, and what they'll say. Most of all, don't let people tell you what your story should have, just ask that question towards yourself, and make your own answer, because in the end, you're enjoying the story you chose to make yourself.**

**I've kept you waiting long enough, so let's finally bring this season to an end! ^^**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

**[]** \- Ddraig Talking

**«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

**「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

**【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

**⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

**Mammon Clan**

**The fourth of the six Maou Clans that helped create all of Hell, founded by the original Mammon, the Maou who represented the Deadly Sin of Greed. Just like how the Beelzebub Clan helped create Hell's agriculture through their means to help feed themselves, the Mammon Clan help Hell form its budgets through their skills in gathering money through marketing, finances, and knowing the right stock predictions.**

**A sign of their power comes from their bloodline ability, the "Mithril Fortitude", which is based on the deadly sin the clan is associated with. This ability is considered one of the most versatile among Devils, as it can both harden and solidify the ground to make it tougher, but also soften & liquefy it. Basically, the power to manipulate rocks and metals via the solid and liquids states is the Mammon Clan's ability.**

**They aren't just limited to what's around them either, because due to having metals in their own body, they can also use these abilities on themselves! While they have less freedom with manipulating their body, this lets a member of the Mammon Clan harden their skin to be like armor, or soften it to become flexible like rubber, letting them mimic a multi-jointed bone structure. The ability's only true weakness is its limited range.**

**Other powers the clan have include the shared Maou Clan ability of holy light not being fatal to them like with other Devils, the ability to copy the property of metals they touch to change their skin's structure when in a hardened state, drain energy from someone if they'll willingly share it, creating an energy hand that combines with their other abilities or grab things, and restore damaged metals by touching them.**

**Like the other Maou Clans aside from the Lucifer Clan, one of their own caused the Devil's Civil War, namely the would-be heiress of the time, Gavauren Mammon. Her actions lead to many Devils trying to destroy the clan, forcing Lilith to create a compromise through choosing Falbium Glasya-Labolas as the Great Devil bearing their name, and having the current head give up their bloodline ability to her, giving Falbium the power to use his bloodline ability without moving.**

**In the present, the Clan's reputation has been restored due to Vali winning her Rating Game against Riser, with its current heiress being Aariliyn Mammon.**

* * *

**_Season 2, Summit Arc: Chapter 5 - Summit Shakedown, Part 2_ **

Back inside the old school building, the two Dhampirs had since resumed their human forms, and Issei was putting the band he got from Azazel on Gasper's arm. While he was doing that, Tosca looked outside, only to gasp as she saw the remaining Witches charging straight at them!

"Uh, Issei? You have something for that?" Tosca questioned.

The Sekiryuutei gritted his teeth at the sight, preparing for the worst... only for a sudden blizzard to freeze all the Witches!

"Huh?" Tosca blinked.

"Wait a second, freezing an entire area... Lavinia, is that you?" Issei smiled as he realized it.

Lavinia giggled as she flew in on a broom, with Absolute Demise's avatar rising from part of the ice.

"I couldn't let these Hexennacht bullies hurt my future brother-in-law, so when time finally went back to normal, I figured that it'd be a good idea to check on you." She replied, making Issei blush in embarrassment.

"Wait, what?" Tosca asked in confusion.

"This is the Half-Sister Vali told us all about." Issei explained, still blushing.

Tosca's eyes widened as she saw her.

"Wait, how does one woman give birth to two Longinus users!?" Tosca asked in disbelief.

A voice was heard from the Absolute Demise.

**«"I believe we should be returning to the others by now?"»** Her Longinus reminded everyone.

"Oh yeah, thanks for reminding us Yama Uba." Lavinia chuckled in embarrassment.

Lavinia cleared her throat, looking at Issei.

With their focus restored, all of them headed back to the battlefield as fast as their legs could carry them.

* * *

Vali flew around, unleashing magic beams to raze through the Anti-Maou Faction's ranks. She then held out her arms towards a large group.

**("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!")**

Vali absorbed their power, right as she began to pant a bit. Albion quickly took notice of this.

**("Are you alright?")** Albion asked.

"Yeah, think I'm just hitting this form's limit. I'm definitely not used to this power just yet." Vali answered, taking a moment to catch her breath.

That left the White Dragon Empress relieved.

Sirzechs formed spheres of his Power of Destruction, while Serafall crated icy wyverns around her. Both threw their hands forward, sending out their separate attacks, which razed through the rogue Angels.

While they were doing this, Demons prepared to strike them from behind, but...

" **Dragon Shot!** "

A group of Dragon Shots flew by, hitting all the Demons behind the two Great Devils, which made everyone see Issei's group arriving with Lavinia.

"Hey guys, we miss anything?" Issei asked.

"Welcome back, Issei!" Vali smiled.

At that moment, Vali stumbled a bit before lowering to the ground, her Scale Mail changing back to its default state as Issei caught her.

"Vali, are you OK?" Issei asked.

**["It looks like she just exhausted all her strength using her Diabolus Dragon form. I guess for the price of an alternative to the Juggernaut Drive is you've gotta train it up yourself."]** Ddraig answered, sensing she was fine.

**("Yes, it's very likely this form is not unlike the Evolved form of the Canis Lykaon's Balance Breaker.")** Albion answered.

Getting on her feet, Vali steadied herself.

"Do you think you can keep going for a bit longer, or do you need to rest?" Issei asked in concern.

"I'm alright, my reserves are plenty to keep going for a while." Vali confirmed.

Up in the sky, Katerea noticed the Artificial Sacred Gear that Azazel held up towards her, getting her attention.

"What are you holding?" Katerea inquired.

"Something more interesting in war, and a recent hobby I got into, one I like to call... making artificial Sacred Gears!" Azazel answered, smirking at the end.

This caught the traitorous Devil's attention, trying to make sure she actually heard that.

"Now, let me fully introduce you to the Down Fall Dragon Spear!" Azazel announced, holding it up as a jade glitter formed around him.

" **Balance Breaker!** "

In response to that, everyone with a Dragon-type Sacred Gear noticed their gems glowing in response to this.

**("This power, it feels like... no way, is it really her?")** Albion questioned.

**["Why's Yu-Long in a Sacred Gear!?"]** Ddraig shouted.

Vritra laughed from Saji's Absorption Line.

**«"I'm curious what power he's given that little toothpick."»** Vritra remarked.

At that moment, the sight of a green Scale Mail armor formed, with purple gems appearing in certain spots. Azazel held a trident of light while his wings were spread, before slowly vanishing one by one.

**«"Armor of the Fallen Dragon: Down Fall Dragon Another Armor!"»**

Issei gasped in shock.

"Whoa... I've gotta see what else he can make if he can make this and a gender swapping ray." Issei said in awe.

The Great Seraphs also showed interest in this.

"Incredible, to think our brother managed to accomplish such a feat." Uriel praised.

"It's definitely weaker than the ones our father made, and not as well made, but it isn't weak or poorly created either." Raphael remarked.

At that moment, Azazel chuckled.

"Now, come here." He taunted her, making a challenge motion towards the traitor of the Leviathan Clan.

Katerea screamed at that, soon throwing out her remaining good arm, which somehow stretched out and split into multiple arms. Soon enough, the Governor General saw the dozens of hands she created meld onto his arm.

"I'm not necessarily needed for the creation of our new world! If I can take out one of the leaders of the Four Great Powers, then I'll gladly destroy myself for glory!" Katerea's voice deepened, with purple markings appearing on her face as it began to distort.

That caught the attention of everyone, wondering what was happening to her.

"Dad!" Yuuma panicked in fear.

"Yu-Long, show her that was her death warrant alone!" Azazel exclaimed.

**«"Dragon King coming in hot!"»** She snickered.

Without warning, Katerea's entire arm was purged without warning, and without anything else happening. The traitorous Leviathan gasped in horror, while Azazel readied the trident in his hands.

"And that's a Royal Straight Flush!" He shouted.

Throwing his trident forward, Katerea gave one last scream of pain as she was stabbed through the stomach, and given a Devil's purge, finally killing the stain on the Leviathan Clan's name.

Azazel's armor soon breaks off, causing the Down Fall Dragon Spear to land back in his hands, managing to stay intact.

"Good, you didn't break this time." Azazel smiled.

**«"I wonder what kind of improvements you'll be making next."»** Yu-Long smirked.

"Looks like I've got some good news to bring back home." Nanami smiled as she watched.

As Azazel floated to the ground, Vali walked near him.

**("Yu-Long, I don't understand... when did you agree to this?")** Albion inquired, curious of the young dragon's choices.

**«"You mean why did I put myself in a Sacred Gear? Well, because I thought it would be fun, and it keeps Tannin from nagging about me not acting my age. He can't yell at me over that while I'm in here!"»** Yu-Long answered with a snicker.

**("Why are you so stupid, Yu-Long?")** Albion sighed.

Vali gave an awkward chuckle in response.

However, at that same moment, everyone noticed something was off... despite they had apparently defeated everyone the Khaos Brigade had sent over, the crystalline barrier had yet to disappear.

"Uh, hey guys? Why is that still here when we've taken everyone out?" Hina asked worriedly.

"Yeah, that's a big red flag..." Nanami agreed.

Cassiel looked at the barrier, raising an eyebrow as she flew up to get a closer look... and immediately got shot by something. Kelsey panicked as her mother smashed into the ground.

"Mom!" Kelsey shouted.

"Damn, I hope I'm not losing my edge there." Cassiel chuckled, climbing out of the crater as she looked towards her attacker.

A magic circle appeared, showing what looked like four strange looking "V" shapes pointing North, West, South, and East, which were all connected by a square that curved. The person that appeared from it had long, dark magenta hair tied in a braid, a scar over her left cheek, and wore a golden battle dress lined with gems.

"Well, look at that... I'd never thought I'd see the great Demon Queen get so close to calling herself an old fart! Guess miracles of all kinds really do exist!" The woman laughed, soon giving a dangerous smirk.

Hina and Nanami immediately recognized her, getting into a battle stance.

"Although, that's nothing compared to Katerea. I can't believe that stupid bitch was dumb enough to do that while Azazel was wearing magical armor! Most would say her death was said, but I say she got what she deserved!" She mocked the fallen Leviathan traitor.

"Great, who's this?" Saji questioned.

Lilith gave this new Devil the same look she gave Katerea, knowing her for the same reasons.

"Her name's Gavauren Mammon, and like Katerea, she's a former heiress turned traitor for being one of the few that started the Devil's Civil War... only she's much more dangerous." Lilith answered while she warned the others.

Gavauren smirked, looking at the Devil Queen.

"Well, look at the old hag, she actually did her homework! Too bad I'm still grading you an F- for your failures. After all, none of you saw my little friends I snuck in here!" Gavauren stated, glaring with a sinister smile.

Hina gasped at that.

"No way, you placed the spies in our ranks?" She realized.

"Well, look who still thinks she's a hot shot? Just because you realize that, and how this was an entire attack by the Khaos Brigade... I bet you have no idea who's leading us, much less our benefactor." Gavauren replied in a mocking tone.

"Has to be Shalba, after all... he was always the power hungry one, and the Anti-Maou Faction's leader. As for your benefactor... I realized it the moment Katerea showed that symbol on her hand." Lilith answered angrily.

Gavauren showed surprise at that, her eye twitching as she realized Katerea let Lilith see the symbol.

"Considering my son never actually joined your side on the battlefield during the Civil War, he's the only one I know that's insane enough to try borrowing from the apparently non-mythical Trihexa!" Lilith exclaimed loudly, pointing at her.

All of the Leaders who were present showed horror in an instant, with only a few others showing similar worries.

"Dear god..." Irina breathed.

"Is she serious?" Yuuma asked worriedly.

"Holy shit..." Kelsey shook in terror.

Issei looked at everyone with worry, noticing how everyone was now afraid.

"Uh... Vali, who or what is Trihexa?" Issei asked.

"I don't know, this is the first I've heard of such a... whatever it is." Vali replied, just as confused.

Lilith took a deep breath, turning towards the two.

"The Beast of the Apocalypse itself, a dangerous monster that's so strong, only Great Red and Ophis could match its power... much less actually destroy it. However, everyone thought it was just a myth." Lilith revealed.

"Wait, what? That doesn't make sense, if he was real, then Ddraig would have-" Issei replied in shock.

At that moment, Issei's eyes widened.

"The missing link... that's it!" He exclaimed.

Vali blinked, but then she suddenly gasped, piecing it together herself. The reason why no one knew what killed God and her father... because the creature that did it was said to be a myth!

"My god... Trihexa killed God and Lucifer!" Vali exclaimed.

"Huh!?" Lilith blinked in surprise.

At that moment, Gavauren suddenly began to laugh, giving a terrifying cackle.

"It looks like the young ones aren't as dumb as I thought! To think that just hearing the name would be enough that they'd realize that missing piece of information!" The traitorous Mammon laughed.

The Devil Queen's expression started to become one of horror, afraid to hear what Gavauren would say next.

"That's right, the one who killed God and Lucifer, along with the other five Maou, was none other than Trihexa itself! When the Great War was near its peak, the monster appeared without anyone realizing it, so God and Lucifer, with all the Maou by the latter's side, had no choice but to give up their lives to seal that beast away before it destroyed the entire world!" Gavauren confirmed.

"W-what... did you just say?" Lilith gasped in horror.

She fell to her knees, tearing up as everyone else gave their own horrified reactions.

"My god, so... in the end, they worked together to save the entire world, even if it meant they would die." Vali gasped, finding even greater respect for her father.

Seeing everyone had been shaken, Gavauren held out her hand as Trihexa's symbol appeared on it, empowering her in the same manner as Katerea.

"This power, it's amazing! Just a fraction of his power, and look at my aura? Its positively rampant with power! Even better is unlike Katerea, I've actually trained with it! Meaning I can destroy all of you, and end all this futile resistance against us! " Gavauren shouted as her entire body trembled excitedly.

At that moment, Issei readied Ascalon.

"Not on my watch! Gain all the power you want, but I'll still end up kicking your ass!" Issei exclaimed.

"Oh, so a failure's trying to lecture me?" Gavauren mocked, her face looking like a bully insulting a child.

Issei briefly blinked, wondering what she meant.

"Look at yourself, and you'll see what I mean, because fate truly is a cruel mistress. You're a complete joke, and an utter failure for a Sekiryuutei." Gavauren answered.

"Your mind tricks won't work on me." Issei replied.

"What mind tricks? It's a reality, one that your own so-called King proves as such!" Gavauren smirked.

Vali showed surprise, and confusion at that.

"The current Hakuryuukou not only possesses the power of the strongest mortal Dragoness, but carries the blood of the Devil King, so her entire existence is an outright miracle, one that makes our entire group question why Rizevim seems so adverse to her existence. Regardless, compared to her, you were just a lowly Human who had no grand achievements. A few trophies? Only worth what they are in this small country of yours."

"You're not even an impressive student in High School, and you spent most of your life without friends, the only ones you ever head were supernatural pity parties. Basically, without the Boosted Gear, you are **nothing** in the supernatural world! It's disappointing, it's so disappointing it's funny! Actually, the very fact you're her Queen is proof of this! Despite their power, a queen is just as expendable in Chess as anything that's not the King, meaning you're only second best, and second rate!"

"Even though the souls of your Sacred Gears are supposed to be equal rivals, you're as far apart from the Hakuryuukou as the Earth is to the Sky... no, more than even that, you're as far as the Heavens and Hell! I don't think it would even matter if you tried harder, because after all, that didn't matter one bit when your rival completely failed to save her own mother's!"

Vali's eyes widened as she heard that.

"Ooh, that actually gives me an idea... maybe I should kill your parents? If I do that, then you'll really be a perfect pair!" Gavauren thought, snickering in delight at the idea.

At that moment, Issei's eyes were covered by his hair, with Vali realizing what he was about to do.

"No... how could she be so cruel?" Asia questioned in horror.

"That bitch... she doesn't have respect for life of any kind, she's a monster!" Kelsey growled

Issei raised his sword, making Gavauren look at him.

"Aw, is the little Sekiryuutei going to-"

In a second, she felt her braid cut off as she her shoulder started bleeding a bit. Her eyes shook at the wound that should be there.

"W-what the?" Gavauren said in surprise.

"You sure like running your mouth, so I hope you're happy, because I'm gonna make sure kill you, and make you feel every moment of your dreams dying!" Issei screamed loudly, her aura flowing out.

**["How foolish of you, a Dragon's power can be magnified by intense emotions! Pissing him off was the last thing you should have done."]** Ddraig smirked.

Vali soon put a hand on Issei's shoulder.

"Everyone, please stay back. This fight just became personal." Vali ordered.

"Huh? But Vali, if we all-" Le Fay tried suggesting.

"Not this time Le Fay." Vali replied.

Everyone looked at her in surprise.

"After all the things she said to me and Issei, we can't just walk away from her. This is our fight now!" Vali stated.

Gavauren laughed at the duo, finding their talk mildly amusing.

"Wow, so you two brats think you can beat me? Fine then, if you're so intent to die, then I'll kill you right here!" The former Mammon heiress declared.

"No, we'll be the ones making sure you pay for what you've done!" Vali declared.

**「** **My Hero Academia: Jet Set Run** **」**

They rushed ahead, only for Gavauren to hold her hand out, forming stalagmites below them.

"Look out!" Vali warned.

Both of the Heavenly Dragons managed to get out of the way, and once they did, Issei instantly took the lead as he charged straight at them.

"Go, Ascalon!" Issei shouted.

He quickly sliced through the stones in an instant, shocking the traitorous Mammon.

"No way, those rocks were like diamonds!" Gavauren exclaimed.

She formed more stalagmites that rose even higher, and hardened her skin while unleashing a barrage of magical fire at Issei.

**["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"]**

Issei quickly dodged through the attacks, and screamed as he spun to unleash a few slash waves that crashed through again, only to continue towards Gavauren. The attacks hit her, breaking through her hardening.

"Shit!" She exclaimed.

"And that's checkmate!" Issei shouted.

Gavauren quickly held up a single arm, channeling Trihexa's power as she hardened it, and screamed with a loud voice as she knocked Issei away. The Sekiryuutei crashed into a stalagmite she formed, making him cry out in pain.

"No, I believe this is checkmate!" Gavauren retorted, giving a toothy smirk.

Right as she said that, she suddenly felt herself stumble.

**("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!")**

"What the-"

She screamed as Vali's Ethereal Twilight smashed right into her, completely locking her movements in place.

"Quick Issei, this is your chance!" Vali shouted.

Issei nodded, rushing ahead at top speed as he channeled all of his power into Ascalon.

**["EXPLOSION!"]**

His signature weapon glowed with intense power, creating a fiery tornado around the blade, which made the Holy Sword shake as Issei struggled to hold onto it.

"Don't underestimate the power of the Heavenly Dragons!" Issei exclaimed, swinging Ascalon upwards.

" **Crimson Flare!** "

Ascalon went ablaze as his signature technique empowered the Holy Sword, and Issei used it to cut through the storm of Vali's attack that still had Gavauren swallowed within it.

"She had to have taken a lot of damage from that, right?" Vali asked, panting a bit.

"Yeah, except... something felt odd when I slashed her." Issei replied, feeling nervous.

At that moment, the ground around the two suddenly rose up, trapping them inside. It wasn't just them either, everyone was caught in the stones, unable move, or use their powers.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

"Wow, you two really thought it would be that easy?" Gavauren laughed.

The traitorous Mammon hardened her arm to give it a sharper appearance, and soon walked towards Vali, who struggled to get out before her Scale Mail finally broke off.

"Vali!" Issei shouted.

"Sorry, but she's about to die!" Gavauren exclaimed.

Issei's eyes widened before he screamed loudly, making his armor overheat as it charged with power from his anger, and wish to save Vali.

**["EXPLOSION!"]**

For just a single second, Issei managed to extend Ascalon through the rock, and break himself out! Gavauren noticed this, and quickly moved away as Issei smashed his fist where she was standing, shattering the entire ground underneath it.

"Damn it! Why don't people like you ever know when to just give it up?" Gavauren growled in anger and annoyance.

Issei grabbed Ascalon again, flying at the traitorous Mammon.

"You know what? You're so annoying, I've changed my mind... I'll kill you first!" Gavauren declared.

The Sekiryuutei thrust his sword forward, prompting Gavauren to dodge his attack. However, right as she did, Issei charged up a familiar red sphere, making Gavauren's eyes widen.

" **Dragon Shot!** "

Issei unleashed the beam from the orb of red energy, but Gavauren channeled Trihexa's power before she knocked the attack away with her hardened arm. She instantly zoomed at him, making their auras smash into each other... which gave her the opening to stab Issei in the chest with her sharpened arm.

"You're too weak!" She exclaimed.

Issei fell to the ground, crashing hard as his Scale Mail armor broke, having taken all the brunt to prevent the former Mammon heiress from reaching Issei's skin.

**["I'm... sorry partner, but Trihexa's power is too much for me to handle..."]** Ddraig grunted, trying to catch his breath.

"It's fine, don't worry about me." Issei replied, getting to his feet.

He stumbled a bit, realizing that Gavauren's strike affected him more than he thought it did.

"Issei... don't lose! You have to beat her!" Gasper called out.

The traitorous Mammon growled at the annoying babbles of the unwanted (to her at least) audience that was watching.

"Oh, just shut up you annoying blights!" Gavauren shouted.

Everyone saw an attack fly at Valerie, forcing Issei to rush over and use himself as a human shield, horrifying everyone.

"Ooh, that's perfect! Thanks for giving me this idea!" Gavauren cackled.

She continued her barrage of attacks, with everyone horrified as they kept watching Issei take each attack, and yet... he didn't stop or falter, not wanting to let anyone die while he was still standing.

"This is perfect! Although, maybe I should aim more at your girlfriend alone!" Gavauren suggested, charging another blast.

Closing her eyes, she laughed as she charged another attack, but then...

**["BLADE!"]**

Ascalon used its signature extending ability, making Gavauren gasp in surprise as the sword went right through her. The traitorous Mammon's attack faded away, followed by Gavauren slowly lowering near the ground, panting a bit as she grabbed the tip of Ascalon's blade.

"Damn it, how much are you going to resist me? This wound is nothing!" Gavauren screamed.

At that moment, she yelled loudly as she poured all her power through the Holy Sword she locked her grip onto. Issei began to scream as the power began to overwhelm his body, burning it up.

"Issei!" Vali screamed.

"That's right, I'll overload you entirely, die from being overwhelmed by your own power!" Gavauren laughed.

"I... refuse!" Issei replied, his power suddenly rising.

Issei's aura began to blaze brighter, surprising everyone, even the traitorous Mammon. Gavauren suddenly felt her hand start to burn, making her scream in pain as she tried in vain to take her hand of Ascalon... to no avail.

"What's happening? Why's it starting to hurt? Why can't I get it off!?" Gavauren demanded.

**「** **Tenkai Knights: The Tenkai Wolf Awakens** **」**

Issei kept screaming as to everyone's surprise, a massive surge of holy light shot out. However, it was the Great Seraph, and Irina, who recognized that light.

"That light, why does it feel so familiar?" Irina questioned.

"Wait a minute, that light... can it really be what I think it is?" Gabriel breathed, looking like she saw a ghost.

Irina blinked, looking at her mother.

"I will not yield to you, because you're wrong..." Issei said quietly, his power rising even more.

Issei screamed even louder as it, and the aura of Ascalon went into the Boosted Gear's gem.

"You don't know anything about me, or the strength I have... Ddraig told me that I had the potential to become the strongest Sekiryuutei, so now... I'm going to prove he was right!" Issei screamed, releasing an explosive amount of power.

**["This is... such overwhelming power!"]** Ddraig exclaimed, feeling himself adapt to it.

Issei screamed loudly as his Scale Mail reformed, and it started to flash a crimson hue, making Vali gasp as she realized what Issei was about to accomplish.

"He's doing it... Issei's starting to create his own version of my DxD form!" Vali smiled, tearing up in joy.

* * *

Within Issei's mind, the same thing that happened with Vali was going on.

["Use the Juggernaut Drive!"]

["Yes, it is the only way!"]

As they tried to grab onto Issei, he screamed loudly, and managed to push them away.

["W-what's going on here!?"]

"I won't... do what you're asking me to do, and I don't care what reasons you have, because... I will never give in to that power! I won't let you fight the one I love, I'd rather kill myself... before I ever did that!" Issei exclaimed.

Unlike Vali, his predecessor's souls were left frozen by his resolve, which was literally pushing them away from him.

_["That's right, no one needs that accursed power."]_ A male voice proudly smirked.

Issei showed surprise, only to find himself turned into a kid with everyone walking by, ignoring his existence entirely. However, light suddenly shined as Irina's younger self appeared behind him.

"What the... Irina!?" Issei exclaimed in surprise.

"Go to her, she's waiting for you." Irina smiled.

A path of light formed, leading to a younger Vali, who turned to look at him with an expectant look.

_["Now go, and become what we could not. Show the world that the two Dragons of Red and White... truly **can** unite!"]_ The male voice encouraged.

Issei's eyes widened at that, tearing up before he rushed towards the young Vali in his mind.

* * *

Issei screamed even louder, and moved his free hand over his Boosted Gear, making the light he was manifesting take a specific form that the Great Seraphs, Irina, Lilith, and Vali all recognized.

**["I don't believe this!"]** Ddraig gasped in surprise.

"That's father's light, but how!?" Raphael exclaimed.

Vali felt herself go completely silent, having no idea how this was happening, or what could explain it.

"The... Blazing Dawn!" Lilith breathed.

Issei grunted a bit, realizing it was some kind of strange Holy Light unlike he had ever seen before, and then tightened his fists.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

"I won't let you lay a finger on anyone I care for, and I will never forgive you for trying to take anything from me! If the strength I have now isn't enough, then I'll just grow even stronger, because I won't let anything stop me!" Issei screamed at the top of his lungs.

"N-no, this can't be... you're just a weak Human!" Gavauren screamed in denial.

A red light enveloped all of Issei's body as his Sacred Gear began evolved into a new form... into his alternative for the Juggernaut Drive.

**["Alright, it's my turn to reach an even higher level!"]** Ddraig exclaimed.

The light finally, revealing Issei's new form. Issei's new form was now a crimson version of Vali's, with white in place of the black on her evolved Scale Mail, and differences specific to the Boosted Gear's armor. He now had twelve wings himself, along with various extensions, and spikier placements on his armor, with the latter two seemingly being the result of Ascalon's influence.

" **Dragon Deification: God!** "

"He did it!" Vali exclaimed.

Gavauren looked at the form in disbelief, holding the raw red hand that had been holding onto Ascalon moments prior.

"T-this is... no, I refuse! This won't be the end for me!" Gavauren screamed in denial.

**「** **High School DxD HERO: Potential Awakened** **」**

She slammed the ground, shouting as she made stalagmites form, which launched their tips like missiles at the empowered Sekiryuutei. As he saw this coming, Issei fired off energy beams from his armor, smashing them into dust.

"What!?" Gavauren shouted in surprise.

"It's no use, there's nothing you can do to stop me now!" Issei declared.

The traitorous Mammon roared, channeling all of Trihexa's power into a massive energy blast, and releasing it at Issei. However, he felt nothing as he walked towards her.

"Come on, hurt him already!" Gavauren demanded.

Issei instantly punched the attack, breaking it apart as the traitorous Mammon's eyes widened.

"Impossible!" Gavauren screamed.

"Nothing's impossible, and I'll show you it to you firsthand!" Issei countered.

The Sekiryuutei instantly screamed, glowing brightly.

**["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"]**

"Oh no you don't, I'll just have use this barrier's final trump card!" Gavauren shouted, bringing out a magic square.

As she tried to activate it, her arm suddenly turned into salt, making her panic as she noticed a magic circle where her arm once was. The crest on it was very similar to Ophis', but with three Dragons making an Infinity symbol with three loops.

Right at that moment, the barrier was heard shattering, making her look up as a certain red-haired figure was seen floating overhead.

"Wait a minute, that's..." Issei gasped.

The man above him was his martial arts teacher, and due to what Ophis had told him, he now knew his real identity.

**["Father..."]** Ddraig breathed.

"Don't mind me, I just don't want this sore loser to cheat her way to victory." Great Red replied, waving his hand.

Hearing that, Issei continued powering up his attack.

"S-screw this, I'm out of-" Gavauren screamed.

At that moment, the magic circle of Ophis appeared on her legs, causing them to be locked up, making everyone see her fly by her husband's side.

"Nuh uh, you started this fight, and you'll finish it." Ophis stated.

"You can't do this to me!" Gavauren screamed, starting to actually cry as a fear of death overtook her.

"Get ready, I'm about to destroy you so completely that there won't even be an atom left of you to be revived from! This is the power... of the current Sekiryuutei that you mocked, the power of Issei Hyoudou!" The Queen of Lucifer exclaimed, grabbing her.

He simply smashed his fist into her stomach, making Gavauren cough out spit... while also shattering her Trihexa symbol!

"My power... no!" She screamed.

Immediately after, an uppercut smashed her chin, sending her flying up into the air.

As everyone watched, they smiled as that one strike represented a blow of revenge in their names. The traitor of the Mammon Clan was barely staying conscious at that point, yet kept looking at Issei in fear.

"N-no... I am Gavauren Mammon, I... won't lose to a... fake reincarnated Devil... like you!" Gavauren refused, raising a hand out.

"Wrong! You're done, and now I'm going to make sure of it!" Issei exclaimed.

Screaming loudly, Issei began charging all the power he could into his hands, and created his own version of Vali's signature ability. It was Holy Light that gained the fiery blaze of the sun's flames inside of it, becoming something even greater.

" **Blazing Dawn!** "

Gavauren's eyes widened in horror as the ethereal flames smashed into her.

"How could... someone like you... manage to destroy me!?" She screamed.

The traitor of the Mammon Clan's voice continued to echo until the fiery light completely erased her, granting her the same fate as Katerea.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

Issei's attack kept going long after, exploding in the sky as a beacon of light, and making those who saw them think an unexpected miracle of shooting stars were flying across the sky.

"I... won." Issei smiled.

He soon lost his DxD G form, and fell onto the ground. The moment everyone was finally freed from their rock bindings, Vali rushed over to Issei, picking him up.

"Issei, are you alright!" She shouted worriedly.

"Hey, Vali... what are we having for dinner tonight? Because, I think I could eat a blue whale." Issei smiled tiredly.

Vali gave a teary smile, resting his head on her chest.

"So, that was the power that defeated Kokabiel, incredible..." Lilith remarked, amazed at the result.

The Mother of all Devils looked at the Dragon Gods with a questioning look.

"Why did only come to help us near the end, and at all for that matter?" She asked, confused by their motives.

"The potential to use our children's power is rare, and theirs is even greater. I believe it should be allowed to grow." Ophis replied, smiling as she did.

"For that reason, we asked Fafnir and Tiamat not to interfere." Great Red stated.

Hearing that, the Devil Queen's eyes widened in surprise, right as the two began flying into the sky as energy.

"Until next time Issei Hyoudou, and Vali Lucifer." Ophis waved goodbye.

"Continue to show us how you'll grow." Great Red requested.

Lilith blinked a bit at the sight, but then looked at Issei, and realized one thing was clear from this very moment.

"No doubt about it, those two are already equals, because their love for each other is what keeps them pushing forward." Lilith smiled, wiping a tear from her eye.

"Yes, I believe you're right." Gabriel agreed, smiling warmly.

From a distance, the sight of Tiamat and Fafnir watching the battle was seen, both of them smiling.

"I think now we all understand what we felt on the day those two were born." Fafnir remarked.

"Yeah, it's finally clear." Tiamat agreed.

Her fellow Dragons all shared the same thought, realizing the strange events behind the birth of Issei, and Vali.

"Yu-Long, is something wrong?" Azazel asked, seeing her gem glow.

The Jade Dragoness laughed a bit, leaving the Governor General confused at what she was laughing about.

Not wasting any time, all of the guards allied to the Four Great Powers began working together to repair all the damage, making everyone smile as they saw it happen firsthand.

"A combined effort between all of us." Kelsey smiled while looking at Rias.

"No doubts about it, we've finally achieved peace between us." Rias agreed.

Lilith smiled, sharing the same thoughts.

"As of this moment... the Alliance is official, and we are no longer the Four Great Powers, but the Christian Pantheon once again!" She announced, making it official.

All of the leaders smiled at that, right as Asia and Hina's combined efforts at healing Issei got him back on his feet.

"Excuse me, Chief Gabriel? If it isn't too much trouble or anything... would it be alright if I asked a favor of you?" Issei asked, looking nervous.

"As long as it's within my power, anything" Gabriel confirmed.

Issei smiled at that, looking at him.

"If it's alright... I'd like Asia, Xenovia, and Jeanne to be able to pray again? It would mean so much to them." Issei requested, surprising the trio.

Gabriel blinked for a bit, and then looked at them.

"Excuse me ladies, may I ask you a question?" She inquired with a smile.

They all looked at him, and nodded their heads.

"Even though you three are now Devils, and you know God isn't here anymore... will you still pray?" Gabriel asked.

"Yes, even if there is no God, I'd love to be able to pray." Asia answered.

"Same goes for me, I'd appreciate giving thanks to God and to all of you among the Great Seraphs." Xenovia added.

"Me too." Jeanne agreed.

Seeing this, Irina made a decision, with Gabriel noticing the look of determination on her face.

"Irina?" Gabriel inquired.

"I'll ask the same on behalf of everyone else who was exiled, please allow them to pray once again!" Irina requested, almost begging.

This caught the Seraphs by surprise.

"I was there when I watched Kokabiel reveal the truth, and it hurt me to be so powerless to do anything to prevent them from being exiled the moment we returned. So, after hearing Xenovia's words... I just can't sit back and let everyone else who wasn't as lucky suffer anymore!" Irina explained.

Haniel giggled a bit, looking at her brothers in Heaven.

"Perhaps you shouldn't stop there? If we're truly reunited, then we need to stop building walls, and replace the ones we don't need with bridges." Haniel suggested.

"H-Haniel, that's not something we can just do!" Uriel replied worriedly.

"No, she's right. We've defined ourselves too much to what we believe we can or can't do, and from here on out, light and darkness will co-exist as one. Besides, I doubt allowing Devils to not receive damage when they pray will be the end of the world." Gabriel decided without hesitation.

Hearing that, the trio and Irina all smiled happily. Uriel, Raphael, and Michael looked at one another, all smiling at their sister.

"Thank you mom!" Irina exclaimed with joy.

"Dear God!" The trio prayed.

Aside from Irina, they all felt a familiar pain after praying.

"Girls, she has actually make the change first, so I advise waiting until tomorrow before you try to pray." Michael chuckled.

"Yes, Lord Michael..." Jeanne replied in embarrassment.

Kelsey looked at Vali's group, and then considered what happened the last few days... leading to her making a decision.

"Hey, mom? Think you can do something for me?" Kelsey questioned.

"Hmm? What exactly?" Cassiel inquired.

Kelsey whispered into her ear, surprising her a bit, although she quickly smiled.

"Sure thing." Cassiel agreed.

"W-wait, that easily?" Kelsey questioned.

"Why wouldn't I? Kelsey, for the first time in your life... I can see you truly want to do something. What mother would I be if I didn't support you?" Cassiel smiled, winking a bit.

Kelsey's eyes widened at that, realizing she knew her other reason, and then teared up a bit.

"T-thank you..." Kelsey sniffled, hugging her close.

Cassiel rubbed her back, then looked at her guards.

"Come on everyone, let's tell the whole Underworld that all the other factions have agreed to dance with the demons!" Cassiel cheered.

All of the Demons face faulted at that.

"Really Cassiel!? You had to make that joke!" Camael groaned loudly.

Cassiel stuck her tongue out playfully, making her fellow Demon Lords face palm, while Kelsey just shook her head.

"Alright, let's get hurry back." Haniel begged.

The Demon Queen waved goodbye to everyone as her faction returned, leaving Kelsey with a bright smile.

"Michael, there seems to be something special about these children. I think I'd like to see keep watch on how they'll grow." Gabriel mentioned.

"As would I, perhaps you can keep me updated?" Michael suggested.

Gabriel giggled at that, nodding.

"Gladly, especially as it gives me more excuses to visit my little girl." She replied, putting her hands to her cheeks.

Uriel sweat dropped upon hearing her reasoning, while Raphael snickered.

"Sirzechs, as of now, I'll be officially moving in with my daughter. Can I count on you to share my wishes throughout Hell when I send them to you?" Lilith inquired while looking at him.

"Of course, the time we've planned of is coming soon." Sirzechs agreed.

"Don't worry, you can count on us!" Serafall smiled.

Lilith smiled at that, walking over to Vali as she did, getting the silvery-white haired Devil's attention.

"Looks like everything turned out well in the end, didn't it?" Lilith smiled.

"Yeah, it really did." Vali smiled.

After that, she gave a more serious look.

"That means what you've been preparing me for will happen soon... won't it?" The Hakuryuukou realized.

Lilith nodded her head, and rubbed her head.

"It won't be easy, but I know we can do it. This is the last stop we truly need for the restored Christian Pantheon to have a new beginning." The Devil Queen said, giving a voice of encouragement.

Vali smiled, hugging her mother close.

As the remaining Angels, Fallen Angels, and Devils began heading home, the full moon was once again clearly seen in the sky. From the rooftops of Kuoh Academy, a bipedal wolf was suddenly looking at everyone down below.

"Looks like this generation is strong, it makes me excited to see where they'll go." The werewolf spoke, smiling slightly.

The werewolf disappeared, right as Valerie walked over to Gasper.

"Hey there Gaspy." She greeted, surprising him.

"U-um... hey, Valerie? About what you said?" Gasper inquired.

Valerie blushed a bit.

"I... I think I... like-like you as well." Gasper replied.

Valerie blushed even more, soon smiling as it didn't fade. She took his hand, and the two looked at each other.

"Wait, they... when we were... oh, come on! I wanted to see them confess!" Rias pouted.

"Don't worry, I think we'll another pair confess their love soon enough." Akeno giggled.

Kiba and Tosca tilted their heads in confusing, wondering what the Gremory Queen meant... unaware of Jeanne's silent snickering.

Vali soon whistled a bit, getting everyone's attention.

"Let's all go home and get rest, we've earned it after tonight's events." Vali smiled.

"You've got it, Vali!" Everyone exclaimed happily.

As that was said, the news of this event soon transpired across the world through a few messengers.

* * *

**~Asgard**

Rossweisse was through some paperwork in Asgard, when she noticed an Angel appear before her, placing a letter in her hands.

"Please deliver this to your boss ASAP." The Angel requested.

"Sure, but... what is it?" She asked.

"Why not check yourself?" The Angel suggested.

The Angel flew off, prompting Rossweisse to open up the letter... then widen her eyes at the contents that were inside of it.

"This is..." Rossweisse paused before.

She immediately ran off, confusing many of the Norse Pantheon's denizens and Gods as she rushed by.

"Lord Odin, we have urgent news!" She shouted as she ran.

Eventually, the leader of the Norse Pantheon heard his bodyguard calling for him, making him turn as she ran towards him.

"You seem frazzled, what's the matter?" He inquired.

Rossweisse panted, handing him the letter. Taking it, he reopened it to read the contents, making his eye widen in amazement.

"Well, by my own beard, looks like the times are changing." He remarked, stroking his beard.

* * *

**~Mount Olympus - Hades' Realm**

Within the land of the dead, better known as Tartarus, a blue-haired girl was polishing her scythe.

"Damn bats, crows, and lizards! How dare they all pull a stunt like this!" Hades roared angrily, striking a nearby rock formation.

"Ah!" She screamed.

The girl swung her scythe at the debris, sending it flying at Hades' noggin, making him hold it.

"Watch where you throw things!" She screamed angrily.

Hades sweated a bit, soon being pushed away from the area by her father.

"Hey, what are you!?" Bennia demanded.

"My daughter's right, that kind of whining is gonna bring Lilith back, and I doubt you want her to do worse to you." Orcus warned.

Hades paled at that, groaning as he slumped down.

"I hate everything..." Hades declared, tapping his skeletal finger on his throne.

* * *

**~Mount Meru**

Indra was standing before one of the Daeva in his army.

"So, it seems that the Christian Pantheon has finally reunited itself, hasn't it?" Indra inquired, an arrogant smirk on his face.

"Yes, and both the Sekiryuutei and Hakuryuukou are in their ranks." The Daeva confirmed.

The Hindu war god's eyes focused on that news, making the Daeva in question sweat a bit... though his worries were unfounded as Indra simply turned away.

"You're dismissed for now." Indra replied.

The Daeva nervously saluted before he disappeared through a magic circle.

"Looks like soon enough, I'll have more than Shiva to take care of." Indra stated, his eyes glowing dangerously.

Nearby, the Hindu god of destruction was watching, gritting his teeth.

'Just when you think his ideas can't get any more dangerous, they do.' Shiva thought, wondering how he could protect the Heavenly Dragons.

* * *

**~Kyoto - Yokai Realm**

Yasaka was sitting in her home, waving her tails as she read a book, and Kunou was playing with some kind of logic puzzle.

Right at that moment, a Kyuubi that looked like a younger version of her, but an older version of Kunou, suddenly ran into the room at top speed, nearly slipping as she did. This caught the Youkai leader's attention.

"Nainen, is something wrong?" Yasaka asked her eldest daughter.

"I just got some news you might want to see, look at this letter." Nainen answered, panting a bit.

Taking the leader, Yasaka read it over before gasping.

"Oh my, I think Lady Izanami will be happy to hear about this." Yasaka smiled.

Standing up, she looked towards her eldest daughter.

"Nainen, I need you to be in charge while Kunou and I visit the her." Yasaka requested.

"Sure thing mom." Nainen agreed.

Yasaka smiled, picking up Kunou as she ran over to her, and putting her on her shoulders.

"We'll see you soon, big sis!" Kunou waved.

Nainen waved back, smiling at her little sister's enthusiasm, and then heading off to tell Grand Elder Tenguu about the news.

* * *

Vali was sitting in her chair, looking at everyone as they stared at their guest.

"As a result of the Christian Pantheon's reunification, I'd like to announce the new adviser to our clubs..." Vali explained to everyone.

"Hello." Lilith waved.

"So, basically the School's Director is also our club adviser?" Rias stated.

The Devil Queen chuckled a bit.

"Well, since this place works as the Director's office, and everything has to go to Sona before it comes to me, it seemed like a fitting arrangement. It also lets this town be the Alliance's base of operations, and a good place for others to visit during school hours." She explained.

"Makes sense to me." Issei remarked.

"We also each have our own things to help with, and that'll be a boon since my daughter's peerage is finally a full set." Cassiel remarked.

Everyone showed surprise at that, making Vali giggle.

"That's right, just used all six of my Pawns on someone. Why don't you come in?" She explained, looking towards the door.

Hearing that, everyone turned to the door to see... Kelsey!?

"Wait a minute... are you saying Kelsey is-"

"Just like it sounds. As of now, I'm officially part of Team Lucifer now." Kelsey verified, holding up a Pawn to quell anymore doubts.

After an odd initial reaction, Vali's peerage quickly gathered around Kelsey.

"This is great, all of us are together in one team!" Irina cheered.

"You're really insistent on representing that cousin thing, aren't you?" Kelsey chuckled oddly.

Rias sighed, smiling as she looked at Sona.

"She's only had a peerage for two months, and she's already gotten a full set. It makes me feel like we're lagging behind." The redheaded Devil remarked.

"Don't worry, I have a feeling that'll change soon enough." Sona replied.

At that moment, Lilith bopped he hand in her fist.

"Oh, that's right! There's one last thing I need to mention... and it might be the one thing you don't like." Lilith recalled, giving a nervous chuckle.

All three groups looked at her oddly.

"This is an official order from the Devil Queen. As of this moment, all of the Occult Research Club, Mythological History Club, and Student Council members shall be moving into the Hyoudou Household!" Lilith announced.

"WHAT!?" The two Dragon hosts shouted.

Everyone gave a similar reaction, going white from the unexpected revelation.

"Oh, don't worry too much, I have a feeling it won't be as bad as you think." Lilith giggled, sticking her tongue out playfully.

'I'm very afraid right now.' Vali thought nervously.

* * *

Vali saw Irina walk in with her suitcase, giving the Heiress of Lucifer a tight hug as she did.

"I'm already excited, are you?" Irina giggled.

"As excited as someone in a very cramped house can be." Vali chuckled awkwardly.

Xenovia walked by them.

"Should I just stay in the same room as Asia?" Xenovia questioned.

Issei's voice trailed off at the sight of the lack of room they head, making him sweat a waterfall.

"Uh... does your mom think we're hobbits?" Issei questioned.

"I have no idea, so this is a mystery to me as well." Vali answered, sweating nervously.

Issei soon began to sweat even more.

"What worries more is she seems to be planning something, and I have no idea what it is." Saji remarked.

Meanwhile, on the neighboring roof outside, Ophis was seen watching the antics of the three peerages moving into Issei's house.

"Looks like things are changing, aren't they?" Ophis told herself, smiling as she did.

The True White Dragon God Empress looked up to the sky, noticing the sun shining brightly.

"God, Lucifer... I wonder if you're watching this, and seeing what I am right now. The seeds you left from that day have finally begun to bloom." Ophis stated.

"That's right." Great Red replied.

As the Ouroboros Dragon saw the Dragon of Dreams sit beside her, he said a powerful set of words.

"Even without God or a Lucifer, this world keeps moving forward."

* * *

Meanwhile, in a certain mountain region close to Kyoto, various Youkai were seen lying across the ground, defeated. Cao Cao was seen holding the True Longinus as he held it out towards Yasaka.

"This is finished, now... time for you to say good night." Cao Cao declared, thrusting forward.

The Youkai Leader stood her ground as the spear neared her, keeping Kunou close. Once the spear hit, an explosion went off, making Kunou scream as she was flung away, only able to reach out towards her mother in vain.

"Mama..." Kunou cried, soon blacking out while still in the air.

* * *

Issei and Vali were seen standing on the roof of the Hyoudou Household, looking at the clear skies above them.

"I know that it could change at any moment, but for now at least... I'm glad that all of us can rest easy." Issei said, enjoying the view above them.

"Sorry you had to face most of that fight on your own." Vali apologized.

Issei looked at her, smiling as he did.

"No need to apologize, that Gavauren chick trapping everyone wasn't your fault. Not to mention it benefited us in the end." Issei reassured her.

She nodded silently, soon getting the Sekiryuutei's attention.

"Vali, tell me what's wrong?" Issei stated.

"It's... really that obvious?" Vali asked.

The Hakuryuukou saw her boyfriend nod, and closed his eyes for a moment. Giving a weak sigh, she looked at him, clasping her hands together.

"Issei, what Cao Cao said to us a few days ago... " Vali reminded him.

Issei looked at her, clearly seeing the worry on her face, possibly worry she had been holding back the last few days.

"What he said, it struck home more than you could have known, and for one big reason, you've had Ddraig tell you about the story behind the Juggernaut Drive, right?" Vali explained, her worry showing even more.

"Juggernaut Drive... yeah, I've heard how nasty of a power it is. My predecessors kept trying to make me use it until I was able to push them away. Why do you ask?" Issei confirmed.

"I've... done some reading, and it turns out our most recent predecessors, the 99th wielders of our Longinus? Just like the both of us, they also fell in love, and they were considered the Strongest Sekiryuutei and Hakuryuukou to date, meaning they're the ones our partners expected to surpass." Vali confessed.

Issei blinked, feeling like he was missing something.

"Uh... help me out here." He asked in embarrassment.

"Issei, don't you get it? Both of them tried to fight their fate like we are, but they still failed, and died when they fell each into the Juggernaut Drive. Neither of them got the happy ending they fought for, and now..." Vali explained.

"Vali..." Issei breathed, now realizing what her worries were.

She hugged herself, and Issei saw her body tremble.

"Right now, it seems like history is repeating itself. Love between the Heavenly Dragons hosts through us... when Cao Cao said that, I saw the reality before me. We haven't changed our destinies yet, and we could still lose each other, if only because our predecessors refuse to see our way. Will fate make us fight each other to the death, just like it tore their love apart?" Vali worriedly wondered out loud.

Issei put his hand on her, surprising Vali a bit.

"Then we'll shatter fate to pieces." Issei declared.

"Issei?" Vali said in surprise.

"I don't know what'll happen next, but the Juggernaut Drive be damned, because out of everything in my life I wouldn't do... dying will always be second to hurting you in any way. No matter what, we will find a way, and I want you by my side when we do." Issei promised.

Vali smiled with a warm blush, and nodded her head.

"Okay." Vali promised back.

The two held each other's hands, then sealed their promise by closing their eyes and kissing each other.

**‹LEGEND OF THE HEAVENLY DRAGONS: SEASON 2 - END›**

* * *

**And that's another season down! It wasn't as long a road as Season 1 (by just one single chapter), but we finally hit the end of Season 2. The Christian Pantheon is united once more, an Alliance against the Khaos Brigade is in the works, all three of Kuoh Town's Devil groups are moving into Issei's home, and... Cao Cao's presumably captured Yasaka, sending Kunou flying off in the process.**

**Issei's finally joined Vali in achieving his DxD form, and as you can see, his is named differently for the DxD part, being called Dragon Deification instead of Vali's Diabolus Dragon... which I think you can figure out by the fact he just happens to have a power that only God was known for having ^^; *chuckles* Although, it seems that despite Lilith knew Issei isn't Human, she was completely unaware he could use the Blazing Dawn.**

**However, the fact no one expected Issei to have the Blazing Dawn makes sense when you remember the only one who directly had his heritage was Jesus, who was killed by the True Longinus, meaning he didn't have any descendants with the heritage to be born with the power. Essentially, the fact that Issei should have it when the power should have been lost with God is a mystery.**

**On the plus side, this means after two seasons of development, Issei's finally grown strong enough and gained the right skills he needs tp play his role as the Deuteragonist of the story! What I'll do with him from here is something you'll be surprised by in the chapters to be, so keep an eye out for what will happen, because even as the Deuteragonist, his role in this story's important.**

**Let's also give a big congrats to Vali, who's peerage has finally been completed, with Kelsey having become her last member! I think a few of you had already expected me to make her a member of Vali's peerage, considering she already has two of her three cousins in it, and now it's official. Some of you may be wondering why I did this when she's got a similar position to Vali? Well, the answer to that is... a major spoiler I can't tell you about yet ^^;**

**Either way, with the Summit Arc having come to an end, this story is no longer shackled by canon, and will be able to start going more into its own direction. To excite you for what Season 3 will do? First, it'll begin with an original arc, since we already solved Kuroka and Shirone's issues back in the first season, and... we'll have an event that will be overarching across multiple seasons!**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

* * *

**Vali's Peerage** **:**

**King - Valiana Lucifer**  
Queen - Issei Hyoudou  
Bishops - Le Fay Pendragon, Asia Argento  
Knights - Arthur Pendragon, Irina Shidou  
Rooks - Bikou, Kuroka Toujou (Mutation Piece: x2 Multiplier)  
Pawns - Yuuma Amano (x2), Kelsey Akumaji (x6)

* * *

**Rias' Peerage** **:**

**King - Rias Gremory**   
**Queen - Akeno Himejima**   
**Bishops - Gasper Vladi (Mutated Piece: x4 Multiplier), Valerie Tepes (Mutation Piece: x6 Multiplier)**   
**Knights - Kiba Yuuto, Jeanne d'Arc Yuuto**   
**Rooks - Shirone Toujou, Unclaimed Rook**   
**Pawns - Xenovia Quarta (x5), Tosca Shirayumi (x3)**

* * *

**Sona's Peerage** **:**

**King - Sona Sitri**  
Queen - Tsubaki Shinra  
Bishops - Momo Hanakai, Reya Kusaka  
Knights - Tomoe Meguri, Unclaimed Knight  
Rooks - Tsubasa Yura, Unclaimed Rook  
Pawns - Saji Genshirou (x4), Ruruko Nimura (x4)

* * *

**Bust Size of New Female Characters** **:**

**Gavauren Mammon - 90 cm**

**Rossweisse - 100 cm**

**Bennia - 91 cm**

**Kunou - 69 cm**

**Nainen - 84 cm**

**Yasaka - 104 cm**

* * *

**Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter** **:**

**【** **Blazing Dawn** **】**  
 **The signature power of God, and the counterpart ability to the Ethereal Twilight, now inherited by Issei for unknown reasons. Where the Ethereal Twilight is a mix of Holy Light and Sacred Darkness, it seems that the Blazing Dawn is a mixture of Holy Light with Divine Flames.**

* * *

**Pairings List** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating**  
Ddraig/Albion - Married  
Tiamat/Fafnir - Married  
Ophis/Great Red - Married  
Saji/Sona - Master and Retainer  
Gasper/Valerie - Sorta Dating  
Kiba/Tosca - Friends  
Hina/Nanami - Dating


	20. Chapter 20

**Welcome back everyone! Season 3's finally started, and I'm glad to be working on it. I hope you're excited, because like I said before, due to Shirone having already made up with Kuroka, this arc is the first original one for this story. Now, since you'll see it through the arc name, I think you'll already have a slight idea about one of the events that will happen.**

**We'll also start digging further into the culture of the Demons, who I haven't had as much opportunity to show beyond mentions made by the few Demons that have shown. As of now, all you really know is they live in the Underworld, sometimes have horns, and are neighbors to the Devils because of land that Lucifer gave them. This arc will be the start of slowly changing that, no matter how fast or slow it takes.**

**However, the part about Season 3 that excites me the most? I've got some new, and important characters popping up, including some OCs that I haven't been able to reveal before now. Some of these include the Devils that have had no foreshadowing (aka OCs), but most of all... you're finally going to be see the Maou Heirs in person! I've been eagerly awaiting to introduce them since Vali first brought them up, especially after the reveal of Ingvild Leviathan!**

**Oh, and since Kiryuu has been revealed to be the Heiress of the Agrat Clan, which is their Lucifuge Clan equivalent, it might be a good idea for me to share what Clans are this for the other Maou Clans, since there will be some Devils from them that will appear at some point. Do know that this includes a Clan that would have served the Satan Clan that never formed.**

**Created by Lilith:  
~ Nahemah Clan: Serves the Leviathan Clan, as she's often the most infamous daughter of Lilith, so it's fitting she serves the 2nd Strongest Maou.  
~ Eisheth Clan - Serves under the Beelzebub Clan, as from what I've found in her origins, it says she tends to feed on fallen souls.  
~ Agrat Clan - Serves under the Asmodeus Clan, because as it was said when Kiryuu revealed herself, Agrat is considered Asmodeus's mother in Judaism.**

**Created by Lucifer:  
~ Abaddon Clan: Would have served the Satan Clan, which is why Lucifer made their bloodline ability the Power of Hole.  
~ Alastor Clan - Serves under the Belphegor Clan, as its shown he focuses on mind over might, and is patient, which are both traits that fit the sin of Sloth.  
~ Adramelech Clan - Serves under the Mammon Clan, because I found something mentioning he has ambition, which is often tied with the sin of Greed.**

**As you can see, Lucifer and Lilith each created three of the Clan originators, which is why they're the only Extra Devils (along with Lucifuge, who was accidentally made by both of them) who are High-Class Devils, rather than Mid-Class like the others. For the Abaddon Clan, while their Maou was killed before he became one, they still fulfill their serving role through Lilith, Mephisto, and last founder of Hell.**

**Now, before we begin, some of you have been really worried about what happened to Kunou after the Season 2. I can't directly answer that right now, so all I can say is that answer will come sooner than you might think, but it's also not in this chapter. For now, we'll be focusing on the Demons, the Underworld, and... well, like I said, the arc's name will tell you everything.**

**That's all, so... time to begin Season 3!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

**[]** \- Ddraig Talking

**«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

**「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

**【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

**⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

** Lucifer Clan **

**The first of the six Maou Clans that helped create all of Hell, founded by the original Lucifer, the Maou who represented the Deadly Sin of Pride, and was responsible for the entirety of the Devil race. The land that Hell became, the multiple clans of Devils, what made the Devils, the bloodline abilities, and so much more... all of it was because of the Lucifer, making his Clan the most powerful among the Devils.**

**A sign of their power comes from their bloodline ability, the "Ethereal Twilight", which is based on the deadly sin the clan is associated with. This ability comes from Lucifer's heritage as a former Angel, which merged with his connection to the sacred darkness (which he has the strongest link to), allowing him to wield both powers separately, or use them together to create twilight energy.**

**The powers of the Ethereal Twilight manifest in many way, being the source behind the Power of Destruction, Power of Hole, and Worthlessness abilities, while having tricks of its own. The most notable being how all members of the Lucifer Clan are the only Devils that can't be fatally hurt by Holy Light, although this doesn't make them immune to it, though this problem isn't a common issue because it would take a massive amount.**

**Other powers the clan have include the shared Maou Clan ability of holy light not being fatal to them like with other Devils (though at a greater level]), unnatural magical reserves that can let them easily learn spells from other magic systems, the ability to use the holy light of Angels, a Devil's version of weak superhuman-level body, accelerated healing, and being one of the few Half-Gods tied to Sacred Darkness.**

**The Lucifuge Clan has absolute loyalty to the Lucifer Clan, as they only exist due to how Lucifer accidentally created Lucifuge Rofocale when he tried to escape from Heaven. This connection is shown by how there's a Lucifuge for every Lucifer, meaning a new Lucifer or Lucifuge being born means a new Devil will eventually be born into the opposing clan, even if not immediately.**

**Among the Devils, they are the only Clan that is truly at risk of going extinct, as if you exclude Lilith due to being a Lucifer by marriage, and Rizevim because of his exile and removal of his clan ability... the only Lucifer left is the clan's current heiress, Valiana Lucifer. Those loyal to Lucifer are able to ignore Vali having human heritage for this reason, seeing her death as a great loss for Hell.**

**The Lucifer Clan's continued fight to survive is considered by many Devils as their kind's hope in eventually recovering from the Great War.**

* * *

**_ Season 3, Calling of the Elves Arc: Chapter 1 - Dancing with Demons _ **

_Issei saw himself in some kind of black realm, looking around in confusion as he tried to understand where he ended up._

_"Where am I?" Issei wondered._

_*ROAR*_

_Hearing that sound caught Issei by surprise, and he quickly looked around, only to see... himself?_

_"Wait, what's going on?" Issei asked._

_The other Issei rose his head up, and then said..._

_" **Juggernaut Drive.** "_

_"What!?"_

_The entire area turned green, followed by a massive roar as a black silhouette that looked like the stuff of nightmares appeared before Ddraig's host, who somehow found himself unable to move as the beast rushed near him._

_"Ddraig, what's going on?" Issei questioned._

_He didn't hear anything from his partner, making Issei begin to sweat._

_"Ddraig? Ddraig!?" Issei panicked._

**_["Longinus... Smasher!"]_ **

_Issei's eyes widened as he heard Ddraig's voice from his copy's mutated form, and screamed as it neared him, with no rescue for him in sight..._

_Or, so he thought._

_*SLASH*_

_In just one moment, a figure shot down from the sky, and cut through the attack. Before the silhouetted copy could react, the slash's power struck its mutated form, making it roar as red energy vaporized it._

_At that moment, Issei saw his savior, who was somewhat hidden by the light of their attack, but was visible enough for Issei to notice her crimson red hair, emerald green-eyes, and her figure was an exact copy of Vali's for both height and proportions. The unknown person walked near him, making the Sekiryuutei stare as they did, somehow telling they wouldn't hurt him. A hand touched his face, and then..._

**_"Remember, you must know who you truly are, and soon."_ **

_Issei was surprised by those words, right as the person in question began to move backwards into the air, slowly disappearing from the Sekiryuutei's sight._

_"Wait, who are you? And what do you mean!?" Issei shouted in confusion._

**_"Remember!"_ **

* * *

Issei's eyes shot open, making him gasp for air as his senses finally reminded him he was looking at the ceiling, and he was sleeping on his bed. Once his mind finally recognized he had been having a dream... or nightmare.

He wasn't sure due to the latter half of it, but since he was perfectly fine, the teenage boy sighed in relief that he was simply on his bed.

"Wow... now I know how Vali's nightmares used to make her feel." Issei said to himself.

However, it was at that moment he noticed a familiar silvery-white haired Devil was missing from the bed, making him panic.

"Hey, wait a second... Vali!?" Issei panicked, trying to find her.

"Good morning, Issei."

Issei blinked as he felt something crawling under his covers, raising itself to reveal Vali as she peaked up to smile at him.

As she couldn't put on her usual pajamas due to the massive move in, she wasn't wearing anything but her underwear with a baby blue T-shirt, which made no attempt to hide her massive breasts or generous cleavage, with some of her black-colored bra peeking out... possibly intentionally.

"Phew... there you are, I was worried after that dream I just head." Issei smiled, immediately pulling her into a tight hug.

Vali blushed for a moment as the covers flipped off her head.

"Oh, did you have a nightmare?" Vali asked, looking into his eyes out of concern for her boyfriend.

"Well, I guess half of it was a nightmare. I saw myself, the copy of me using a silhouetted version of my Juggernaut Drive, and then... someone saved me, someone that told me to remember right after." Issei summarized his dream.

Vali blinked at that, wondering why he would have such a strange dream, but when she remembered what everyone learned during the battle of the Summit...

"I have no idea, but maybe it might relate to why you have the Blazing Dawn, which is an ability only God should have." Vali guessed.

Before Issei could say anything in response, he felt his girlfriend lay on top of him, her breasts pressing against his chest. He blushed heavily as Vali sighed happily, blushing a little herself, and suddenly gave a very seductive look.

"V-Vali?" He replied, blushing a bit.

"Does this feel nice, Issei?" Vali asked in a sexy tone.

"Y-yeah, as if you had to ask." Issei admitted, blushing brightly.

"I like it too." Vali replied, looking at him in the eyes.

The two hosts of the Heavenly Dragons began to lovingly gaze into each other's eyes, feeling everything else around them fade from their senses.

"In fact, I think we should get to know each other... even better." She whispered.

'Even... better!?' He thought, his eyes widening greatly as his entire face went red.

Seeing the look in Vali's eyes, Issei realized exactly what she was asking of him, and he felt his heartbeat increase as the sweet, innocent-looking expression on her face had effectively destroyed his resistance.

'There's only two ways for this to happen, and we don't have an X-Ray machine, which means... oh god, is this even a good idea? Wait, if she's even trying to do this, maybe she knows something I don't and it's OK to do this. I don't think I can resist, I want to... do this... too!' He breathed, his minds thoughts racing.

Gulping a bit, he closed his eyes and motioning his mouth, prompting the Heiress of Lucifer to lower herself towards her boyfriend, and right as they were about to kiss...

"Issei! Vali! You've gotta see-" She shouted.

She suddenly went red in the face, seeing the two in their current position, which made both of them blush and look at her as she gave off a scream.

"You guys are supposed to lock the door when something like this should happen! Why did you let me see this!?" Irina screamed, unsure of what emotion she was actually feeling.

'Aw man, that killed the mood...' Vali pouted.

Vali got up and looked at her.

"Irina, we were only about to make out, calm down a bit." She lied, still feeling sad about being interrupted.

The Angel Knight blushed in embarrassment upon hearing that.

'Vali, you might have fooled her, but I know that's a complete lie coming from your mouth.' Issei mentally chuckled, turning his head a bit.

"Uh, well... how should I put this? Have either of you looked at this room since waking up?" Irina suddenly asked.

The two blinked, which then caused them to notice Issei's sheets weren't the same... neither was his bed, which had doubled in size. Following that, they noticed Issei's room was four times its size, with his trophy stand set near the middle of the wall left of the door.

"Wait, this isn't my room, is it?" Issei questioned.

"Oh my, she didn't..." Vali gasped.

Rushing out of bed, and taking Issei's hand, she opened the new window door to look outside at the now **seven story palace** they were sleeping in. The Hyoudou Household was no more, because now... it was the Hyoudou _Mansion_ instead!

"Huh!?" Issei exclaimed.

"What the living Hell!?" Vali screamed in shock.

* * *

***DxD Season 2, 2nd opening, Gekijyouron begins playing***

**(*Instrumental plays and begins building up*)** Vali was seen standing backwards as the jacket tied around her casual outfit's waist begins flapping, and then she turned around to give a serious stare with a smile on her face, causing her to encompass everyone's view.

**(*Louder Instrumental plays*)** Soon the gem of Issei's Boosted Gear appears as the "A Dragon's Heavenly Bonds" logo appears over it, each individual letter flashing brightly.

**(I've lived in this heavy pretense for all this time without question, but I can't do it anymore!)** Vali was seen looking at a green grassland, only to feel a sudden tap push her forward. She turned around, seeing her pushed her, and smiling as she did. **  
( I will step forward, and create a new road that I'll walk with you, my love.)** It was the sight of five female Devils hidden under black silhouettes, with magic circles showing the Leviathan, Belphegor, Mammon, Beelzebub, and Asmodeus Clan's crests appearing behind them.  
 **(There's a surge in my soul, and it's about to explode, burning with righteous fury!)** Loup runs by in his werewolf form, shattering the screen before Bennia descended into view while upside down, using her scythe to pull a surprised Rossweisse into view before she created a dozen magic circles, which each fired a powerful beam into the sky. **  
(Time for a revolution in the world's fundamentals, with me paving the way.)** Kunou popped into view, looking a little lost as she suddenly ran into a woodland village, and instantly unleashing her fox fires and some kind of serpent with a body of purple flames.

**(Whether it's day or night, I cross a silent boundary, full of infinite possibilities that can fulfill all of my dreams. With this new answer, I won't hesitate anymore!)** Vali was shown a kid by a lake, and as the water began to ripple, she stood up to show her current teenage self, who quickly summoned her Divine Dividing in response. **  
(I'll replace this system... that's failing!)** Rias stood by Sona, each with their signature abilities in hand. **  
(My adventure... it's starting!)** Hina appears alongside Nanami, each with their respective Longinus in view.  
 **(Time to signal a miracle that I know will change this world!)** Multiple young Devils appear in a group, each showing a determined face at the screen before out of nowhere... Yumina suddenly appears, twirling around before her shadow stretched out and flashed a pair of glowing eyes.

**(*Heavy drum solo*)** Multiple red flashes appear on a black screen, showing the silhouette of Rizevim and Euclid, before the red flashes settle on the symbol of Trihexa.

**(Jump start... this feeling, and race to the world above!)** Issei and Vali stand together in a magic circle, holding their non-dominant hands together as they unleash their signature, yet opposite abilities into the sky. **  
(I will argue with the fate of this world, keep strengthening my will, and shine brightly... like... the stars!)** A mutated version of Issei's scale mail appears before him, forcing him to draw what looked like an evolved Ascalon to fight it. The same happens to Vali, who reacts by forming magic circles, and swinging her hands out to launch the all of spells they carried.  
 **(Don't stop... no matter what you encounter, you must keep moving forward!)** Asia gives a sad look as she feels the hand of someone, revealed to be Diodora's behind her. While Kunou sheds tears as she holds a picture of her mother. **  
(This path I've chosen, it's what I believe in, and I'll see it... to the end!)** Issei's body screams loudly before a powerful force of pressure explodes across the area, causing him to be enveloped by a bright light that becomes a pillar that could be seen from Heaven and Hell.

**(Color my world brighter with a crimson red tone!)** Issei collides with an unseen figure, roaring as he unleashes his anger on him, and then breaking him into shards with a mighty punch, which he finishes with a strong slash using his sword.  
 **(Then sing an ivory aria that gives a white light to my soul!)** He suddenly falls as his scale mail disappears, seeing Vali below him, he reaches out to grab her, and they fall together before an explosion of red and white light fills the sky, becoming a bright sphere that slowly descended like a shooting star.  
 **(And I'll use it to make... the love in my heart shine a lovely pink glow!)** The two land on the ground together, looking at each other before turning to look forward, and seeing the rest of Vali's peerage run to their side, with smiles on their faces.

**(*Ending chime, slowly fading as an echo*)** Everyone appears inside the Hyoudou Mansion, posing in a large group picture that shines from a nearby ray of sunshine.

* * *

Currently, everyone was sitting at the new breakfast table, with quite a few of them still having yet to get over the shock of what was once a pair of regular, two-story terrace homes into a mansion. Issei's father defined it best himself.

"Yeah, I'll say I was surprised. I came home from work last night to find a seven-story palace with five basements, a small onsen, and even a heated indoor pool!" He smiled.

"I told you that I had my ways in these types of businesses." Lilith replied, winking to no one in particular.

Seiji chuckled, looking at her.

"Like being able to get a big deal construction magnate to turn two houses into... I can't even find the right words, but regardless of what they are, it would be in a good way!" He stated.

Hana soon walked near the table, pushing a tray with cups of tea for everyone.

"What I'm impressed by is how we slept through what was a single night remodeling process. Talk about convenient. Not to mention this kitchen so big, moving around it has become so easy!" She smiled, handing everyone their tea.

"And that space is also large enough for a few... other activities." Seiji winked at his wife.

Yuuma went red at that, her mind quickly thinking about her parents rather... active relationship.

"Seiji!" Lilith laughed.

Kelsey rubbed Yuuma's back.

"Don't think about it... don't think about it... don't think about it..." Yuuma repeated in a whimpered tone.

"Well, at least this solves the issue of room we expected upon moving in." Sona remarked.

"Honestly, I get the feeling she planned this." Saji mentioned.

Lilith giggled at that.

"And there's the confirmation." Vali said, pointing at her.

"Why, whatever do you mean?" Lilith asked playfully, looking away on purpose.

"Mom, I've lived with you long enough to tell what you're thinking at times." The Hakuryuukou replied.

The Sitri heiress closed her eyes at that, mentally shaking her head.

"That's good, I was worried that I might be the only one in this house who has embarrassing parents." Kelsey sighed in relief.

"Hey, my mom's not that smothering." Vali said in response.

At that moment, a knock was heard at the door, getting everyone's attention as Issei stood up.

"I've got it." He stated.

Opening the door, he was met with the sight of a familiar face carrying a bunch of luggage, said face belonging to Yumina Lucifuge, who was now wearing the Kuoh Academy uniform.

"Hey guys, I'm here!" Yumina waved.

"Yumina!" Vali smiled.

The Lucifuge heiress quickly threw her bags to Issei, who luckily didn't have to worry about carrying more weight than he could handle, and hugged her fellow Devil Heiress in response.

"What took you so long? We were expecting you yesterday." Lilith asked.

"My little brother. The moment Millicas found out, he was a little... clingy about it. Took me until the middle of the night to get ready." She chuckled, using her cover story.\

Vali giggled at that, while Issei gave a light chuckle.

'And now I know why we have more rooms than we actually need.' Issei realized.

* * *

The group soon went off to school, which was their last day before Summer Break began. Yumina herself was only present to check things out, as she'd be transferring in after Summer Break's end began the next trimester.

At the moment, most of Issei's usual class was present, but some students from the other classes were currently gathered in the room as well.

"So dish, I bet you've got lots of cool things planned over Summer Break!" Murayama asked excitedly.

"I only recently moved back here, so I kinda feel a bit unprepared." Irina answered.

"Me too, I also don't know what I'll be doing." Xenovia replied.

"Oh, that's right, this is your first Summer off ever, isn't it?" Katase recalled.

Meanwhile on the boys' half of the room...

"Last day of school, and you know what that means?" Matsuda declared excitedly.

"Sexy Summertime! Babes and bikinis at the beaches and pools! My sniper sense is tingling with anticipation!" Motohama replied, his glasses shining upon answering.

Issei shook his head, chuckling a bit.

"You plan to only aim it at Murayama, right?" Issei inquired.

"Come on, I'm not that unfaithful. No rules about eye candy while not intentionally looking for someone." Motohama answered.

'In other words, you admit you'll still be trying to see other girls in their swimsuits.' Issei thought.

"Sucks you can't join us." Matsuda remarked.

"Not exactly my fault Vali set up something for the MHC to do this Summer, though I think what she has in mind will still be pretty exciting." Issei replied.

Right at that moment, Kiryuu's laugh was heard, getting their attention.

"So, the perverted duo's keeping their Summer schedule open?" Kiryuu asked in a playful manner.

"Hey, shut up!" Motohama replied.

"Yeah, step off! We've already got a know-it-all with glasses, and that's Motohama! His glasses can accurately measure a girl's BWH sizes faster than I can finish a short sentence!" Matsuda replied.

Hearing that, Yumina's eyes widened a bit.

"He's kidding... right?" She agreed.

'Ooh... bad idea to ask him that.' Issei thought.

Adjusting his glasses, Motohama gave an impressed look, smirking a bit.

"I see you've got a grand size of 105 cm." Motohama analyzed.

Yumina nearly stumbled onto the floor.

"How'd he guess that right!?" The Lucifuge Heiress loudly questioned.

Kiryuu chuckled, a glint coming from her glasses.

"Sorry, but you're not the only one with that technique." Kiryuu chuckled, her glasses sparking.

Everyone in the room suddenly gasped in horror.

"No way, you've got Scouting Sight as well!?" Motohama panicked.

'It's probably just those disguise glasses.' Issei and Vali thought.

"Let's see what we have here..." Kiryuu wondered, looking at Matsuda.

He panicked, quickly inching away.

"Don't you dare try to smuggle any info about my kielbasa!" Matsuda screamed, a slightly angered look on his face.

"Kielbasa smuggling? Sounds like an issue that should be relegated to the authorities." Xenovia mentioned.

At that moment, everyone in the class suddenly froze... before laughing moments later, confusing the bluenette in the process.

"I'm confused, what did I say?" Xenovia questioned.

"Xenovia, I think for once you're better off not knowing." Yuuma replied, covering her face as she blushed.

The wielder of Durandal had no idea what she meant by that.

* * *

After the... unique incident in class, everyone met in the old school building, where Issei was staring out the window for the moment. After a bit, the Lucifer Queen looked at the silver-haired Devil.

"Hey, Vali? What exactly did you plan for the MHC to do this Summer?" He asked.

"I didn't plan anything, my mom's making that decision." Vali answered.

"Really? I wonder what she's up to then." Issei wondered.

Lilith appears behind the two, and right as she was about to scare them with a small giggle.

"Mom, I know you're behind us." Vali stated.

"What!?" Lilith exclaimed in surprise.

"You can't exactly hide your presence when your shadow tells us where you are." Issei pointed out.

The Devil Queen looked down, realizing the window had her shadow appear in front of them, making her blush in embarrassment.

"Uh... nobody tells my peerage." Lilith said with a slight sweat drop on her face.

Clearing her throat, she moved over to sit on the desk, then gave a loud whistle to catch everyone's attention.

"Before I say what we've got planned, I'm awaiting a guest who'll be showing up in about... right now!" Lilith smiled.

"Did someone call us?"

Kelsey's eyes widened as she recognized the voice of her mother, who opened the door, revealing herself to the group.

"Mom!?" Kelsey shouted.

"Didn't expect me, right?" Cassiel giggled.

At that moment, she formed a magic circle, and then her hand out, causing a bunch of letters to spin through the air, with one landing in everyone's hands.

"Open them up and see what I've got to say in them." Cassiel smiled with closed eyes.

"And you couldn't just tell us?" Kelsey inquired with a raised eyebrow.

Hearing that, Cassiel suddenly laughed at her daughter's words, making the Demon Princess give a worried look.

"Why would I do something so boring for this?" Cassiel questioned.

Hearing that, Kelsey sighed in relief.

"You really like showing us Demons as the life of a party, don't you?" She remarked with a smirk on her face.

Cassiel lightly stuck out her tongue at that.

With that out of the way, everyone opened their letters, making a small burst of magic pop out of them. A magic circle quickly followed, showing one of the Demon Lords spinning into view.

**_"Hey there everyone, this is Demon Lord Vasiariah here! I'm here to tell you that you've been invited to the Underworld's congratulatory feast! Come and celebrate the reunification of the Christian Pantheon, who've ended their ceasefire conflict and become one again."_ **

The magic circle ended after Vasiariah spun out of view, giving an excited holler... all while the teenagers gave flat expressions, aside from Kelsey.

"Yeah, that was definitely one of Vasiariah's invitations." Kelsey confirmed with a sweat drop.

"While the letter itself caught me off guard... a party in the Underworld? I've never seen Hell's neighboring land, so that sounds exciting!" Le Fay smiled as her eyes sparkled.

"If I remember right, the Underworld's a nearby area of land that was created when your dad made Hell, right?" Issei recalled, looking at Vali.

"That's right, while not allies, the Demons were probably the least hostile to us Devils for that reason." Vali confirmed.

Jeanne suddenly laughed a bit.

"So, tomorrow, we'll be going to one of the lands below the Earth? For a former Church member turned Devil, that's an irony I never expected to experience." She remarked.

"Before we go, there's one important question I need to ask..." Cassiel said with a serious expression.

That comment made everyone focus on her, and then...

"Does anyone here get motion sickness on trains?" Cassiel suddenly smiled as she asked.

Everyone face faulted a bit, while Yuuma suddenly went green in response.

* * *

A blue-colored train was seen traveling through a dimension space linking Earth and the Underworld together, with most of the passengers doing their own things to pass the time, and... Yuuma completely green as she laid on her seat.

"I'm gonna die... I'm gonna die..." Yuuma repeated, heavily nauseous at the moment.

Cassiel sweat dropped a bit, still a bit surprised over how her small joke ended up as for Yuuma.

"How's she doing?" Cassiel inquired.

"She'll be fine, I gave her some medicine that'll make her feel better after it kicks on." Vali reassured her.

"Any reason trains make you motion sick?" Bikou inquired.

Yuuma went silent at that, recalling an incident where she got caught on one of her father's strange experiments that involved her getting stuck on a rampaging train.

"No comment..." She answered quietly.

"I never expected to go to the Underworld on a train." Asia remarked, still surprised.

"Yeah, we went to Hell once through a magic circle to visit the Familiar Forest, and then that magic flier to crash Riser's Engagement Party like we were filming a movie. Kind of made it seem like it was that easy." Issei agreed.

"It is, but you still have to go through the appropriate channels to avoid being labeled as a criminal. This is a proper trip, so that's the case here." Yumina explained.

Kelsey finished a bite of her snack, and then looked at the Sekiryuutei.

"This method was made by the magical technology the Demons excel in, our contribution to the ceasefire included giving such trains to the other three factions." The Demon Princess explained.

"Oh yeah, that's why Kokabiel stole it during his little debacle." Issei recalled.

**【** **Train Conductor** **】** **  
We will soon be arriving at the Underworld Capital of Elysium. Repeat, we will soon be arriving at Elysium.**

"Elysium?" Le Fay repeated.

"Most cities in the Underworld are named after certain depictions of the afterlife you'd see in Humanity's myths and/or religions. It's probably why the Underworld is sometimes considered a prominent example of the afterlife." Cassiel explained.

Issei whistled at that.

"Impressive." He stated.

"You think that's impressive, how about you look outside?" Kelsey smirked, pointing at the window.

Right at that moment, everyone looked out the windows, and they were met with an unexpected surprise. What many assumed would be a dark looking land was shown to actually be a high-tech kingdom with various artistic designs and a green colored sky, similar to the pink-red sky that Hell possessed.

"Whoa! No matter where my eyes wander, it looks like something an artist made!" Tomoe exclaimed.

"The Demons are actually a fairly artistic race; how else do you think we've got so advanced with our tech?" Cassiel explained, chuckling at the end.

"Wow, sounds like the Demons are pretty diverse." Kuroka remarked.

Looking around, Issei began to wonder how big the capital was, and how much of it was the entire Underworld.

"Hey, Cassiel? How big is this city?" Issei inquired.

"I'd say this entire city is as large as Japan's smallest island." Cassiel answered.

"Seriously!?" Issei exclaimed.

"You think that's impressive? If we were in Hell, and you saw the Lucifer Clan's territory, you'd be looking at enough land to match Japan's entire archipelago." Lilith giggled.

The Sekiryuutei's jaw dropped at that, but he had little time to hold that position as out of nowhere, everyone was suddenly jumbled around as the train suddenly stopped. Once it had, Yuuma blinked a few times as her skin returned to its normal color.

"Hey, my nausea's gone!" Yuuma smiled in relief.

**【** **Train Conductor** **】** **  
Pardon the sudden stop, the Emergency Break has been activated as a security precaution. We will be continuing monorail operations momentarily.]**

Irina rubbed her head a bit, unaware that her breasts had crashed into Asia's face, leaving the former Holy Sister in a slight daze.

"Ow... that hurt a bit, why'd we have a scheduled stop?" Irina asked.

"If Remiel was right about what she told me, it's because we have a few guests from Asgard who're coming to the party to consider joining the Alliance." Cassiel answered, straightening her back out.

"Asgard?" Tosca repeated, unfamiliar with the term.

"It's the home of the Viking Gods, the forces behind Norse Mythology. There's a lot more than just us in the Christian Pantheon." Kiba answered.

Hearing that, Issei looked at Lilith, who easily realized his question.

"There are multiple groups in the Supernatural World, which we refer to as factions. Some are completely on their own, and others are somewhat tied the various Pantheons, either still independent and just sharing land, or loyal to them. Due to the Great War's massive casualties... only seven pantheons remain, including us and Asgard." Lilith answered.

"No way, only seven?" Issei replied in shock.

"Yeah, the other five are Olympus, the home of the Greek Pantheon. Mount Meru, where the Hindu Pantheon resides. The land of Takama-ga-hara, which belongs to the Shinto Pantheon. There's also the lands of Romania, which is part of the Celtic Pantheon, where me and Gasper lived as children. Finally, there's the Egyptian Pantheon, who reside in the sands of Egypt." Valerie listed.

Saji sweated at that, gulping a bit.

"All of which who could also be sided with the Khaos Brigade?" Saji questioned.

"Yeah, and if you remember the Magicians, any faction can be a possibility, even if only a portion of them. I know the Vampires and Werewolves have a horrible relationship that could be taken advantage of, the Grim Reapers of Hades since he hates the entire Christian Pantheon aside from the Angels, and we could even have a few Dragons that aren't our allies. There's a good chance an enemy could come from anywhere, or be anyone." Lilith answered.

Saji paled even further at that, making Ruruko rub his shoulders.

"Lilith's right, while this might be a party on one end, it's also a conference against the Khaos Brigade. Anti-terrorist countermeasures are such a pain..." Cassiel said with a sigh.

Issei blinked, thinking for a moment.

"Ddraig, are their any major factions that we'd have to worry about among the non-Pantheons?" He inquired.

**["There's the Dragon Faction, though I find it unlikely because the only Dragons who would are currently resurrecting. Then the Magician Faction run by Mephisto Pheles, and we already met with Hexennacht's witches. Then there's the Hero Faction, who are tied to the Shinto Pantheon, and I doubt they'd join them either.]** Ddraig answered.

"The Hero Faction? Does that mean people like Jeanne?" Issei asked.

"No, the Hero Faction is only tied to Japan, and only came to be because of the Shinto Gods, making my example the opposite. If Cao Cao wanted anyone from that group, they'd need a Sacred Gear for him to show any interest." Jeanne clarified.

"Oh... alright then, I'll ask about it later." The Sekiryuutei decided.

After a few more minutes, the train resumed its movement, continuing towards Elysium's station terminal.

* * *

In another area of the world, a young boy around Asia's age with gray hair that reached his shoulders and purple eyes, wearing a gakuran with a short-sleeved coat over it, was seen yawning as he stood before a field of defeated Youkai.

"Another victory too quick for your liking Leonardo?"

"Hmm?" Leonardo looked behind him.

Leonardo saw a young man with black hair, wearing spectacles, and a combination of a gakuran and a mage-style robe, appeared behind him.

"Of course it was, Georg. They were nothing like that fox lady that leads them all. She was actually a challenge, but these guys were pathetic." Leonardo replied in a monotone manner.

Something fell from the sky, catching the duo's attention as a woman with short black hair, with three long strands tried into a bind like a lose rat tail, landed before them.

Her attire consisted of light blue armor with only some black cloth acting like a tank top and underwear, a white belt, and brown boots. She had a pair of three pronged daggers attached to the belt, and her eyes had a coldness to them that resembled ice.

"Jingu, did you have any luck in finding her daughter?" Georg asked.

"Afraid not Georg, I couldn't find any trace of the brat after we launched her into the sky. Doubt she even survived her landing at this point." Jingu answered, waving her hand.

"So cynical." Leonardo remarked.

Georg sighed, adjusting his glasses as he looked at the two.

"Come on, we should report back to Cao Cao." George stated.

A strange mist formed without warning, with Georg walking through it. Leonardo didn't take long before he followed it. After both of them walked through, Jingu looked at the defeated Youkai behind them, flashing a dark smirk.

* * *

The train finally arrived at Elysium's terminal, and after it did, the group had arrived at the large castle that Kelsey and Cassiel called their home.

"While I haven't been gone for that long, it's good to be home." Kelsey smiled.

"Hey, open up! We're here!" Cassiel shouted, knocking on the door.

Kelsey sighed at that reaction, face palming a bit. In response to that, a young Demon Girl opened the door, and smiled at who she saw.

"Sis!" The girl exclaimed, rushing towards her.

"Hey Lucina, it's been a while! And you grew like six inches since I last saw you!" Kelsey smiled, pulling her into a hug.

"Everyone, this is my second daughter and my youngest child, Lucina Akumaji." Cassiel introduced.

Lucina waved to everyone.

"Aw, she's such an adorable cutie!" Le Fay blushed at her cuteness.

"Yeah, a little ball of sunshine among us Demons." Kelsey replied, rubbing her sister's head.

"Its things like this that help us stay strong... considering what happened to my sun 16 years ago." Cassiel sighed, looking to the side.

Most of the group went silent, while those who didn't?

"Uh... a little fill in the blanks, please?" Saji asked.

"Cassiel's only son, who was known as Seth Akumaji, died only a month before he would have succeeded her. Kelsey was only a newborn when it happened." Lilith explained.

"Oh man, sorry about that." Saji apologized.

The Demon Queen smiled, ruffling Saji's hair.

"It's OK, he would have wanted me to keep going, so I make sure that his memory is honored. Even though it means one of my daughters will be burdened with a responsibility to rule when they don't want it." Cassiel reassured him, sighing near the end.

"For the Christian Pantheon, hereditary succession is necessary because the leaders have better potential, kind of sucks because I don't think our dad wants a fourth." Kelsey groaned, shaking her head.

At that moment, the sound of someone walking to the door was heard.

"You all talking about me like I'm not here?"

Looking at the door, everyone saw a man with dark blue hair, and an appearance that rivaled Lilith's if she were a man.

Vali instantly noticed the small traits only she could notice from the experience of living around her mother for so long. The only three in the world who'd have them were Lilith herself, Eve, and...

"Daddy!" Lucina exclaimed, jumping into his arms.

"Hey dad!" Kelsey greeted.

The husband of Cassiel, the Demon King that was once meant to be the first Human man, Adam.

"I'm back, darling." Cassiel smiled.

Adam walked over to her, and the two began giggling as they nuzzled each other's cheeks.

"Whoa, so that's Adam?

"I don't believe it... I'm seeing Adam himself, in the flesh!" Irina gasped, her body shaking like a collector finding a super rare item in stores.

After a bit, Adam looked to everyone.

"Greetings everyone. As you've likely heard by now, I am indeed the same Adam that once lived in Eden." He replied, waving his free hand.

The Mother of all Devils waved at him, making Adam chuckle as he met his old friend.

"Good to see you Lilith, you look at radiant as ever." He smiled.

"You still got your looks, but then again, we both know why that's the case." Lilith replied.

Both of them laughed.

"Any luck on finding Eve yet?" She asked worriedly.

"I'm afraid not. With how invisible she seems to be, I'm honestly worried that she might have been killed without anyone knowing it." He shook his head.

Lilith gave a sad sigh, hoping that he was wrong about her possibly being dead.

"Well, let's not dwell too much on that, I'm sure she's still at there. For now, let's get ready for the party." Cassiel replied.

Both of Eden's former residents nodded, knowing Cassiel was right about how worrying wouldn't help find her.

* * *

In a large ballroom area, filled with warm shades of gray and cyan, one could see the other races of the Christian Pantheon, all in formal attire, mingling with the native Demons via talking, having fun, or enjoying the food. Some of the VIP guests that could be seen included a few of the Great Devils, three of the Seraph, and two of the cadre.

At least, that was the sight that the MHC, ORC, and Student Council saw upon walking into the room. For the occasion, all of the ladies were wearing either fancy dresses, regal gowns, or etc. such as Kimonos. For the men, they had stylish suits, or armor meant more for the regal decor than combat.

"Wow, not even the peace summit had so many of us in one place." Tsubasa remarked, being the only girl in a suit.

"Amazing." Gaspar agreed, being the only guy in a dress.

Irina looked around, noticing two of their own were still absent, and scratching her head.

"Hey, where are Vali and Issei?" She asked.

The golden-haired Angel soon heard someone clear their throat, making her turn to see Vali as she walked in with Issei, their arms linked together.

The Sekiryuutei had his hair somehow slicked down against all odds, wearing a red suit, while Vali was wearing a light blue dress with some black details, and a few white roses on it. For her hair, she had it styled into a neat bun.

"Vali, you look amazing!" Asia praised.

"I normally don't say this, but... you've actually managed to look sexier than me." Kuroka reluctantly admitted.

"Really? You think so?" Vali replied, giving a blush filled smile.

Saji looked at Issei's hair, and right when he was about to ask how he managed to tame it...

"Irina did it, and it's a secret she wouldn't even tell me." He answered.

At that moment, a certain cherry haired Devil woman walked nearby, her face all flushed as she hiccupped. Rias quickly noticed Roygun Belphegor as she walked towards them, and sweat slightly.

"Oh no, Lady Roygun is drunk again." Rias warned worriedly.

"Drunk? You kid me Rias, I've only had 20 glasses so far." Roygun giggled at the apparent joke, then hiccupped.

The young Devils all paled, knowing that's exactly how many she took to get drunk.

"Hey, young Sekiryuutei? How about you and I have some fun together?" Roygun offered, grabbing his chin with her free hand.

A sudden chop hit her head, making her whimper as she rubbed it.

"I think you've had enough to drink if you're willing to hit on our Princess' boyfriend, hope you don't mind a punishment after this party." Diehauser warned as he dragged her away, being the one who hit her.

"No, don't do it Sirzechs! I'll be good!" Roygun whined, too drunk to realize her error.

Issei sweat a bit, then took a deep breath.

"Is... that a regular thing?" He inquired.

"Only if you give her 20 glasses." Rias answered, a slight sweat still on her face.

Meanwhile with the other leaders, a trio of Angels was seen talking to three of the Demon Lords. The former trio were former Seraphs who had become part of the Great Seraphs after the events with Lucifer becoming a Devil, and the Great War.

For the Angels, the first of the three had long red hair that spread out a bit, while covering her left eye. She was the Angel of Patience, Sandalphon. The next of the trio heavily resembled her, having shorter, light blue hair that didn't cover either eye. She was the Angel of Diligence, Metatron, the younger twin of Sandalphon. The last of the Angels had mint green hair, with a weird stand on her right that somehow curled into a heart shape. She was the Angel of Chastity, Sariel.

For the Demons, the first was a woman with shoulder length black hair, being none other than Vasiariah, the one who appeared in Cassiel's invitation letters. The second was also female, having long, wild, and unkempt purple hair. She was the Demon Lord known as Leliel. The last of the trio was the only male among them, and the Demon Lords in general, having short, dark blue hair that highlighted his lean stature. He was the Demon Lord known as Remiel.

"What's the current state of Lord Odin, will he be arriving soon?" Sandalphon inquired.

"Yeah, I assigned Moroni on security duty, and she said they'll be arriving soon." Remiel answered.

"She's been assigned to protect Odin?" Sariel said in surprise.

Remiel nodded, sighing from the stress.

"I'm not surprised, a few of the Norse gods seem to have stick up their butts about the potential alliance... especially the one spoiled brat." Metatron mentioned.

"And worse, like everyone else who's against the peace, the problem is the Khaos Brigade could be recruiting those same people as we speak." Leliel agreed, throwing in the other major issue.

* * *

A while into the party, Vali was seen taking a bite into a slice of pie, right as someone walked behind her. They got closer to her ear, and then...

"Surprise!"

Vali jumped a bit, turning around to see a girl around her age with long, silky pink hair, and light blue eyes that gave off an otherworldly feel to them.

She was wearing a fancy dress that not only made no attempt to hide any skin, but actually seemed to make every attempt to show skin, letting many of the man admire her lovely body that fit the myths tied to a Succubus.

"Shuriliu, it's been too long!" Vali said with excitedly.

The two hugged, getting the attention of Vali's newer peerage members.

"Vali, who is this?" Issei asked.

"I can tell you that. After all, she is _my_ King." Kiryuu answered.

Everyone's eyes widened at that.

"Wait, but then that would mean...!" The Sekiryuutei stated.

Shuriliu giggled, and then gave a curtsy that only served to show off more of her voluptuous figure.

"That's right, I am the current heiress to the Asmodeus Clan, and descendant to the original Asmodeus herself. My name is Shuriliu Asmodeus." She revealed, winking at the group.

"S-she's a Maou Heiress!?" Saji exclaimed in shock.

As the rest of the group continued showing their own forms of surprise to the encounter, the Asmodeus Heiress looked at Issei with a look of interest as he took his chin, looking him in the eyes. He sweated a bit, knowing she was related to the Maou representing lust, however...

"Relax, this isn't me trying to seduce you. I just wanted to get a good look at the boy that Vali's heart found synergy with." Shuriliu reassured him.

"V-Vali, is she telling the truth?" Issei asked, sweating a bit.

"Shuriliu may be an Asmodeus, but she's also as lustful as I am prideful. One of her standards is she'll never take someone else's lover, and she refuses to take advantage of someone who was emotionally hurt, even if they seek her out." Vali confirmed.

Issei was surprised, with Shuriliu smiling as she pulled away.

"Truth is all the original Maou were like this. Hell was built on freedom, and while Devils do have desires, it's because we have the freedom to dream and reach for something. Freedom is also the choice to not do something. Lucifer himself kept his light due to his pride of having met Lilith because he had it." Shuriliu explained.

Right as that was happening, Shuriliu noticed a Male Devil walking to someone, making her sigh as she rested a finger on her forehead.

"3, 2, 1..." She counted.

Right as she finished, a sudden burst of lightning shot off, followed by a storm of water and ice. The caster was quickly revealed to be a female Devil with long purple hair that reached to the top of her hips, and orange eyes that shined with the brilliance of a premium pair of amber gemstones. Her outfit was unique as it was also her casual clothing, which looked like tribal clothing as an elegant modern-day dress with a skirt.

Standing across from her, and currently flat on his but, was a male Devil in a yellow/black hacket with a lightning bolt pattern. He had short blue hair with green eyes... and the expression of a playboy trying to be suave with no success.

"Stop it Zephyrdor, just leave me alone already! Why can't you accept my answer's no!?" The female Devil shouted.

Zephyrdor chuckled as he got up.

"As if, everyone wants a piece of the Zephyrdor game." He questioned, holding his hands out.

"I think you mean nobody, including myself!" She replied, covering herself as she moved back.

Rias sighed as they saw it, shaking her head.

"Right on cue..." She remarked.

"Wait, you know this guy?" Saji questioned.

"His name is Zephyrdor Glasya-Labolas, a playboy that always causes something at any festivity he's invited to." Sona explained, also sighing.

Meanwhile, watching from the sidelines, a small looking Devil with a figure like Serafall's was seen eaten three whole chicken wings, including their bones. She had long, messy hair of a leafy green color, and amber-colored eyes with a gentle tone, wearing a simple dress.

Next to her sat a girl with long, brown-colored hair that had a few strands over her face, possessing bright blue eyes that currently had a bored look to them. Like her friend, her dress as also simple.

"Think that Zephyrdor's gonna die?" The hungry Devil asked.

"Dunno, though it would give some excitement to this party... though it might make Falbium think the Demons did something to his baby brother." The bored replied.

At that moment, a Devil with golden-blonde hair reaching between her shoulders and elbows, with shining silver eyes walked by. She was wearing a fairly expensive dress based on its appearance, and the gold lining across most of it.

Snapping her fingers, she caused magic circles with the Mammon Clan's crest to form, making the two stop as stalagmites appeared before them.

"That's enough Zephyrdor, all you're doing is proving why you're labeled as the Glasya-Labolas problem child." She warned.

"Shut your mouth you Mammon Trash! I'm related to one of the Great Devils, so no one talks to me like that!" Zephyrdor shouted, giving a dark glare from his eyes.

The Mammon heiress shook her head, giving him a disappointed look.

"I intended to solve this peacefully, but if you're going to insult the Maou's name like that... Sairaorg, you can take it from here." She said before walking away.

"That's right, walk away you coward-" Zephyrdor mocked.

A blur rushed by before smashing a kick into Zephyrdor's chest, slamming him onto the ground. The shock wave caused a few to lose their balance, fall, and in the case of Asia, fly near the wall. Luckily, someone caught her before she hit it.

"Don't worry, you're alright." A boy with short black hair, and closed eyes reassured her.

"Oh, thank you." Asia replied.

The one who KO'd Zephyrdor was soon revealed to be a girl with short, messy black hair with gold streaks in it. As a strong looking male devil with short, spiky black hair walked into view, she quickly hopped over to him, smiling.

"Sairaorg, did I do well?" She asked.

"Yes, that was impressive work." Sairaorg praised.

"Hello there Sairaorg." Rias greeted.

"Good to see you Rias, I hope you don't mind the strange welcome." Sairaorg greeted back, holding a hand up.

The female rushed over to Rias, surprising her as she began rapidly shaking her hands.

"Hey there, this is the first time we've met! I'm Sairaorg's younger sister, and his new Pawn, Venelene Vapula!" She introduced herself excitedly.

Rias looked at Sairaorg in surprise, who chuckled a bit.

"Sorry it never came up, but Venelene wanted you to learn about her in person." He explained.

"Hold on, but she said her last name's Vapula. How is she related to you when you're a member of the Bael Clan?" Tosca questioned.

"That's easy, I took my mom's former name because our dad's a jerk!" Venelene answered, showing an angry look.

She gave off a growl similar to a Lion, making Tosca's eyes widen, recalling how the Vapula Clan's powers were connected with the infamous wildcats. Realizing what she did, she cleared her throat in embarrassment.

"We're gonna go over here now, so... bye for now!" She suddenly replied.

Sairaorg was dragged away before he could say anything, making everyone blink at the odd sight they just witnessed.

"So, that was your cousin, Rias?" Issei inquired.

"That's right, the current Bael Heir, and the one considered as the strongest Devil Youth." Rias confirmed.

The Sekiryuutei looked at Sairaorg in awe, wondering if they might have to face each other in the Rating Games one day. Before he could think much more about it, Vali took his hand, and smiled at him.

"Issei, I think it's time you meet my other friends from Hell." Vali smiled.

She pulled Issei over, where the Mammon Heiress was talking with the Leviathan heiress, who rubbed her arm in response.

"Are you alright? He didn't hurt you at all, did he?" The former asked.

"No, but he almost did, and that's why I used my powers at that one moment. He was actually scaring me for once." The latter replied.

Right as the Leviathan heiress finished, she noticed a familiar silver-haired Devil walking up to her.

"Look, it's Vali!" She exclaimed.

The Mammon Heiress immediately looked in the same direction, smiling before she waved hello.

"Vali, good to see you!" Aariliyn greeted.

"Same here, although I don't see Niruili or Leelexe anywhere. Did they not come?" Vali greeted back, noticing the two absent faces.

Shuriliu cleared her throat, revealing the hungry and bored Devils from earlier.

"Vali!" The hungry Devil exclaimed.

"Well, speak of the literal Devil! Good to see you!" The bored one chuckled, no longer bored.

Both of them came over, with the former giving Vali a hug.

"I know it's only been a few months since I left for Kuoh Town, but I'm glad you're all here." Vali smiled.

"Why wouldn't you, we're all BFFs here." Shuriliu giggled.

The Belphegor Heiress soon noticed Issei, who held a hand up to greet them.

"Uh... hi there." He said nervously.

At that moment, the Mammon Heiress recognized who he was, and walked up to him to take the hand.

"Issei Hyoudou, the Red Dragon Emperor, and the one who finally put an end to the traitor of my Clan... you don't know how much me and Ingvild have wanted to meet you since Hina and Nanami told us about the Summit." She smiled.

"Wait... you know Hina and Nanami?" Issei asked in surprise.

Giggling a bit, the Mammon Heiress walked back, and put her hands on her hip.

"While they're not Devils due to some weird glitch that happened when we gave them Evil Pieces, the two of them happen to be our respective Queens." She revealed.

Even Vali was surprised by that, making her friends giggle.

"So that's why you guys kept refusing to tell me who you had in your peerages. If you had, then you'd have had to reveal your two Longinus wielders." The Lucifer Heiress sighed, smiling a bit.

"Hey, it's only fair when you've got the Sekiryuutei as your Queen and boyfriend." The Beelzebub Heiress giggled.

Shaking her head, Vali held out a hand to the five female Devils while looking at Issei, who looked back in reply.

"Issei, these four are my friends, and the heirs to the other Maou Clans; their names are Ingvild Leviathan, Leelexe Belphegor, Aariliyn Mammon, and Niruili Beelzebub." She explained.

Realizing the traits he had seen so far, and due to Aariliyn mentioning he had killed the traitor of her family, he quickly realized who was who.

"Nice to meet you all. I'd introduce myself, but it seems like you already know me." Issei greeted.

"Say, does that mean any of you have the Regulus Nemea in your peerage?" Vali asked, wondering if they continued the pattern.

Niruili shook her head for everyone, then whispered the two.

"He's with Sairaorg, but your mom says don't tell anyone until his first Rating Game." She whispered.

They both nodded.

'I can't believe I never considered that. If any Devils could get Regulus on their side, it would be those of the clan who have the power of taming lions.' Vali chuckled.

"Hey Vali, you spend a moment with your friends. I'm gonna go grab some food." Issei alerted her.

Vali smiled before pecking Issei on the cheek. He rubbed his blushing face with a smile, and then walked towards the food table.

"So, tell us how fighting Kokabiel went." Ingvild asked.

"Let's see, it started when..." Vali began.

* * *

As Issei was getting food from the plate, a familiar face walked up to him.

"Hey, Sekiryuutei... it's been a while."

Recognizing the voice, he turned to see none other than Ravel Phenex standing behind him, wearing an elegant pink gown with phoenix feathers at the ends.

"Ravel Phenex, I haven't seen you since the Rating Game." Issei greeted, easily recognizing her.

"Of course, that's how you remember me..." Ravel sighed, looking to the side.

Issei flinched at her response, realizing he probably should have excluded that last part of his greeting.

"Uh... so, how have you and your brother been doing?" He asked.

"I've been doing fine, while Riser's been training ever since he lost, realizing just how many people truly stand above him. He's already looking for a new Bishop to better fit his team's strategy than I ever did." Ravel answered.

"Wait, you're not his Bishop anymore?" Issei asked in surprise.

"After he lost, Riser decided to trade me into my mother's peerage, having realized I wasn't using my talents to the fullest under him. My mother doesn't play the Rating Game due to having no need to, so I'm basically free to do what I want until I find a new King." Ravel explained.

Clearing her throat, Ravel held out a Phoenix Tear capsule to Issei.

"Anyways, I'd like to offer you this as a token of friendship." Ravel stated, blushing as she slightly looked away.

"Really, are you sure I can have this?" Issei said in surprise as he took it.

"That's normally something only a High-Class Devil should receive, so you shouldn't ask questions about receiving such a gift." Ravel replied, still blushing.

Issei gave an awkward chuckle.

"Not to sound weird, but... you don't have a crush on me, do you?" Issei asked.

"W-what? No, I don't have a crush on you! You confessed to Vali way too early for such a thing. It's more like a-" Ravel stuttered in response.

Realizing what she almost said, she sweated a bit.

"Uh... I need to greet the other guests, bye!" She quickly stated before walking off.

As Ravel walked off with an embarrassed blush.

"I wonder what it's more like for her to get an embarrassed blush over?" Issei wondered, pocketing the Phoenix Tear.

* * *

As the various leaders talk, the sight of Lilith was seen walking to view with Cassiel by her side. The Demon Queen gave a tired yawn, stretching as she shook the rest of drowsiness away.

"Oh, there you are, Cassiel." Leliel smiled as she saw her.

"Where has she been all this time? I honestly began to think she skipped this event." Metatron inquired.

"Nah, I was just taking a nap in the closet." Cassiel explained.

The Great Seraph's eyes went white, blinking a few times at the unexpected answer she just received.

"Whenever our eccentric leader does something on a whim, or has to do it on the fly, she always ends up falling asleep. I had to leave her gown in said closet for that very reason." Remiel explained, snickering a bit.

Sandalphon's eye twitched a bit, turning to the side.

"That's... a very interesting habit." She replied.

Lilith giggled a bit, patting the Angel of Patience on the back.

"Well, on the plus side, she woke up in time to meet our guests." Lilith smiled, pointing behind her.

All of them turned to see the mighty Odin walk into view, followed by a beautiful, teenage Valkyrie with long silver hair, and light blue eyes. Her attire consisted of a simple, lavender-colored business suit. Vali quickly recognized the two, especially the latter.

"Hey, Rossweisse!" Vali waved.

Noticing Vali in the crowd, the Valkyrie silently waved back with a smile. This caught Issei's attention as he looked towards Bikou.

"Vali knows her?" Issei asked.

"She does. When Vali trained in Asgard, her teachers were an old Valkyrie named Gondul, and the Valkyrie leader herself, Brynhildr... who just happens to be Rossweisse's mother." Bikou explained, smirking at the end.

Issei's eyes widened at that.

"So, that means this is the daughter of Brynhildr and Sigurd, if mythology's right!?" He exclaimed.

Bikou nodded her head, chuckling a bit.

"The two ended up good friends, enough that Rose grew her hair out because of her. The one downside about her is she didn't inherit any of her Sigurd's unique powers because Valkyries can only inherit the strengths of their fathers." The Monkey Man explained.

Issei looked confused at that.

"Wait, what do you mean? Aren't Valkyries just a job?" Issei asked.

"Nope, they're an entire species that are one of the many beings we call Half-Gods." Bikou clarified.

Issei blinked at that, tilting his head.

"Half-Gods? Don't you mean Demigods?" Issei asked.

Bikou shook his head.

"There are three classifications we give deities that aren't true Gods. There's Demigods, who are those who are born with a God as one of their parents, meaning they also possess an immunity to reincarnation systems because they're linked to the same associations. Then we have the Buddha, like my old man Wukong, that gained strength worth to be reborn as Gods because of how they rose up." He explained.

"Let me guess, they've already reincarnated, and you can't stack two reincarnation systems onto each other due to a possible paradox that could result." Issei realized.

The Rook of Lucifer nodded.

"That's right, and this is where Half-Gods come in. The term is another way of saying they're a divine race, or common Gods that have no association, because they were made by one or more deities in that certain pantheon. That lack of one means they can be reincarnated because the issues with the former don't exist." Bikou confirmed.

Issei nodded in understanding, looking back at Rossweisse.

"So, how many Half-God races exist?" He inquired.

"Quite a few. There's the Valkyries of Asgard, the Grim Reapers of Olympus, the Asura and Daeva of Mount Meru, and the Heroes allied to the Shinto Pantheon, along with more I can't remember off the top of my head." Bikou recalled.

Before the Lucifer Queen could ask any more questions, Cassiel's next words got everyone's attention.

"For an old bastard, you're still rocking that beard." Cassiel giggled.

"As unafraid to say anything as you've always been, Cassiel. It's no wonder that you Demons know how to party." Odin replied, smirking a bit.

Smiling at that, the Demon Queen tapped a fork on a glass, preparing to make an announcement.

"Now that everyone's here, I'd like to thank you all for coming. As our guests from Asgard have finally arrived, I have an announcement to finally make." Cassiel announced to everyone.

"How funny, so do I!" A male voice shouted.

That got everyone's attention as a magic circle suddenly formed, and Cassiel suddenly glared at it.

"Oh great... we got a party crasher." Cassiel mumbled.

* * *

**Before anything else, as you've seen by the arc's name, this arc is gonna introduce Elves into the story. I've seen many DxD fanfics on here, but I haven't found one with any Elves in it, much less show them, so I decided to add some in. It seemed like a good time since the Norse Pantheon's come into the story, as Elves are a big part of Norse mythology.**

**Anyways, let's start with the introduction of the Maou Clan heirs. These were some of my favorite OCs to make, because there was so much potential I had when I created them, so I hope they have a good influence on the events to come. Ironically, the last arc was even foreshadowing that Nanami and Hina had connections to them, since Nanami mentioning bringing good news back home, and both of them were stationed on the Devils' side.**

**For the reason the two aren't Devils themselves? Well, the answer to that is complicated, and the best I can say due to huge spoilers is that it relates to what made the malfunction that bonded them to their Evil Pieces, but kept them Human afterwards. The good news is this will let them be around more often, due to something I'll be revealing a bit later in this season.**

**The other new addition to our cast of OCs is Venelene Vapula (Yes, she's named after Venelana), who's taken the Mutation Pawn that Sairaorg has yet to use in canon. You'll see what she can do soon enough, and if you're wondering how Misla's doing with her involvement? Well... I can't say just yet, but it won't be long before you get an answer on her current status. The one thing that I can tell you is in this story, Venelene takes the place of Magdaran Bael.**

**Lastly, as you likely noticed during the talk about Factions, the Hero Faction in this story isn't Cao Cao's group, but a race of Half-Gods that are tied to the Shinto Pantheon as allies. I got the idea for them from Testament of New Sister Devil, though mine are a lot different, especially since the Heroes of Testament are global. Most of all, they're a lot more lenient, and have nearly complete freedom over how they live their lives.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

* * *

** Rias' Peerage ** **:**

**King - Rias Gremory**   
**Queen - Akeno Himejima**   
**Bishops - Gasper Vladi (Mutated Piece: x4 Multiplier), Valerie Tepes (Mutation Piece: x6 Multiplier)**   
**Knights - Kiba Yuuto, Jeanne d'Arc Yuuto**   
**Rooks - Shirone Toujou, Unclaimed Rook**   
**Pawns - Xenovia Quarta (x5), Tosca Shirayumi (x3)**

* * *

** Sona's Peerage ** **:**

**King - Sona Sitri  
Queen - Tsubaki Shinra  
Bishops - Momo Hanakai, Reya Kusaka  
Knights - Tomoe Meguri, Unclaimed Knight  
Rooks - Tsubasa Yura, Unclaimed Rook  
Pawns - Saji Genshirou (x4), Ruruko Nimura (x4)**

* * *

** Bust Size of New Female Characters ** **:**

**Shuriliu - 107 cm**

**Ingvild - 109 cm**

**Niruili - 105 cm**

**Leelexe - 108 cm**

**Aariliyn - 106 cm**

**Venelene - 99 cm**

**Jingu - 75 cm**

**Vasiariah - 104 cm**

**Leliel - 102 cm**

**Sandalphon - 101 cm**

**Metatron - 100 cm**

**Sariel - 98 cm**

* * *

** Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter ** **:**

**None**

* * *

** Pairings List ** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating  
Ddraig/Albion - Married  
Tiamat/Fafnir - Married  
Ophis/Great Red - Married  
Saji/Sona - Master and Retainer  
Gasper/Valerie - Sorta Dating  
Kiba/Tosca - Friends  
Hina/Nanami - Dating**


	21. Chapter 21

**Welcome back everyone! Last chapter, we had a mysterious party crasher invade the party, and now it's time to reveal who his or her identity is. Not only that, but it's time you get a glimpse of how our new characters fight, some of which you've already gotten hints towards from my earlier Concept Talks in the previous season. *giggles* Then again, seeing is believing, so time for you to see it firsthand.**

**This chapter is where we'll finally meet the Elves in person, so I hope my depiction of them works well. It took a while looking across various media to create a version that I felt I could call my own, and fit with the DxD world. One thing I can say is like how they're usually depicted, they're powerful with magic, and have a strong connection to nature, as those are both things you need to have an Elf... aside from their ears. *chuckles***

**Another special treat for this arc is while the focus won't leave our main cast, we'll have some of the spotlight on some other characters. There's at least six characters that qualify, but I can only tell you one of them, and that character is Saji. You might recognize most of the others, although one might be a surprise, which will make more sense once we get deeper into this arc.**

**For now, let's get this chapter started, and begin the battle against this party crasher!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

 **[]** \- Ddraig Talking

 **«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

 **「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

 **【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

 **⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

** Elves **

**The Elves are a race of herbivorous Demi-Humans that are technically tied to the Norse Pantheon through legends of Yggdrasil, but like most of the races tied to it, the aftermath of the Great War caused them to seek independence that led them to breaking off into their own independent faction. They live in woodland areas, but despite what their homes imply, are a highly intelligence race with a powerful potential for magic.**

**While not very strong, and pacifistic in nature, they are definitely not helpless. During the Great War, a mere dozen of them were able to kill the Greek Titan known as Hyperion with a united magic barrage. When this was seen, everyone tried to make them their allies, but they ultimately sided with Demons, as they were the only ones (among those who asked and nearby) that didn't bother asking them, being a prominent increase behind their magical technology.**

**Later in the Great War, they also became close with the Devils, who the Demons chose to work alongside during the last leg of the war for reasons unknown, but possibly tied to the sacrifice the Maou made with God to seal Trihexa away. When the war was over, they formed a partnership with the Demons, and then chose to become independent due to being inspired by the freedom Devils represented, inspiring most factions to do the same.**

**For their affinities in magic, they do best with elemental magic due to their connection with nature, especially the elements that promote the creation and/or growth of life (which are water, earth, wind, and light), and healing magic. If they can't use it in battle, or it's not the best option, they prefer to use archery as their means of combat, having archery skills only second to Artemis.**

**A common misconception applied to Elves is they hate the Dwarves, which is a misunderstanding. As they prefer serenity and quiet sounds, they prefer to visit the Dwarves only when necessary, as their society based on blacksmiths causes their Faction's territory to be very loud. That, and Dwarves can only eat meat, which means the Elves need to bring their own food if they visit.**

**Elves are known for their pointed ears, but unlike the occasional Devils who also have them (which is another reason they bonded well in the Great War), theirs are more horizontal, and point out instead of resting against their heads. Hair color for Elves represents magical potential, with Blonde elves having the lowest and most common, silver hair representing greater potential, and green hair representing the highest potential.**

**Having already lived through the Great War, the Elves would rather not involve themselves in conflict again, but they will if truly necessary.**

* * *

**_ Season 3, Calling of the Elves Arc: Chapter 2 - Voice of the Forest _ **

Smiling at that, the Demon Queen tapped a fork on a glass, preparing to make an announcement.

"Now that everyone's here, I'd like to thank you all for coming. As our guests from Asgard have finally arrived, I have an announcement to finally make." Cassiel announced to everyone.

"How funny, so do I!" A male voice shouted.

That got everyone's attention as a magic circle suddenly formed, and Cassiel suddenly glared at it.

"Oh great... we got a party crasher." Cassiel mumbled.

"Worse... I recognize that voice." Odin replied.

The magic circle soon opened up, revealing a handsome young man with white hair, giving off a sane version of Freed's aura.

His outfit consisted of a red gakuran that was covered by a black chainmail vest, gray pants, and brown boots. In his right hand rested his weapon, a powerful red sword with golden decors, giving off the same aura as the Cursed Swords that Kiba created... only stronger.

"Sieg!?" Jeanne gasped.

"Oh no, don't tell me..." Rias realized.

"I'm afraid so. That's Siegfried, or Sieg as he prefers to be called, and he's got the blood of Sigurd like Rossweisse does. The difference is he can actually use the power tied to it, as you can probably tell by that sword he's holding." Jeanne answered.

Kiba's eyes widened at that.

"Wait, so that's Gram in his hands?" He asked.

"Yeah, and worse? He just happens to be a member of Cao Cao's group." Jeanne confirmed.

Sieg gave a slight chuckle at that, making the Maiden of Orleans look confused.

"We actually have a name now, and we're called the Ancestral Faction, quite fitting when you consider those who make up our ranks." He replied.

Every guard present rushed into view, holding their weapons towards the intruder.

"Why are you here?" Odin demanded.

Sieg chuckled, tapping his sword on his palm.

"Simple, because Cao Cao thought it would be fun if I crashed this party, considering that the faction my old man comes from is being involved. That, and I felt I should remind everyone why I was given the nickname of Chaos-Edge in the first place" Sieg answered.

"The words have changed, but the song sure hasn't... that boy is a member of the Khaos Brigade." Shemhazai realized.

"Working for? Oh no, the Ancestral Faction doesn't work _for_ them, my friends and I just work _with_ them. After all, the only ones here are me... and this little beauty." Sieg corrected, snapping his fingers.

From the magic circle he created, a lizard monster without no eyes appeared from it, scaring some of the guests as it walked into view. That terror only grew as it roared, causing its head to open like a Venus Fly Trap with an orb where its throat would be.

Yuuma gulped a bit, her legs buckling as she saw the monster, and immediately recognizing it via its gem alone.

"Uh... what supernatural creature is that?" Issei asked.

"It isn't one! That thing's a monster made by the Annihilation Maker, which is one of the Longinus!" Yuuma answered loudly, starting to panic.

"Oh, come on!" Kelsey screamed.

The monster roared loudly, and immediately rushed forward before anyone could react, causing the room's structure to collapse. The younger Demons were all seen caught in the crossfire, making Akeno react.

" **Lightning!** "

She shot down all the debris, though the monster was now going after her!

" **Fell Thunder!** "

A burst of holy lightning that made Akeno's look like a mere spark hit the beast, though it only pushed it back at best, Akeno smiled as she saw her father standing in front of her. The lizard monster gave a light growl as he looked towards the cadre, who had his hands sparking as a warning.

"Are you alright, Akeno?" Baraqiel asked.

"I am, thanks to you." Akeno smiled.

Having stood on the sides enough, Ingvild gave a warm smile.

"Come on girls, we haven't had any fun since that time we kicked Jequn's sorry ass, so let's make sure we haven't let ourselves get too rusty." The Leviathan heiress stated.

Hearing this, the other Maou heir followed her, leaving on Vali to stay behind.

"Wait, this isn't a battle you should be-" Metatron warned.

"No, let's see them fight. I'm interested to see how the legacy of the Maou hold up after witnessing what Vali's achieved." Cassiel stopped her.

Hearing that, Metatron sighed as she stepped back to watch.

"Alright girls... let's do this!" Leelexe exclaimed.

**「** **Highschool DxD: Kettou** **」**

All of them formed magic circles, tossing off their dresses to reveal their usual clothing, right as the monster rushed at them.

"Shuriliu?" Aariliyn cued.

"Got it." Shuriliu smiled.

The Asmodeus heiress's eyes flashed at that, with her pupils gaining a sparkly effect to them.

" **Perfect Vision!** "

The area around her froze as if time stopped, but in actuality... she was reading information as the same speed a supercomputer could process data. With her eyes darting around to gather it.

Eventually, her vision gathered all the data she needed, and showed it to her in something akin to an analysis screen.

Closing her eyes again, the world around her went back to normal.

"Alright, got the info. We can't fight this in the usual way we'd fight with our magic... meaning it's time to go unconventional." Shuriliu revealed, smiling as she did.

"Got it!" Leelexe replied, flashing a thumb's up.

The Belphegor heiress slammed the ground, forming a bunch of magic circles across it.

"How foolish, attacking with magic." Sieg smirked.

"Weird, when did I say that I'd be attacking with these?" Leelexe replied, giving a slight chuckle afterwards.

Sieg was confused, which is when the Belphegor Heiress took her chance.

" **Create Dreamer!** "

Chains made of Adamantium shot out of the magic circles, restraining the monster from every angle, and surprising Sieg in the process.

"Now, let's add a little of my power." Aariliyn decided.

" **Mithril Fortitude!** "

As the monster tried to unleash an attack from its mouth, the chains suddenly grew spikes, piercing the monster everywhere. It shrieked as its maw was locked close by the attack. Seeing this, Sieg instantly held out his hand.

"Take this power, quickly!" Sieg shouted.

Magic swarmed into the monster's body, making it roar as it smashed free of the bindings, sending them flying at the vulnerable guests.

Luckily, none of them managed to hit because Niruili opened her mouth, instantly swallowing the debris from the chains from the vacuum effect she created. Once she devoured it all, she rubbed her belly before letting out a loud belch.

"Those chains were tasty." Niruili praised.

"I... have no idea how I should reply to that." Leelexe replied, giving an awkward chuckle.

"Niruili, why don't you give it a little gift?" Shuriliu suggested as she winked.

The green-haired Devil's eyes widened before nodding her head, blowing out a strong breath that had a colorful effect, and began healing the monster.

"Wait, why is she healing it!?" Venelene questioned.

"Healing?" Asia repeated.

"Niruili's bloodline ability is Nature's Rift, and one of its ability is converting what she eats into healing enzymes. Normally, she wouldn't heal the enemy, but I think Shuriliu saw something she didn't." Vali explained.

Hearing Venelene's shout, the Cursed Sword wielder laughed a bit.

"Really, you're helping the enemy? What kind of idiotic idea is-" Sieg remarked, still laughing.

Unfortunately, his laughter ended when the healed monster suddenly began to melt apart, causing part of its tail to break off.

"Wait, how did... what did you do!?" Sieg demanded.

"It seems whoever made this monster did too well. Since they designed it to deal with Devils and Demons, the healing power of either only serves to harm it." Shuriliu explained, giving a dark giggle in response.

Sieg panicked at that, quickly readying his sword.

"Now, time for me to finish this little scuffle." Ingvild stated, crossing her arms.

" **Attribute Thief!** "

Forming a magic circle above her, another two soon appeared, but showing different clan crests as her natural ice abilities also powerful fire, and intense lightning.

" **Honoryuu!** "  
" **Ikazuchiryuu!** "  
" **Toketsuryuu!** "

All three elements take the form of draconic-looking sea serpents, causing most of the guests to look at her attack in awe.

" **Tri-Dragon Strike!** "

All three Dragons rushed ahead, smashed into the monster, and destroying it in an instant. Seeing that the monster had been slain, he whistled his fingers, causing the surviving tail to launch itself in the air, forming a dimensional hole.

"Fine, I'll admit that I lost today, but you won't be as lucky next time!" Sieg declared.

"Quick, stop him!" Sariel ordered.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

As Sieg prepared to run, a triangular barrier suddenly formed around him, courtesy of Roygun.

"Not getting away from this." Roygun smirked.

Sieg laughed at that, holding his sword up, which unleashed an incredible among of sacred darkness from the blade.

"Cut it apart, Gram!" Sieg exclaimed, swinging it down.

The barrier instantly shattered into pieces, leaving Roygun to widen her eyes in surprise. Freed from her prison, he jumped into his escape, and promptly destroyed it from the inside.

"Damn... because he ran away, I'm not sure if that was a victory or a mockery." Cassiel sighed, rubbing her head.

"Sure left a mess here, but I can get back to its prime in no time." Metatron stated, offering to repair it all.

Cassiel smirked, nodding her head in approval.

While that was happening, Xenovia looked at the markings on the ground left by Gram's slash.

"Never thought we'd see Sieg here, as an enemy no less." Xenovia remarked.

"I know, guess he and Freed didn't fall too far from the same tree... somehow, I should have considered that when you remember they share DNA." Jeanne sighed.

"What do you mean by that?" Issei asked.

Hearing that, the duo wondered how to answer that, but Irina luckily walked by at that moment.

"Issei, remember when Valper was telling us about his method to give genes to allow some to wield Excalibur? Specifically about why Freed managed to handle the genes?" She asked.

"Hmm... yeah, and the mention of a place called the Sigurd Institution, is that related?" Issei answered.

Irina nodded her head, confirming his answer.

"There was a group by that name, and they had a single goal. To create a descendant of Sigurd that had his one of a kind power to safely wield the Cursed Swords without having his life span shaved, as he died around 18 years ago when he did... something that caused him to die." Irina explained, either unaware or unwilling to share what did him in.

"And based on what Jeanne mentioned, this was because Rossweisse couldn't inherit the power herself due to being a Valkyrie at birth, and having no idea that Sigurd himself was unaware he had other descendants." Issei realized.

Irina nodded her head.

"Sigurd knew that his blood would pass the power on, and knew with his DNA, they might be able to make a successor. Unfortunately, even though the artificial descendants they created were able to use them... all of them were insane." She explained.

"So, basically... Freed was naturally insane." Issei summed it up.

"Yeah, and based on what Vali's told me, the problem is they lack the same knowledge and experience the Naberius Clan spent years developing. They only had a successful case when they made a girl who later became my mother's Jack, but the very gene splicing that kept her sane left her unable to wield the swords." Irina answered.

Issei nodded his head, leaving Irina to finish the last bit of her explanation.

"Eventually, the group closed down when Sieg appeared, and gave him the only Cursed Sword they had on hand. After that, he spent time at the Vatican before he left for unknown reasons." She finished.

The Sekiryuutei sighed at that, looking to the side.

'That means a powerful man is now our enemy, and no one's even sure why.' He thought.

* * *

Back at the outskirts of the mountain range where Yasaka had been attacked, Cao Cao was seen gathered with Georg, Leonardo, and Jingu, waiting for Sieg to return. At that moment, the dimensional rip opened, showing the monster's tail falling out before the swordsman flipped out.

"Well, how did it go?" Cao Cao asked.

"Not like I expected, Leonardo's monster got beaten by just five Devils, but then again... all of them were the Heirs to the Maou Clans, so they weren't your average Devils by any means." Sieg answered.

Kneeling by Leonardo, the ex-exorcist whispered to him.

"Word of advice, make it so enemy healing doesn't cause the monster to harm itself." Sieg whispered.

Leonardo gave a confused look, wondering what Sieg had seen.

"Then it seems the rumors are correct; the youths do have great potential."

Sieg looked as a man standing at two-meters tall with a well-built body, not unlike Sairaorg's. He had long gray hair with a purple tint to it, which was the same color of his eyes, and wore a purple body suit with brown and copper armor attached to it.

"Hey there Heracles, it's been a while! You got things clear on your end?" Sieg waved.

"My share at least, the others said they could finish the rest without me." Heracles replied.

Everyone sweat dropped at that.

"Translation, they asked you to leave before you blew up something important with your Sacred Gear." Jingu remarked.

Heracles hung his head down, confirming her suspicions.

"Come on, we need to return before Shalba starts getting suspicious over our lengthy absence." Cao Cao stated.

Everyone nodded, with his team following him as they walked off.

* * *

After 20 minutes, the Angel of Diligence proved how she obtained her title by having completely fixed everything, leaving her with only a mild sweat. Handing her sister a cold drink, Sandalphon watched her slurp it all down, relieving Metatron of her excess heat.

"Like I always say, nothing beats finishing a hard project." Metatron smiled.

"With that said, let's resume this party! I'll get to my planned announcement after you all get a moment to settle down after the surprise we just went through." Cassiel announced.

Everyone clapped, soon resuming what they were doing prior. Ingvild took a few pieces of fish, taking a bite of one as Issei walked up to her.

"Hey, Ingvild." Issei waved.

"Ah, hello there, Issei. Did you need something?" She replied.

"Well, I was a bit curious about the abilities you and your friends were all using. I've already seen Vali's, but yours... I think I see how the Maou were as powerful as they were in their day." Issei asked.

Hearing that, Ingvild giggled a bit.

"Expected a bigger question than that one, but I guess take all kinds applies to that as well. Though if you thought I was strong? You should have seen my grandma, she could use 10 abilities at once, compared to my 3." Ingvild chuckled.

"10!?" Issei repeated in shock.

Ingvild nodded, finishing the last of her fish before she threw the plate into the recycling bin.

"Well, you pretty much saw most of what we can do, so I guess the finer details are all I need to explain. Shuriliu's power is "Perfect Vision", which are the eyes that see everything. Niruili's power is "Nature's Rift", which lets her eat anything, and turn it into certain powers depending on the situation. Aariliyn's... well, you fought Gavauren, so I think she showed you everything herself." Ingvild summarized.

"She did." Issei agreed.

"Leelexe's ability is a bit more complex than you saw, as her "Create Dreamer" is the non-living equivalent to the Annihilation Maker, though her magic decides on how much power she can use since she's yet to master it. Then there's my power, the "Attribute Thief", which does exactly like it looks. I can copy powers from others, and use them as my own... permanently." Ingvild summarized once again.

Issei's eyes widened, hearing about her truly Envy-based ability.

"Just how can you copy powers?" He inquired.

"I have to touch that person with my hands, and nothing else, though it doesn't work on people like my own clan, other Maou Clans, powers from people like Angels, and usually people more powerful than me. Also, similar to Leelexe's limitations, I can only use so many powers at once." Ingvild clarified.

Issei hummed a bit, nodding his head.

'Even Vali's power has limits, and hers is considered even stronger. Guess you really worked hard to reach where you were, Ddraig.' Issei realized.

 **[That's right, but it only worked because I had a powerful rival, and later mate to always push me to greater heights. That's the reason people often seek out a worthy opponent to face, because it sometimes takes someone equal or greater than you to overcome a wall.]** Ddraig replied.

'Oh, so that's how it works!' Issei realized.

Looking at the Leviathan, there was one question in particular he decided to ask.

"While I know there's no Satan Clan, do you know what his power was?" He inquired.

"Afraid not, while the only ones who do refuse to talk about it. Vali probably doesn't know any better than I do." Ingvild replied.

In other words, that question wasn't going to be answered, not unless Issei convinced Lilith to tell him about it. Before Issei could continue, the fork on the glass was heard again, getting everyone's attention.

"Alright everyone, I ask you to listen to me now, for what I say... it will affect the world as we know it." Cassiel announced.

This instantly got everyone's attention.

"Long ago, our kind all began as Angels, but... with just one act, the imprisonment of Lilith, the entire Christian Pantheon would be forever divided as Lucifer grew to despise his own father, to despise God himself. First, he created the Devils, and then some Angels became the first of the Fallen Angels, while others left Heaven to become Demons... to become us. We held a ceasefire truce for 2000 years, and we knew it could not stay as such."

"Finally, after so long, we've finally reunited our faction as one, no longer are we the Four Great Powers, but the Christian Pantheon that made the world as it is today. Despite that some of the other Great Powers threatened us, their kind was also the ones who saved us as well. The ways of the past are what allowed us to do this, and therefore, the ways of the past... they _must_ change!"

As most listened, a few showed discomfort, or even anger at Cassiel's words.

"The proof stands before you, in the group known as Vali Lucifer, and her peerage! They are not just Devils, but an Angel, a Fallen Angel, and even my own daughter, a Demon, is among them! Not only this, but like Vali, they are all the future of their kinds in their own ways. That is why, my first order in this new era is this... I, along with the leaders of the Angels, Devils, and the Fallen Angels will reach out as a council to the other factions!"

This surprised many of the Demons, while catching the attention of others.

"We can no longer just stand by, hiding ourselves away from the problems of others, and waiting for coming threats to act while we do not! What happens to Heaven affects to world, what happens to Paradise affects the world, and what happens to Hell affects the world... so, that also means this same truth applies to the Underworld! As such, we shall go out into the world, and do what no one has ever believed possible before."

"And that impossibility we seek to make possible is... to unite the entire world, and its factions together!" Cassiel declared, ending her announcement.

Gasps were heard, followed by many murmurs of shock.

"I understand that most of you will not agree with this decision, so I will say this now... if you can no longer follow me, or your fellow Demon Lords, then feel free to leave now. I will not stop you, or force you to walk a future you refuse. But, know this before you go... if you seek to stand against us, or aid the Khaos Brigade in their ambitions, I will treat you as an enemy, regardless if you were a fellow Demon, and friend... an enemy I will destroy without hesitation!" Cassiel warned, flaring off her aura.

Everyone felt that aura, and were suddenly brought to silence, leaving a few moments before Cassiel continued.

"So, if you choose to leave... then please do it now, and know those who choose to go _and_ fight us? Know you must prepare yourselves for death." She finished.

After a moment, everyone who was looking at Cassiel took a moment to think things over, and then...

"Cassiel!" They all cheered, repeating their leaders name.

Seeing the sight before her, the Demon Queen smiled, while all the younger people in the ground gave sighs in relief.

"Also, while it has yet to become official, the Norse Pantheon has considered our alliance. In the coming days, they shall give their official answer alongside the other factions at the Devil's Celebration. So, for today... let us enjoy this celebration! To the Demons!" Cassiel cheered, raising a class.

"To the Demons!" Her fellow kin repeated.

Vali smiled at the sight, with Issei putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Looks like things are looking up, you think we can achieve what Cassiel stated we'd do?" Issei wondered as he looked to her.

"If we can do it, then I believe it's possible." Vali answered with a smile.

* * *

Sometime later, after the Demon's party ended, all the higher ups present were situated in the Demon's conference room.

Cassiel was currently inside of it, with a demon that had long purple hair in a curled side plait, and orange tips at the ends of all besides her bangs, otherwise known as Demon Lord Moroni. Also present in the room was all four of the Great Seraphs, Shemhazai, Baraqiel, Lilith, Roygun, Alanira, Odin, and Rossweisse.

"After what just happened, I think we can all agree the Khaos Brigade's influence has begun attracting those with Sacred Gears, and possibly some other powerful beings." Shemhazai stated.

"The fact the wielder of the Annihilation Maker is also a large concern. All of the Longinus has dangerous potential, making just one in the enemy's rank a terrifying thought. Yet based on Jeanne's words... the Dimension Lost and True Longinus are now also in their hands." Baraqiel added.

Gabriel bit her finger at that, looking at her fellow sisters.

"Agreed, I think Sieg's attack was merely a warning of what's to come. There's more than the Anti-Maou Faction within their ranks." Sariel remarked.

Roygun thought for a moment, getting Alanira's attention.

"What's up Roygun?" Alanira asked.

"Well, didn't Sieg mention he came on his own? What if these additional divisions within the Khaos Brigade aren't as unified as we think? Their name may not just represent their mayhem, but how well they work among the many groups." Roygun answered.

Lilith put a finger to her chin on that, looking at Cassiel.

"Which means teamwork is our advantage if we can pull things off." She realized, smiling a bit.

This lead everyone to look towards Odin.

"Odin, is there a way that we could get the Norse Pantheon's support without you having to consider it? Perhaps doing you a favor?" Cassiel inquired.

"Hmm..." Odin mused.

"Lord Odin, there is one thing we've been unable to address recently, one that the Demons and/or Devils should be able to handle without too many internal issues." Rossweisse reminded him, holding some papers out.

Odin looked at them, remembering what said issue was.

"Yes, I do believe there's one thing you could do, one that involves an old group of friends." He replied.

* * *

Back within the Demon Castle, the girls of the Student Council were seen bathing in one of the baths, with a maid adding a few more bubbles in the bath. If Saji had been in the room with them, they would have seen an... interesting sight.

"Ah, this is so relaxing, I need to do this more often." Sona said in a tone, and smile that matched her big sister's.

Ruruko blinked at what she was seeing for the first time, looking at the rest of the Student Council like she was going crazy.

"What... is happening... with-" Ruruko panicked.

"Ruruko, keep to a whisper, or she'll go back to normal." Momo warned, covering her mouth.

The Sitri Pawn slowly nodded before Momo removed her hand.

"Answer to this? Well, it's the real Sona, or as she would put it... the old her." Momo explained.

"Well, she definitely looks like-" Ruruko whispered.

Her eyes widened as she saw Sona's hair had suddenly grown out... unless she was just hiding the excess hair under a spell.

"She's hiding it if you ask." Tsubasa answered her thoughts.

Ruruko sweat dropped, wondering how obvious her thoughts were at the moment.

"What made her hide it, and why?" Ruruko asked.

"From what I remember, she was a lot closer with her sister when she was a child, enough that they even shared their appearance to the point you could only differentiate them by size, age, and eye color. It stopped once Sona hit puberty, and it seems she got so embarrassed that... well, you've seen the result." Tsubaki explained.

"Sad part? It actually cost her the fiancé she had, who didn't like the change." Reya remarked.

"Then, why doesn't she go back if more people don't seem to like it?" Ruruko questioned.

Everyone went silent at that, looking down a bit.

"I think that old shame won't let go, even though she has no reason for it. As much as I'd like to be with Saji, when I see how he tries to win her over, I honestly think... maybe he's the only one that can reach her. Either that, or she's never gonna find what she wants." Momo admitted, sighing a bit.

"Wow... you made me feel like Irina did when she had to give up on Issei, but worse." Ruruko sighed.

Seeing the mood fall, Tomoe cleared her throat.

"I'm honestly more worried about the fact we have more Longinus on the enemy's side. You've all heard the legends of how they truly had their power as the strongest Sacred Gears marked, right?" She replied.

"That's right, while Jesus' death proved that any host of theirs could have the power to slay a god, it was the damage it did to the Ancient Gods... and the Kingdom of Salathavea." Tsubaki agreed.

The rest of the Council flinched at that, with Sona still too dazed in her _normal_ mode to notice. After the small pause, Ruruko gulped as she looked at the VP, who decided to tell her the story, and the dreaded legend it gave all of the Longinus.

"Long ago, there was a group of deities we refer to as the Ancient Gods, they were the same forces that created the Gogmagogs, and then chose to seal them away after the Great War showed the horrors of their power. They eventually disappeared, and what was believed to be responsible? A previous wielder of the Zenith Tempest. They had just achieved their Balance Breaker, and did a field test out in a spot they were certain would yield no casualties..."

Ruruko gasped, realizing what Tsubaki was about to say.

"It was the complete opposite..." She breathed in horror.

"Yes, the Salathavean Kingdom took incredible damage from it, possibly being what destroyed it. What took the entire civilization and its gods out was a mere miscalculation. With that, any doubt to the strength of the Longinus was destroyed, proving all thirteen were equally powerful." Tsubaki confirmed.

Most of the peerage began shaking in fear, understanding how powerful the Longinus could be.

"Now it makes sense why having any Longinus on the enemy side is a bad thing... because if any Gods join the Alliance, then they'll be at risk. It might even be what makes them side with the Khaos Brigade in the worst-case scenario." Ruruko realized.

Tsubaki opened her mouth continue, but what she would say would never come out as reality intervened.

*BAM*

Everyone looked to the door, hearing what sounded like Saji groaning in pain.

"Saji!?" Ruruko shouted worriedly.

Sona finally regained her focus, and then noticed her current state, making her rush to put her disguise back over her hair as Saji opened the door enough to keep his voice from being muffled by it.

"Saji, is something the matter?" Sona inquired.

"Yeah, we got word from the higher ups... they'd like to see us, and right now." Saji answered while groaning in pain.

Sitting in the water, Cassiel sighed at Saji's antics before giggling a bit.

"That boy should know not to run towards doors, makes we wonder if he's unable to chill out." Cassiel remarked.

"What the hell!?" Tomoe screamed, falling back.

The rest of the Student Council began freaking out everyone at her sudden appearance in the pool.

"What? This is my home, so I can bathe here." Cassiel questioned playfully.

"You're crazy, do you know that!?" Reya blushed angrily.

"Thank you, that's just how I like it." Cassiel replied.

* * *

In the conference room, the three main groups of Kuoh Academy were gathered together, standing before all the leaders with the exception of Alanira.

"The Elves?" Kelsey repeated.

"That's right, according to Lord Odin, there's been bad activity within their region as of lately." Moroni confirmed.

"Why would you be involved in what they're doing? After the Great War, all of the races linked to the legend of Yggdrasil decided to detach themselves from you to find independence. Especially when its soul became Fraxinus, the Innovate Clear's sealed consciousness." Yuuma questioned.

"You're correct that they are no longer officially tied to us, but we still consider them tied to us by technicality. As such, we find it proper to monitor them, similar to that of a bodyguard contract." Rossweisse explained.

Kelsey nodded her head, confirming the reasoning.

"It isn't that different from parents that worry for their children, even after they've grown up." She remarked.

Sandalphon sighed, looking at her.

"Don't forget, the Khaos Brigade wants to cause pandemonium, so it isn't unreasonable that one of their members is acting in the same manner as Sieg just did." She added.

"Unfortunately, my faction's just too spread out at the moment to check on them, and we can't just put this to the side. That is why we've called you here." Odin explained.

"Is there something special about us?" Jeanne asked.

"No, not us in particular, but the fact we're in the Underworld." Moroni clarified.

Jeanne looked at her confused, making Cassiel sigh with a smile on her face.

"You know the magical technology we make? Believe it or not, we only made it happen because of the aid of the Elves." Cassiel revealed.

"Wait, seriously?" Issei said in shock.

"That's right Issei, and here's why. During the Great War, only a dozen Elves proved the power their race had when it came to using magic, combining their power for a magical barrage that did something no one thought they could... kill Hyperion, the Greek Titan of Light." Moroni revealed.

Issei, Saji, Ruruko, Asia, and Tosca all gasped upon hearing that, their eyes going white from the surprise.

"The moment this was seen, everyone began trying to get the Elves on their side, but I didn't have any real interest at the time, so the Demons didn't bother. The Devils didn't either, but that's because news hadn't reached them just yet. Because we didn't bother them, the Elves chose to side with us, and later got along with the Devils when they suddenly asked the Demon forces to side with them." Cassiel explained.

"Wait, you joined Lucifer's side at some point in the war?" Issei asked.

"Yeah, and after what we learned at the summit... I think it was likely to prepare for what'd happen with Trihexa, considering none of us knew about that monster, or the fact they died trying to seal it." Cassiel verified.

Clearing her throat, she got back on topic.

"Anyways... once the war ended, the Elves stayed on friendly terms with the Demons and Devils, and we began exchanging our magical studies every six months." The Demon Queen stated.

"I get it, that means if there's any trouble, the Elves will be more likely to view us as an ally if Kelsey and I went over. Especially if the group was mostly of either Demons or Devils." Vali understood.

"Exactly." Lilith verified.

That's when Issei noticed the other reason they were all gathered, and no one else.

"And since we're the only groups that have dealt with this kind of situation, you can only send us... because you're limited with how many you can send." He thought aloud.

"Right on the nail kid. We can't play favorites, meaning your experience is the best way to avoid this, but avoid the trouble any of us could incite. Combining that with how Vali's peerage is basically a representation of the Christian Pantheon through its members, it's all we can do with the Alliance being such a new group." Roygun answered, sighing a bit.

Vali nodded, knowing how tied their hands were right now.

"Don't worry, we understand your limitations right now, and we'll accept the dangers involved too." The Lucifer Heiress replied.

Cassiel giggled at that, surprising the groups.

"How sweet, but don't think we'll be sending you without any new blood, we have four volunteers we'll be able to send with you." Cassiel revealed.

"Alright, that's a big help." Yumina said in relief.

Lilith sighed, confusing the Lucifuge heiress.

"I apologize, Yumina... I'm going to have to ask you to stay behind to make the jump gate they'll take there and back." Lilith apologized.

"Oh, come on!" Yumina complained.

Vali rubbed her back, while the Lucifuge heiress just slumped onto the ground.

"Well, let's introduce you to the volunteers." Moroni decided.

From the wall, a portal of shadow opened up, revealing a familiar Grim Reaper, and a foreign looking man with a large physique rivaling Sairaorg's. He had gray hair with long bangs which covers his eyes, a black coat with a fur collar, a white shirt underneath, dark blue jeans, and boots shaped like greaves.

"Wait, I recognize you... aren't you Loup Garou, from Kuoh's College division?" Sona recognized.

"I prefer to go by Rugal." Rugal answered.

Saji looked at Sona, who turned to him.

"He's a Werewolf/Human hybrid, with his human parent being a Magician." The Sitri heiress explained.

"And the girl that's with him?" Saji asked in response.

Lilith cleared her throat, walking by Bennia as she rubbed her head, making the girl smile.

"This here is Bennia Orcus, she's a Human/Grim Reaper hybrid, and the daughter of one of the strongest Grim Reapers." Lilith introduced her.

"Lord Hades and my dad are idiots, especially after the recent reveals, so I ran away from home to help fight against the Khaos Brigade!" Bennia replied, giggling as she brandished her scythe.

Everyone got a bit nervous as she swung it around, forcing Lilith to grab it.

"Bennia, don't do that if you're not trying to reap any souls... Valerie won't be able to revive anyone you accidentally kill." Lilith warned her.

"Oh... right." Bennia apologized with a blush.

"Now, for our third volunteer..." Lilith stated, holding her hand out.

Within part of the conference room's shadows, the sight of Venelene walking into view was seen, surprising everyone.

"Venelene hasn't much experience in battle, having focused on helping her mother recover from her illness. However, now she that she's Sairaorg's Pawn, I believe she needs to get some action, so this is her best chance to get some." Lilith explained.

"As you wish, Lady Lilith." Venelene replied.

Once Venelene's response was finished, Rossweisse turned her head to the others.

"I will be the last volunteer, as a show of faith from Asgard." Rossweisse stated.

With that, Cassiel looked at everyone once more.

"Everyone, you'll leave once Alanira meets you in front of my castle, so get everything you'll need ASAP." She stated.

"Right!" Everyone replied.

* * *

Waiting in front of the Demon Castle, a magic circle was slowly spinning with nearly everyone inside.

Currently, they were organizing their supplies, setting themselves up either through their outfits or mentally, and listening to Kelsey explain what they should or shouldn't do in the Elves' forest.

"Since the Elves consider their forest sacred, until we reach them and know where and when its allowed, avoid using any kind of powers that could harm or set fire to the forest." Kelsey advised.

"Crap, that'll limit me a bit..." Saji realized.

 **«"Yay..."»** Vritra sighed.

Looking around, Shirone tried to spot the two Half-Gods that were supposed to be joining them.

"Anyone seen the Valkyrie and the Reaper anywhere?" She asked.

"I think they mentioned something about getting their battle gear." Venelene mentioned, pushing her arms through a golden-brown vest.

"Sorry for the wait."

Everyone looked, seeing both Bennia and Rossweisse in different outfits. For Bennia, it was the same outfit she wore when still in Tartarus, only with a strange skull mask on her face. Her outfit consisted of a light blue dress, with a black and white hood resembling a jester cap, tipped with an emerald gem. She also wore black, elbow-length gloves, covered in gold neon lines, and gems at the back of her wrists.

Rossweisse was wearing her Valkyrie armor, which consisted of a white breastplate, with gold and pale blue accents, and matching, fingerless gauntlets, boots, hip guards, and wing-shaped hair clips. She also wore a black leotard underneath her breastplate, black thigh-high stockings, and a pale blue cloth wrapped underneath her hip guards, all of which are clad with pink lacing along with her hair clips.

"As a Valkyrie, I can't very well go into battle without my armor." Rossweisse apologized.

It didn't take long before all of the guys in each peerage, with the exceptions of Arthur, Gasper, and Kiba, began to slightly heat up at the sight of her outfit. Before he could even react, Issei felt Vali slap his hand over his eyes, making him wince for a moment.

"Uh, Bennia? I'm assuming your outfit is needed for the same reason as Rossweisse, but... why are you wearing that mask?" Vali asked.

"Because I'm a Grim Reaper, this will let everyone know by striking fear into them!" Bennia answered.

Vali sweat dropped at that, while Kelsey face palmed.

"Bennia, scaring the Elves is counterproductive to what we're trying to do." Kelsey replied.

The Grim Reaper took a few seconds to realize this, and lifted her mask up to reveal the embarrassed look she had on her face.

"Oh... if that's the case, then I guess this mask _is_ a bad idea." She realized.

She tossed it into the air, where it dissolved out of view. At that same moment, Alanira walked into view, carrying a small pouch in her hands, showing six familiar vials inside of it.

"Here everyone. While you were talking with the others, I prepared all the Phoenix Tears I could for Sona's peerage, as she lacks a healer on her team." Alanira stated, handing them to the Sitri Heiress.

"Thank you for the gift, Lady Alanira." Sona said with gratitude as she took them.

"Good luck guys, I'm sending you over now." Yumina alerted them.

Waving goodbye, the Lucifuge heiress watched as they were all transported through the magic gate.

* * *

A few seconds after transferring over, the group slowly reopened their eyes, and saw something they couldn't believe. A forest full of lush, crystalline greenery that looked Alien to the human eye, with the flora, and even the fauna being something no Human had ever seen before.

"Whoa... so, this is Alfheim? The home of the Elves?" Venelene asked, looking at a nearby flower.

"Technically, it's just one part of the forest that makes it." Kelsey answered.

Rias looked around, taking everything in.

"I've always heard the Elves were strongly connected with nature, and now I've seen it firsthand." The redheaded Devil remarked.

Rossweisse looked around, not seeing anyone within her line of sight.

"Looking for something?" Venelene asked.

"Yes, Lord Odin said there would be an Elf would be guiding us to the village, but there's no one here." Rossweisse answered.

"Really? That's weird..." Venelene replied.

Thinking for a moment, she got an idea, and grabbed onto a tree.

" **Lion Mode!** "

Venelene's hair stretched out a bit longer, her eyes became more catlike, and her nails became more like claws. Everyone watched as she darted up the tree, soon reaching the top of it after a few seconds.

"Hmm... nothing to see, but maybe there's something to smell." She wondered.

She began sniffing the air, and when she did... she smelled traces of fresh ashes, making her gag as it went through her nostrils. Realizing she found something wrong, she slid back down.

"I just smelt some recent signs of ashes!" Venelene shouted.

"Ashes!?" Kelsey repeated.

Hissing followed her response, catching everyone's attention, but the gem of everyone's reactions was none other than Vritra's.

 **«"That hissing... but that's impossible!"»** Vritra exclaimed.

"Oh no... you recognize the sound, don't you?" Saji realized.

Vritra didn't respond, but he didn't need to as in a few seconds... everyone saw a few trees get smashed apart, revealing a black snake with the head if a Dragon, creating the very hissing they just heard.

 **«"I knew it, despite he's missing his main body, and the rest of his heads... that's of my fellow kin, the Venom Blood Dragon: Orochi!"»** Vritra revealed.

 **("Just perfect, the problem is an Evil Dragon...")** Albion sighed.

 **«"That's not the biggest issue though, Orochi's resurrection cycle should still had another 100 years, meaning he shouldn't even be here. I'm not sure why he was split apart, but his mere presence is a bigger contradiction to worry about."»** Vritra replied.

As the Evil Dragon slithered forward, its body burned with purple flames that Vali recognized, but before anyone could ready themselves to fight it... an arrow flew by them, hitting Orochi's right eye, and making him roar in pain.

"Tosca, that arrow came from behind you... right?" Akeno asked.

"Nope, that's not one of mine." Tosca shook her head.

"Stay close to the ground."

Everyone showed surprise at the whisper, but Kelsey recognized what it was.

"Quick, do what they said." Kelsey advised.

Since the Demons knew the most about the Elves in the present day, everyone listened, and quickly ducked to the ground as another few arrows flew by.

Knowing it was being overwhelmed, the serpentine Dragon prepared to slither away... only for a magic circle to form, showing a crest no one recognized, and firing a pillar of light that incinerated the beast.

"That's the crest of the Elves!" Kelsey gasped as she recognized it.

Orochi's body just rested there, soon falling to the ground, and puffing into purple smoke. Seeing the monster was slain, a figure in a camouflage cloak jumped out of their hiding spot.

"I take it you were the Elf sent to meet us, and that monster is why we couldn't find you." Kelsey assumed.

"Yes, my apologies for the inconvenience, but I couldn't let that beast near my people. I had to take care of it before anything else." The Elf confirmed, apologizing for her earlier absence.

"Don't worry, we understood." Kelsey reassured her.

At that moment, she and Vali put their right hands over their hearts, making the Elf watch as they revealed their identities.

"My name is Vali Lucifer, the Princess of Hell and the Devil race." Vali revealed.

And I am Kelsey Akumaji, the current Princess of the Underworld and the Demon race." Kelsey revealed.

The Elf soon removed her cloak, revealing herself as a busty female elf with green hair, light pink eyes, and light skin.

Her ears wiggled briefly, showing they were pointed like certain Devils and Dhampirs, but more horizontal like the latter's, going a bit more downward, and pointing out in place of resting against her head.

"My name is Etherei, and I believe one of you mentioned being familiar with that beast?" Etherei introduced herself, looking among the group.

 **«"That was me."»** Vritra stated, manifesting his form as the Absorption Line.

Saji held his arm out, walking closer to Etherei, who kneeled to the Sacred Gear.

 **«"Orochi is an Evil Dragon known for resembling a Hydra, despite not being one, who fought Susanoo long ago. His venom is incredibly dangerous, being able to taint souls... whoever brought him back is likely trying to destroy Alfheim."»** Vritra explained.

Etherei sighed worriedly, looking at the ground.

"Just as my mother feared. We're quite lucky that neither this head, or the others had managed to find the source of our home." She stated.

She motioned her hand, letting the group know they needed to hurry.

"Hey, Vritra? How do you think Orochi could have come back so early?" Saji inquired, looking a bit worried.

 **«"The only time I've heard of an early revival for any Dragon was with Fafnir, and Vali's words imply that he was weakened until his resurrection had finished. The only other way I see this happening is if the Sephiroth Graal was used, and we both know why that can't be the case."»** Vritra answered.

"Basically, you have no idea, and that worries you." Saji summed things up.

After the group traveled a bit further, they eventually saw a clearing, showing the home of the Elves within it. The many Elves everyone could see were shown doing calming or quiet activities, like fishing, meditation, or playing low-pitched instruments.

"So, this is it... the man area of Alfheim." Kelsey said in awe.

"Yes, and as you can see, we are able to keep quite calm, despite our current situation." Etherei explained.

"I'm incredibly jealous of that." Bikou remarked.

As they were walking around, the sight of an Elf Doctor was noticed, treating someone that didn't look like an Elf.

"Hey, who's that?" Vali asked.

"We found her by our forest a while back. She was really hurt, and while we managed to save her, it seems she's currently in a coma." Etherei explained with a saddened look.

Getting closer, Vali took a closer look... then gasped, recognizing who it was.

"Wait, that's Kunou!?" She exclaimed.

It became clear Vali knew who had been injured, so everyone got closer.

The person in question was a young Kyuubi around the age of 12, but had the appearance of an elementary school student, being short enough that Issei could probably let her ride on his shoulders.

She had golden-blonde hair tied in a ponytail, and matching eyes, with nine golden fox tails, and matching ears. Her main attire was the traditional miko outfit, and tall geta with white tabi. The sleeves of her haori featured a giant red star-shaped pentagram, surrounded by five smaller pentagrams in between the points.

"She's... a Youkai!" Issei realized.

"Not just any Youkai either. This is Kunou, the younger daughter of Yasaka, the leader of the entire Youkai race... though why is she here?" Kuroka replied.

Her sister turned her head to Vali, looking confused.

"And how do you know who Kunou is in the first place?" She asked.

"Because the first place I went during my training journey was Kyoto, with Yasaka being my teacher." Vali answered.

Issei looked at the young Kyuubi, feeling a bit worried.

"Is she gonna be alright?" He asked.

Bennia cleared her throat, and motioned to everyone to let her through. Placing a hand over Kunou's heart, she read her soul with her Grim Reaper powers.

"Hmm... nothing too serious, I think Valerie can wake her up." She smiled.

"Alright, I'll try." Valerie replied.

Walking over to the young Kyuubi, she put her hands over her chest, and then closed her eyes.

"Lend me your strength, Galahad." Valerie asked.

 **«"Understood."»** Galahad replied.

Taking a deep breath, she released a warm glow over Kunou's body, causing her eyes to twitch before they opened up.

"Kunou, thank god..." Vali sighed in relief.

Looking to the side, the young Kyuubi saw Vali's smiling face, recognizing her despite seven years passed since they had last seen each other.

"Vali... is that... really you?" Kunou asked.

"It is. You were really hurt, but you're alright now." Vali answered while reassuring her.

"Can you tell us what happened to you?" Issei asked her.

Kunou squinted her eyes, trying to recall what happened to her... however, all she could recall was a big haze, making her head hurt.

"I... I can't remember anything, my head..." Kunou whimpered as she held it.

Vali rubbed her head, while motioning Asia to use her Twilight Healing on her.

"Just try to relax for now, we'll try to figure things out later. For now, I'm just glad that you're OK, and nothing more." Vali reassured her.

"OK..." Kunou nodded.

Looking at Asia, the silver-white haired Devil sighed a bit.

"Asia, stay with Kunou for a bit, we'll come back after the Elves' Elder tells us what's going on." Vali requested.

"OK." Asia promised.

Looking at Etherei, she nodded her head, and lead the others to the Elder's home. Walking to the entrance, Etherei kneeled on a certain spot, which lit up.

_"Young Elf, state your name, and what you seek audience for."_

"Etherei Alfheim, here to bring my mother the guests Lord Odin told us about, and report about the slaying of another monster." Etherei answered.

The entrance opened up, and Etherei looked to the group.

"You may follow me inside now." She approved.

Hearing her approval, they all followed her inside, where the leader of the Elves was waiting for them.

* * *

**Looks like things have begun, and with one of the biggest surprises I could have thrown out... well, at least what would be a surprise in my view ^^; *chuckles* Anyways, I've somewhat introduced Orochi early, and he's the one causing all of the problems for the Elves, a problem our heroes will need to solve if they want to fully cement the Norse Pantheon's word in joining the alliance.**

**As was said by Cassiel herself, to unify the entirety of the supernatural world? That's not going to be easy, but with the Khaos Brigade's diversity, it might be a necessity to overcome them. Tsubaki pretty much defined it with her summarizing of the High-Tier Longinus, and the fact that they still don't know that the remainder of them just happen to already be within the Khaos Brigade's ranks.**

**So, the thing about Sona's canon personality not being the case here? Well... I have a few reasons behind this idea. The first, there's the fact that at some point, while they stayed as friends, Rias and Sona grew more distant from one another, and then there's the one special in BorN where she was able to mimic her sister's pose fairly easily.**

**Comparing that to how she broke down when everyone was watching, and how Rias feels about her brother... something just made me think that maybe Sona might not be as serious as she looks. Maybe that's not the case in canon, but I wanted to try it here, mostly because I don't think I can make her get together with Saji the normal way without changing one of them, and making Saji be the one who changes is both harder, and feels forced to me.**

**We've also learned that Cao Cao's group is called the Ancestral Faction, which I think is a much more fitting name due to the named members being comprised of ancestors they share a name with. The Pendragon siblings only add to this as they were former members in canon, as do Heracles, Jeanne, and Perseus all having the actual spirits of their ancestors.**

**Aside from Venelene, I think you can all tell why I had Bennia, Loup/Rugal, and Rossweisse join the group. For why I didn't have Yumina join them? The simple answer there is she's not gully joining the action until the Diodora arc, so I had to sideline her for now. Finally, to anyone curious about Kunou's role, she's basically the mascot of the group, like Ophis is in canon.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

**A/N: This story's version of Sieg uses the canon appearance of Vali.**

**A/N 2: Ingvild's attacks translate to "Flaming Dragon", "Thunder Dragon", and "Blizzard Dragon" respectively.**

* * *

** Rias' Peerage ** **:**

**King - Rias Gremory**   
**Queen - Akeno Himejima**   
**Bishops - Gasper Vladi (Mutated Piece: x4 Multiplier), Valerie Tepes (Mutation Piece: x6 Multiplier)**   
**Knights - Kiba Yuuto, Jeanne d'Arc Yuuto**   
**Rooks - Shirone Toujou, Unclaimed Rook**   
**Pawns - Xenovia Quarta (x5), Tosca Shirayumi (x3)**

* * *

** Sona's Peerage ** **:**

**King - Sona Sitri  
Queen - Tsubaki Shinra  
Bishops - Momo Hanakai, Reya Kusaka  
Knights - Tomoe Meguri, Unclaimed Knight  
Rooks - Tsubasa Yura, Unclaimed Rook  
Pawns - Saji Genshirou (x4), Ruruko Nimura (x4)**

* * *

** Bust Size of New Female Characters ** **:**

**Moroni - 92 cm**

**Etherei - 102 cm**

* * *

** Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter ** **:**

**None**

* * *

** Pairings List ** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating  
Ddraig/Albion - Married  
Tiamat/Fafnir - Married  
Ophis/Great Red - Married  
Saji/Sona - Master and Retainer  
Gasper/Valerie - Sorta Dating  
Kiba/Tosca - Friends  
Hina/Nanami - Dating**


	22. Chapter 22

**Everyone, before we begin today's start notes, I feel that it might be a good time to mention some details about the races that would be tied to Norse Mythology, or more specifically? To the ones that are actually still around, considering the Great War did do some damage, and because DxD is the kind of story that can change things (like making Crom Cruach into a Dragon) greatly.**

**To be specific, there are only three races in particular, with those being the Elves (and just Elves, no Light or Dark Elves like in myth), Dwarves, and the Giants being among them. Among these three, only the Elves and the Dwarves still exist, as the Giants were all slain during the events of the Great War, a choice I felt made sense to explain why Loki's such a brat, seeing he's sometimes considered one, and because their size would make them bigger targets.**

**Having more than those three would be hard to manage, and I don't think I really need any more than just those three. As such, that's the whole status on the races tied to Yggdrasil in this story. I can't reveal much more about them unless they come up during the Great War, but I decided to say this much to answer any questions about it in advance. Now, with that all said, time to officially begin this chapter's start notes.**

**First of all, I'd like to say how glad I am that this original arc is going well, as it was probably my biggest worry of the story until now. While I can't say how, or even when they'll show up, other races that are currently non-native to DxD as of this chapter will appear, like the Dwarves mentioned in last chapter's author talk. Who knows, I might have them appear sooner than you think.**

**Anyways, I think you recall how last chapter, I mentioned a few more characters would come into focus, with Saji being one of them. As of this chapter, I think you can tell those other characters were Rossweisse, Bennia, Rugal, Venelene, and Kunou. While our usual cast will still have some focus in this chapter, it's the five of them and Saji who'll have bigger roles for the rest of this arc.**

**Most of all, this chapter will have a much different Concept Talk, and the reason for that? Well... it's because the Top 10 Strongest Beings of this story are going to be revealed! You only know the Top 3 right now by word of others (Dragons Gods are first, Heavenly Dragons are second, and the deities of the Christian Pantheon are third), so it's time you learn who else in the LOHD universe has earned the right to call themselves the best of the best.**

**Do know this, the list ignores anyone sealed into a Sacred Gear or otherwise, meaning those like Trihexa and the Heavenly Dragons are on it. The same applies to those who are deceased, like God and Lucifer, for the same reasons. However, the most important thing to know is this list is also acting on current information in-universe, due to spoilers that would result from me showing the accurate list this early.**

**So, with that out of the way... let's get this chapter started!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

 **[]** \- Ddraig Talking

 **«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

 **「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

 **【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

 **⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

** Top 10 Strongest Beings: Version 01 **

**In the supernatural world, there are many powerful beings, but something those who only just start out, or are new to the supernatural, often ask the same question... who's the strongest? What beings are the most powerful? What beings would even the wielders of a Longinus could struggle to fight against? While it's too hard to rank everyone, there's no question over which are the strongest.**

**The beings who've earned the honor of ranking as the Top 10 are...**

**1\. Ophis, Great Red, and Trihexa - The Two Dragon Deities, who are known by many names, but most often called the True White Dragon God Empress and the True Red Dragon God Emperor, or the Dragons of Dragons for the both of them. As for Trihexa, no one truly knows where it came from, or what brought it to life, but it was enough of a threat that it had to be sealed away, killing God and all of the Maou in the process.**

**2\. Ddraig and Albion - The most powerful Dragons, and the most powerful mortal beings, who were created when some of Great Red and Ophis' power fell to the Earth, causing egg shards to reform and hatch into the two. What made them so dangerous was each had legendary breath that could easily slay Gods, and destroy souls that were consumed within them. It wasn't until they met they became the monsters they are now, but out of their rivalry and love.**

**3\. God/Elohim and Lucifer - Masters of Magic, who are known as the creator of all life besides the Dragons, and the first Angel he created. Lucifer was originally as powerful as his fellow Great Seraphs were. However, once his actions led to Lucifer choosing to abandon Heaven, the world was shaken as the powers of the Sacred Darkness made him become God's equal, turning him in a deity tied to the darkness within the Holy Light.**

**4\. The Trimurti - Masters of Prana, the leaders of the Hindu Pantheon, and three of the earliest Gods to appear after Elohim was born. Among the three, Shiva is considered the strongest by sheer fact he's a God associated to Destruction, but he states its only due to that, and by pure power and energies, the trio are equal. Despite their strength, it seems they can't do anything to keep Indra, their Pantheon's problem child, in line.**

**5\. Izanagi and Izanami - Masters of Chi, the leaders of the Shinto Pantheon, and two of the earliest Gods to appear after Elohim was born. Their power grew especially after the events of Yomi capturing the apparently dead Izanami inside of it. Despite both having sacrificed most of their power to create the Shinto Trio, victory made Izanami a Goddess tied to Spirits, allowing the two to become even stronger than before Yomi's involvement.**

**6\. Indra - One of three deities known to the entire supernatural world as the "Worst Gods", alongside Loki and Hades, due to everything they do always causing more harm than good, and none of them ever accepting the fact. Among them, he is the worst for always believing he's in the right, to the point not even Brahma or Vishnu's words can reach him, a mindset he formed for becoming the leader of the Daeva, and defeating Vritra in battle.**

**7\. Amaterasu - The Shinto Goddess of the Sun that was born when Izanagi went to rescue his wife from Yomi, but failed on his first try. Sacrificing most of his power at the time, and the power that Izanami left him with before he fled, he washed himself in a sacred lake that created the Shinto trio, and successfully rescued her. Amaterasu's power comes being the first Sun Deity, and the sun being the most vital force of life on Earth.**

**8\. Tiamat - The strongest of the Dragon Kings, and the adoptive younger sister of Ddraig, who was born as a blue fire drake that resulted from heritage tied to water drakes. Under Ddraig's tutelage, she grew to become very powerful at an extremely fast pace, quickly earning her current title. After her brother was sealed, and because the Dragon Gods usually stay in the Dimensional Gap, she's considered the de facto leader of the Dragons.**

**9\. Vritra - One of the five Dragon Kings, and the most powerful of the Evil Dragons before the time of the Great War, and after it. Vritra's power comes from his versatile arsenal of abilities, and the fact it managed to challenge the much stronger Indra to a standstill, which only ended when Indra split him into four (due to a curse that would result in mutual death if he killed him), which created all four of his Sacred Gears, yet helped Vritra become sane.**

**10\. Lilith, Adam, and Eve - The intended first men, and both of the intended first woman. Despite not being intended to have such strength when made by God, all of their paths (despite Eve currently being MIA) caused them to grow into powerful beings, with Lilith being considered the strongest in a manner similar to Shiva, but because of a power only she has that gives that edge. This power, along with their kindness, is what draws many people together.**

**However, even among those in the Top 10, it's the members in the Top 5 spots that incredibly powerful.**

**Such strength is represented by the incredibly large gap of power between the 6th Strongest and 5th Strongest Beings, with Indra having no chance against any of them unlike how Amaterasu is close enough that she could beat him in a fight if she played her cards right. Due to this, there are many that say the Top 5 have been locked into place.**

**Other beings are often very close in power and tend to fluctuate positions, showing just how much potential can exist in the Supernatural World.**

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**_ Season 3, Calling of the Elves Arc: Chapter 3 - The Power of Venus _ **

Upon entering, the group saw the inside had walls of crystalline plants, with various other forms of flora, and even some fungi, emitting slight to powerful bioluminescence. This gave the room a gentle, yet mystical appearance.

After they walked for a bit, the group could see an Elf meditating on a chair, possessing long green hair that was topped with a flower crown. She had a rather large bust, and her outfit looked to be what Issei could best describe as clothing made of nature.

"Whoa, so that's the leader of the Elves?" Bennia said in awe.

"Excuse me, mother. Our guests have arrived." Etherei stated.

Hearing these words, the Elf Elder had one of her ears twitch, prompting her to open an eye to see her daughter.

"Ah, forgive my rudeness." She apologized.

She immediately readjusted herself, looking at the group before her with a warm smile.

"Hello there, my name is Liuthei Alfheim, and I'm the current leader of the Elves." She greeted.

"Elder Liuthei, I am-" Kelsey began.

She held a hand up, making Kelsey stop as she looked at her.

"Princess Kelsey of the Demons, am I correct? Your mother told me that was your name if I remember right." Liuthei replied.

Kelsey's eyes widened.

"Wait, have you and my mother met before?" Kelsey asked.

"Yes, when Jequn killed the boy you loved, she directly came to me as her way of making sure I knew our usual exchanges would be delayed until further notice. I can only imagine what you two went through... especially since I remember the Great War from my childhood, and it still terrifies me how angry your mother had been for that brief time." Liuthei explained, closing her eyes in apology.

The Demon Princess sniffled for a moment, wiping her eyes.

"I... thank you for being so understanding during that time." She replied, kneeling a bit out of respect.

Lifting her head up, she looked at her directly once again.

"Since your daughter had been assigned to bring us here, I assume you're already aware of why we've come?" Kelsey inquired.

"I am, the all father of Asgard sent you here because despite we detached ourselves from his faction long ago, he still feels the need to observe us like we're his precious children. It would also be safe to assume you've come in their stead because they've offered their aid if you can solve our problems, am I warm?" Liuthei inquired.

"Right on the nose, that's exactly why we're here." Kelsey confirmed.

In response to that, Liuthei's eyes gave a fierce look.

"Do know this... just because we're on good terms with you Demons, doesn't mean we'll give you the same as Odin will for aiding us... though it isn't because we're ungrateful or don't want to." She made clear without hesitation, but while making sure no misunderstandings happened.

"What do you mean?" Vali asked.

Kelsey took a moment to think, and then snapped her fingers.

"I think I have an idea why that's the case, but... perhaps you should say it for it to truly show that reasoning?" Kelsey replied.

"Etherei, if you may." Liuthei requested to her daughter.

"After the events of the Great War, the one thing we'd rather not be involved with is another unnecessary conflict. The Elves aren't helpless by any means, but deep down, we're still peaceful creatures, and fighting in our view is something that must only be done when nothing more is left. In a way, despite we know it's not malicious on their part, we feel the Norse Gods are acting behind our backs, not respecting our dignity." She explained.

Issei scratched his head, taking a moment to figure it out.

"Basically, you're willing to help the Alliance, but not by means of combat unless any of your Elves were willing to volunteer, or unless all of Alfheim was at risk. Is that what you're saying?" Issei inquired, hoping his summarizing was correct.

"Yes, I hope you can understand." Liuthei apologized.

"Don't worry, it's alright. You did join us Demons specifically because we didn't bother making you join us. I think my mother would know this is how you'd be willing to help the Alliance under any circumstances." Kelsey replied.

Liuthei and Etherei sighed in relief.

"Thank you." The Elf Elder smiled.

"So, what's the exact nature of your problem? We can tell that Orochi is related to it, but aside from that, we're kind..." Saji asked.

"Ah, that's right. The land encompassing Alfheim is protected by a special deposit of a magical metal known as Orichalcum, it's what gives the ecosystem of our home its protection, and why our people's skill with magic evolved into what it is. That monster has polluted our lands, but the Orichalcum makes it possible to fix faster than it can do damage." Etherei explained.

"But if that same Orichalcum were to be tainted..." Sona realized.

"It could do the reverse, and that could be deadly to our people, as we've come to rely on the Orichalcum here." Liuthei confirmed, a solemn tone her voice.

Kelsey stood up, nodding her head as she understood the situation.

"Alright, if we have Orochi as the problem, and we only saw one head, then that should mean the remaining seven are out there doing what it did. Does that sound like a possibility, Vritra?" Kelsey inquired.

 **«"Based on the logic dictating this situation? Yes."»** Vritra answered.

"Actually, before I took out the one you encountered, we had managed to kill four other beasts like that one. Unfortunately, it seems like every time one dies, the one following it gets even closer the Orichalcum deposit." Etherei mentioned.

"Which means we may not have enough time. No choice then, we'll have to split up between our peerages, and for who the non-peerage members should go with..." Vali suggested, looking at them.

Remembering when she trained with Rossweisse, and her mother: Brynhildr, Vali recalled she was a wizard-type like Rias and Akeno, who were the only ones among them in her peerage. It was best she went with them to help give a bit more balance. Venelene was also related to Rias, so she would also be a benefit.

Sona's peerage was the smallest, having only 8 members to her 10 and Rias' 9, and she only had a single Knight and Bishop, limiting her firepower in those areas. That would make Rugal being a werewolf good for that extra muscle, while Bennia's scythe was a bladed weapon like a sword.

As her group was already big enough, she would only bring Kunou with her, especially since the young Kyuubi knew her best among everyone present.

"One moment please. Before you make your choice, I'll be attending as well, since I'll need to survey the damage in case we need to heal it." Etherei intervened, holding a hand up.

Vali looked at her, and seeing that Sona's group had one member less among the three...

"Listen up everyone, here are our teams. Kunou will go with my peerage, Rossweisse and Venelene will go with Rias, while the rest will go with Sona." Vali stated, assigning everyone their groups.

 **["Well, then it looks like we're all set."]** Ddraig remarked.

 **("Then let's show Orochi he made a mistake intruding the Elves' territory.")** Albion declared.

With that, everyone set out with their respective groups, with Vali's heading back near the Elven hospital to pick up Asia and Kunou. The Lucifer Bishop turned as they came back, with Kunou still resting.

"Did everything go well?" Asia asked.

"Yeah, we just need to deal with one of the last three heads of Orochi, so we're heading back into the forest." Vali answered.

The Lucifer heiress picked up Kunou, and put her on Issei's back.

"Sorry that I'm a burden right now..." Kunou apologized.

"Hey, don't beat yourself up, you're just still a bit weak over... uh, whatever it was that sent you here. Chin up for now." Issei reassured her.

"OK, if you say so." Kunou replied.

And with that, the Lucifer team headed out into the forest once again.

* * *

As Vali's group walked through the forest, the twin Dragons held out their dominant hands, which were glowing at a certain rate to represent how close Ddraig and Albion felt Orochi was to their current location. Issei looked behind him real quick, seeing how Kunou was holding up.

"Doing alright back there?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm alright, just feeling a little sleepy." Kunou answered.

"That's normal for a piggyback, right?" Issei asked his girlfriend.

"Uh... I think it is?" Vali answered with uncertainty.

And with that comment, the Sekiryuutei gave a nervous sweat, looking at the path ahead of him.

"So, Kunou... what's your mother like? Actually, how about you also tell me about your sister, since Kuroka mentioned you're the younger of two daughters?" He asked to distract himself.

"Well, being the heir to the title of Youkai leader seems fairly normal, but it might just be our culture. My sister has got a little problem with jumping the gun, something her teacher, Grand Elder Tenguu keeps telling her she needs to fix before she can take over. My mom is a bit flirty, but she's really sweet, and..." Kunou continued.

Suddenly, her eyes began to shake, and her voice shook a bit. Issei noticed this, and cleared his throat.

"Guys, I think Kunou's freaking out!" He warned everyone.

"Kunou!?" Vali asked worriedly.

"And... and... and!" Kunou stammered.

Noticing something, Arthur held out a hand to block Vali from getting closer.

"Hold on for a moment, I think she's recalling what happened to her." Arthur warned.

"Are you sure?" Vali questioned.

The Knight of Lucifer nodded his head, making Vali look at her friend before sighing, letting the chips fall where they may. After a few more seconds, Kunou gave a loud gasp, recalling the last thing she saw before she blacked out.

* * *

_As Yasaka and Kunou began heading towards Takama-ga-hara, they suddenly noticed a strange mist envelop the area, which made Kunou feel a bit scared._

_"Mother, what is this?" She asked._

_"This is... Dimension Lost?" Yasaka remarked, looking surprised and nervous._

_A slight chuckle was heard, with many silhouettes walking through the mist._

_"Sorry, but I'm afraid we'll need you to come with us."_

_A familiar spear held itself through the smoke, making Kunou shake at the sight of the Ture Longinus' tip pointing at them._

* * *

_Cao Cao was seen holding the True Longinus as he held it out towards Yasaka, with Kunou hiding behind her mother, frozen in fear at the sight of the countless Youkai that he had defeated by himself._

_"This is finished, now... time for you to say good night." Cao Cao declared, thrusting forward._

_"Kunou, get down!" Yasaka warned._

_The Youkai Leader stood her ground as the spear neared her, keeping Kunou close. Once the spear neared them, an explosion went off, making Kunou scream as she was flung away, only able to reach out towards her mother in vain._

_"Mama..." Kunou cried, soon blacking out while still in the air._

* * *

_Kunou felt herself starting to wake up, and right as she did, she noticed a female figure standing above her, but her vision was too blurry to fully make things out._

_"Sorry, but I can't allow them to find you, so you'll have to die." The girl stated, giving a sadistic smirk._

_She swung two weapons at the young Kyuubi, making Kunou scream in pain as everything went black again, yet she still felt pain in a manner resembling a patient with a failing sedative._

* * *

Kunou suddenly screamed, falling off of Issei's back as she held herself, only to slowly begin panting once she realizing it was just a memory.

"Are you alright, Kunou?" Vali asked worriedly.

"My mom and I... we went to see Lady Amaterasu, but someone attacked us! My mom defended me, but I got sent flying, and when I woke up, some woman I couldn't properly make out... she tried to attack me, she said I had to die! Even when I blacked out again, I still felt it!" Kunou cried, soon whimpering as she held herself.

It was a reaction no one knew how to respond to, except think how horrible the experience had to have been.

"Kunou, the one who attacked your mother... what did he attack you with?" Issei inquired nervously.

After taking a few deep breaths, combined with Vali rubbing her back, the young Kyuubi calmed down enough that she felt she could say it.

"I'm not sure, but it looked like... a stick with some swirly stuff going around it. Before that, it was some thick purple cloud that made everything else lose its color, and there were others I didn't recognize, other than some monsters that showed up." She recalled.

Yuuma sweated at that, needing a moment to take a deep breath.

"Great, that was Cao Cao's group, and it looks like they went up against him and his fellow Longinus wielders." She realized.

"I had a feeling it needed to be someone strong, and that simply verifies my thoughts." Kuroka sighed.

"Something doesn't add up... Takama-ga-hara isn't anywhere near Alfheim, so why did the Elves manage to find Kunou here in the first place?" Kelsey wondered, lightly biting the nail of her left thumb.

*HISS*

That sound caused everyone to forget about the revelation they just heard of, and notice the twin Dragons' hands were now flashing at the level of a noticeable flicker. That only meant once thing...

Orochi was nearby, and heading _towards_ them!

**"He's coming!"**

Digging from underneath the ground, the 6th head of Orochi popped out, hissing heavily as he saw his prey before him. Once he came into view, more purple fire began flaring out from under its scales, getting Irina's attention.

'Wait, those purple flames...' She thought as she recognized them.

"Is it just me, or is this one bigger than the one that attacked us earlier?" Bikou mentioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, it does seem a bit larger. Perhaps whatever split them makes the others grow bigger upon defeat... which makes me have to wonder." Kelsey answered.

"Wonder what? Yuuma asked.

Le Fay immediately dove near Kelsey's face, surprising the Demon Princess.

"You think there might be a Witch or Warlock involved, don't you?" Le Fay guessed, recalling the Hexennacht witches that attacked the summit.

"Uh... yeah. After all, we already know that Hexennacht is allied to the Khaos Brigade, which makes sense because Warlocks and Witches are simply Magicians that have no restraint on forbidden magics and use it for darker reasons. Can we really say it would be impossible for someone in their ranks to be responsible for Orochi being here?" Kelsey suggested.

Kunou was shaking a bit, hearing the monster that Susanoo had told her stories about.

"So, this is really a head of Orochi?" Kunou asked shakily.

"Don't worry, Kunou. We're all in this together." Vali reassured her with a smile.

The Venom Blood Dragon hissed once again, and instantly expelled fire from its mouth, forcing everyone to move out of the way as the flames began to burn the forest.

"Oh crap, oh crap!" Le Fay said upon noticing.

Le Fay releasing a giant sphere of water, making a bunch of rain explode over the area that was burning, and dousing all the flames. Seeing the steam that formed, Orochi dove underground again.

"Uh... maybe it would be better to try countering the flames?" Yuuma suggested.

"As much as I'd like to throw a few Hinotama, I'd rather not get an earful from the Elves for letting their home get anymore damaged than necessary." Kuroka remarked.

The Lucifer heiress face palmed at her Rook's comment.

"Purple flames... of course, now I remember!" Irina realized.

"Yeah, this is the work of the Incinerate Anthem we're seeing... which means _she_ must be here." Vali replied, her left-hand shaking.

The golden-orange haired Angel looked at Vali in surprise.

"Long ago, when I was caught in the Utsusemi Incident, Lavinia told me that when she got separated from my birth mother, she found a mother figure that became her teacher. She was the previous Incinerate Anthem wielder... until the Hexennacht leader murdered her for the Longinus' unique nature of being able to freely switch hosts without killing them." Vali explained.

"Of course, that explains why Lavinia often works with us to find the old hag." Kelsey realized.

Everyone looked at her in confusion.

"I know she's not pretty, but why call her that?" Vali asked.

"Not sure why, but for some reason that even my mom can't remember, every Demon calls Walburga an old hag." Kelsey admitted, scratched her head.

"That's mean, and I love it!" Bikou laughed.

Issei took a moment to register the Incinerate Anthem's ability, and soon widened his eyes.

"Wait, when you say leave... do you mean it can jump out on its own, rather than being exchanged like that trick Raynare did to take Asia's Twilight Healing?" He asked.

"That's right, and truth be told? It should have left Walburga, but since Witches and Warlocks operate a certain way, I think you can tell why it hasn't done that by now..." Vali confirmed.

He gritted his teeth, with it clear Walburga had essentially imprisoned the Sacred Gear under her control.

"I've been helping my sister keep an eye out ever since. The only problem is Walburga's a coward, and always runs from fights that she can't win, which was the very reason why she got away the first time I met her." Vali stated, her hands shaking more.

Upon that reply reaching her peerage's ears, all of them but Asia readied for battle.

"Then we've got even more reason to slice down this serpent, so let's do it!" Issei shouted as he drew Ascalon.

Vali looked at her friends in surprise, giving a smile at the sight.

"Yeah, let's remind Orochi what happened when it was stupid enough to deal with Susanoo!" Vali declared.

 **"Promotion, to Queen!"** Yuuma and Kelsey shouted, feeling their Evil Pieces change into Queens.

Orochi hissed as it resurfaced again, firing off its venom at the group.

" **Blazing Dawn!** "

Issei swung down his sword, releasing God's power against the attack, and eventually smashing through it. Orochi's head reeled back form the force, but quickly managed to pull itself back into position like it didn't nearly get a whiplash, and hissed again.

"Damn, this thing's resilient." Issei grunted.

 **["The very legend tied to him and Susanoo is evidence of that. The only way that lazy God was able to beat it was getting it completely drunk on sake, and then fighting it until it was killed, as it was still a powerful Dragon."]** Ddraig warned.

"Seriously? Is every named Dragon some kind of living battleship!?" Issei asked, quickly jumping away as Orochi's head snapped at him.

 **["Yes, because we're all within the Top 50 Strongest Beings."]** Ddraig bluntly answered.

Hearing that made the Lucifer Queen's eye twitch.

" **Fox Fire!** "

Kunou unleashed a powerful fire at Orochi, making its upper body roar in pain for a moment... only for the purple flames to smother them in an instant. Kunou sweated a bit before she chuckled, stepping back slightly.

"Uh... maybe we shouldn't use fire on it right now?" Kunou suggested.

"Duh, you think so?" Bikou retorted.

Orochi slithered through, surprising Yuuma as it neared her, and slammed its tail at her. The Princess of the Fallen Angels slammed into a tree, causing her head to bleed slightly as she collapsed.

"Yuuma!" Asia shouted before rushing to her.

Orochi slithered after her, making Kelsey scream before she held out her hand.

" **Gravity Force!** "

Orochi's body was suddenly forced to the ground, with Asia looking back briefly to see how close it had nearly gotten to her. Vali glared at the monster, instantly jumping into the air as she activated her Balance Breaker, and then instantly switched to her DxD form.

**「** **Fire Emblem Fates: End of All - Instrumental** **」**

"Everyone, we have to treat this monster like we're fighting a one-man peerage! Arthur, Irina; do everything you can to distract the Dragon! Issei, focus on charging all your power to slay Orochi with Ascalon! Le Fay; keep Yuuma, Asia, and Kunou safe! Bikou, Kuroka; lock it down from a distance! And Kelsey, swarming it with your Crystal Flurry!" Vali ordered.

"Understood, Vali!" Everyone replied.

Issei shouted as he did the same as Vali, assuming his own DxD form.

**["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"]**

Le Fay grabbed Kunou before flying towards Asia and Yuuma, leaving Kelsey to release her gravity power from the Venom Blood Dragon.

"Now!" Irina shouted.

As Orochi prepared another attack, the princess of the Angels whipped out Excalibur Mimic, surprising the Evil Dragon as its mouth was wrapped shut.

" **Crystal Flurry!** "

Orochi was pummeled by a rain of crystalline orbs, with Arthur rushing through all of them without being hit once.

"Here, have some of this!" Bikou shouted.

"And try some of this!" Kuroka exclaimed with an open smirk.

Orochi's head was hit from his left side by Bikou's staff, which was followed with Kuroka smashing the serpentine Dragon's right side. Upon being hit by the latter's attack, the Evil Dragon's neck had twisted around enough times to look like a corkscrew.

"Hey, I think we got-" Kunou cheered.

*CRACK*

Everyone suddenly noticed Orochi's body cracking, and once it did... he suddenly sprouted out of himself, now even bigger than before, and his neck as straight as before.

"He shed his skin? Of course, that's why this one is bigger than the last!" Kelsey realized.

Vali instantly began firing magic blasts at Orochi, who just shrugged them off with his tail, which surprised the Hakuryuukou greatly.

"Albion, can Orochi actually shed his skin?" Vali asked.

 **("No, he can't... and I don't like what that implies.")** Albion answered nervously.

Orochi rushed at Vali, catching her off-guard.

"I've got you!" Irina shouted as she flew towards her, grabbing something from a magic circle.

" **Excalibur Destruction!** "

Orochi was suddenly smashed heard on the head, forming an indent as everyone saw Irina holding the Excalibur once used by Xenovia, surprising all but Kelsey and Kunou.

"I'll explain later, just focus on the battle for now." She replied to what nearly everyone was thinking.

"Well buy me a little more time, I don't have enough boosts to guarantee we'll take this beast down just yet." Issei warned.

Feeling herself regain consciousness, Yuuma looked at the battlefield.

"Don't worry, I can help too!" Yuuma stated.

" **Fell Downfall!** "

A bunch of magic circles appear in the air, getting Orochi's attention as light spears shot out, stabbing into his vital spots, and limiting his movement.

"Nicely down, Yuuma!" Issei cheered.

"T-thank you." Yuuma blushed.

Ddraig's gems glowed, getting the Sekiryuutei's attention.

 **["Go for it, Issei!"]** Ddraig shouted.

"Right!" Issei shouted.

Flying up into the sky, Issei then dove down, swinging his fist forward as he channeled Ascalon's power into it.

" **Crimson Flare!** "

**["EXPLOSION!"]**

Orochi shook off the spears, only to see Issei diving at him, right before he punctured right through him with his fist. While no sign of a wound was seen... the Dragon's body suddenly swelled up, and then popped like a balloon filled with dynamite, making everyone cover their eyes.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

Once the smoke cleared, everyone looked to confirm Orochi was slain, with both of the twin Dragons panting a bit from using their DxD forms.

"Hot damn... if that was just part of him, I'd hate to fight his complete form." Bikou remarked.

"Well, that's one down. Now we just have to hope Rias and Sona will find the others before they make it to the Orichalcum deposit." Vali panted, looking towards the paths they took.

As the group stood there, none of them noticed something nearby... a floating purple fireball, watching their every move.

* * *

In another area of the forest, the Gremory Team was walking around, with Venelene using her Lion form's strong sense of smell to trace the location of Orochi, having picked it up from the encounter with the head Etherei had killed earlier.

"Hmm... yep, we're definitely getting close to Orochi, I can smell him." Venelene mentioned with a cat-like smirk.

"Wow, she really is like a Lion in that state." Jeanne said in awe.

Looking at Shirone, she gave a look asking for a comparison.

"I'm a Cat, she's a Lion... what do you think?" Shirone asked sarcastically, an annoyed look on her face.

The Maiden of Orleans sweated a bit, looking away.

"O... K then." She replied.

Before they could go any further, the group heard someone's stomach growling, right as Venelene got up and held her stomach. The clear blush on her face meant she was making no attempt to hide herself as the culprit.

"Sorry, but I think I'll need to take a quick snack break." She apologized, a sweat drop showing on her face.

"Oh my." Akeno giggled at odd timing.

Realizing it might be a while, Rias' group sat themselves on some rocks, watching as Venelene took out a warm meat hoagie from her backpack. As she took her first bite, Rias decided to finally ask some questions on why she hadn't met her younger cousin before now.

"Venelene, if you don't mind me asking... where have you been all this time to prevent me from knowing you even existed?" Rias asked.

"Oh, that? Well..." Venelene replied.

The Vapula Devil started thinking back for some answers, and then found where to start.

"You know how your mother's marriage to your father was ignored by the Bael Clan because she was part of the branch family, and no one thought you or your brother would end up inheriting the Power of Destruction?" Venelene asked.

"Yes." Rias answered.

"Well, I was conceived when after you and Sairaorg were born, it was discovered Sirzechs got the abilities of both clans. Not wanting to be undermined, our stupid jerky shithead of a dad forced our mom to have me, wanting a similar thing. However, I was like Yumina, and only got the power of my mom's clan, following that..." Venelene answered.

She didn't have to say more, as Rias already knew the story, recalling how much her mother regret being unable to give Sairaorg and her Aunt Misla a home. If Venelene seemed more like a Vapula Devil, then it's likely Lord Bael used that so his sister wouldn't be able to learn she even existed.

"Anyways, that's when our mom ended up getting sick, so once she finally fell into a coma... I decided not to stand by doing nothing. As such, while Sairaorg brought home the bacon when it came to training and growing muscles, due to our mom's last words before she went comatose, I left Hell to find see if there was something to great her. Luckily, I managed to find it, but that wasn't until last month. I was surprised to see Sairaorg took back his spot as heir, had Regulus join his peerage, and that Vali even existed." She finished explaining.

"Now I understand what Sairaorg said a bit more." Kiba realized.

"I don't get it, why didn't he just tell Rias he had a sister?" Xenovia questioned, not seeing it in simple terms.

Before anyone could try to answer...

*BURP*

Everyone looked at Venelene, seeing she had eaten the whole hoagie, and then... released the smell to everyone through said belch. Tosca herself even gagged when the scent reached her nostrils.

"That's disgusting!" Shirone remarked, pinching her nose.

"My bad, that one had some garlic and onions in it." Venelene apologized, taking out a mint.

Popping it in, she chewed it up, giving immediate relief to everyone.

"Anyways, since I've come back, I've been in my brother's peerage for the last two weeks. He's got a few surprises in his peerage aside from me." She concluded.

"I have a question. Because you and Sairaorg both have Vapula Clan heritage, does that mean both of you can use Regulus?" Tosca asked.

"That's right, but in different ways. For one example? My brother refuses to use weapons, so when we need Regulus as an axe, it's my job to wield it. Can't say anymore or I'll end up giving away our strategies to you." Venelene replied.

Right at the moment she finished...

*HISS*

Hearing that sound, everyone briefly paused, with Venelene focusing her eyes towards the one direction.

"Looks like he's arrived." Rossweisse realized.

Slithering into view, the 7th Orochi head showed itself, but it was even bigger than the sixth head due to having shed a few more times since running into the group.

"Uh... guys, is it supposed to be getting bigger?" Gasper asked fearfully.

"Well, it looks like a snake, so... maybe it's been shedding its skin? The Elves may have not noticed since they've fought it from a distance, and Etherei didn't say she's been fighting all of them herself." Valerie theorized.

Sniffing the area, Venelene looked to the others, nodding to confirm Valerie's guess.

"Then we'll need to stop soon, it's possible each shedding targets both its size _and_ its strength." Rossweisse warned.

"Alright everyone, it's time to take Orochi down!" Rias declared.

"Right!" Everyone replied.

**「** **Fairy Fencer F: All Our Might Tonight** **」**

Venelene took a deep breath, and slammed her palm on the ground, confusing everyone... until a giant magic circle showing the Vapula Clan's lion shaped crest on it.

"Power born of the endless ravine. Oh, great lion that defies all attacks from the skies, and rises beyond all as the Emperor to the Kings of all Beasts in a golden glow! Allow me to hold your power within my fist, for I call to you Battle Axe of the Lion King..." Venelene chanted before her hand fell into the ground.

" **Regulus Nemea!** "

Even the head of Orochi showed surprise as Venelene suddenly pulled the Longinus from the ground, currently in its form as a golden axe.

"Did she just call that Longinus out of nowhere!?" Rossweisse stuttered in surprise.

"Hold on, let's see... Regulus takes the form of a boy, is hiding himself as a member of Sairaorg's peerage until his first Rating Game, and neither him or her are actually Regulus' wielders..." Valerie said, feeling her mind do cartwheels as she tried to understand the situation before her.

Venelene giggled a bit, looking at the group.

"Remember, he might have evolved into an independent avatar-type, but he's still a Sacred Gear in the end. Me and Regulus can easily call him if we need his help because of our heritage to the Vapula Clan." Venelene explained, giving an excited look.

Orochi hissed in response, its brief surprise fading away.

 **«"Venelene, are you ready?"»** Regulus inquired, his voice no different in his weapon form.

"You bet!" Venelene agreed.

Thinking for a moment, Venelene bent backwards to look at Rias.

"Hey, Rias? Mind giving me and Rossweisse a chance to deal with this snake on our own before your group jumps in?" Venelene requested.

"Huh? Uh... I guess, but why?" Rias asked.

"Just figured since we're not part of your usual group, we should get first dibs. Especially since I've yet to get into a real throw down like you have." Venelene answered.

Having no idea how to respond to that... Rias just shrugged.

"Alright, but the moment things get bad, we'll be jumping in." She sighed, reluctantly agreeing to it.

"Got it." Venelene agreed.

Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes before flashing them open again, making her cat-like pupils sharpen.

" **Promotion, to Queen!** " Venelene shouted as her Pawn changed into a Queen.

Rushing ahead, Venelene shouted loudly, with Rossweisse taking a minute before flying overhead.

"Go, Regulus!" Venelene shouted.

**«"QUAKE!"»**

Venelene slammed the axe onto the ground, ripping the land to the Evil Dragon's surprise. While it kept its footing, it now noticed the land was way too open for it to use borrowing to its advantage.

"Aha! Based on your look, I bet you wanted to dig around this battlefield to your advantage, but that's not happening anymore!" Venelene exclaimed.

"Thanks Venelene, you left me an opening." Rossweisse smiled in response.

Forming a few layers of magic circles around her, a rain of lasers fired out of them before it scattered, which Rias quickly noticed was a similar technique that Vali would often use in battle. The beams smashed Orochi even further into the shredded earth, making it screech.

Using the opening she just got, Venelene swung the Regulus Nemea against the Evil Dragon's body, smashing some of its scales off. As the Venom Blood Dragon unleashed a mixture of its flames and venom, she flipped overhead, putting Regulus in her backpack, and then dived at the serpentine Dragon.

" **Roaring Lion's Fang!** "

Venelene's hand was covered in a purple aura resembling a Lion's head, which grew to a massive size before chomping down on the Evil Dragon. Most of Rias' peerage was shocked at the sight, with even Rossweisse briefly flinching at the sight.

"No way, and she's just a single Pawn?" Jeanne stated in disbelief.

"One of Sairaorg's Pawns was a Mutation Piece, so that must mean she's more powerful than the average Pawn, and that Mutation Piece had the highest multiplier tied to it. That means it was worth 8 pieces in total." Rias answered.

"Ah, that means she's worth either 7 Pawns or 8 Pawns, depending on which of those two got the Evil Piece... wait, but what if Regulus is his Queen?" Jeanne realized, soon getting confused again.

Rias shook her head.

"He isn't, because while Sairaorg's Queen is unknown, she's been confirmed to be a woman." The Gremory Heiress reassured her.

"Guess you'd know, he is your cousin after all." Jeanne replied.

Whistling with her fingers, Regulus' axe form flew out of her backpack, and he reappeared in his Lion form.

"Go, Regulus!" She shouted.

Regulus roared before charging at Orochi, and biting down on the Evil Dragon's body. The serpentine drake hissed as it tried to coil around the fierce wildcat Longinus in vain.

"Ross, get him with your spear!" Venelene shouted.

"Understood." Rossweisse acknowledged.

Tossing her spear down, Orochi turned his eyes as it hit him... only for his body to crack apart.

"Uh oh... I think he's shedding again!" Tosca shouted nervously.

Growling at the Vapula Devil that was doing the most damage to him, Orochi unleashed a wave of poison towards her, leaving her no time to react as it struck. Everyone in the Gremory Team gasped in horror as her skin got covered in purple blotches.

"Oh no, she's been poisoned!" Valerie panicked.

Falling to the ground, Venelene looked like she was in a bad spot... that is, until a strange call was heard.

**«"ADAPTION!"»**

Venelene quickly stood up, with the venom suddenly sweating itself out of her body, and removing the very blotches that had just formed. Orochi gave a look of surprise at this.

"Wait, did we just hear..." Kiba noticed.

"That was a Sacred Gear call, but... that can't be, Venelene said both her parents were pureblooded Devils!" Jeanne replied in disbelief.

"Don't you all forget what Raynare did?" Shirone reminded everyone.

Cracking her neck back into place, Venelene looked at the others.

"Oh yeah, during my travels, I met an old man who didn't know he had a Sacred Gear, but was unable to die on his deathbed because it was keeping him alive. Seeing that was too unbearable, so I took it out of him as an act of mercy." Venelene confirmed, explaining why they heard the sound.

Holding her hand out, everyone saw a rainbow bracelet wrap around both of her wrists, with the tips not touching her skin having a feathery look to them.

"This is the Sacred Gear that I inherited from that man... the Venusian Feather, otherwise known as the First Sacred Gear!" She announced.

" **Venusian Feather!** "

Jeanne's eyes widened at that, with the others simply being shocked to hear such a claim.

"Venusian Feather... she's not lying, because that Sacred Gear was created by God at the start. From what I can remember, due to worries her powers to would make Humanity depend on her, she willingly allowed herself to be the test subject so only one person could use her ability to adapt herself or her environment into a form she wished for it to take." The Maiden of Orleans stated.

Venelene looked at Orochi, making the Evil Dragon look a bit nervous.

"I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to have to... _hurt you_ for having the arrogance to poison me." Venelene said, with fierce glare on her face.

Orochi actually began to sweat, and instantly unleashed a wave of flames at Sairaorg's Pawn.

"Quetzalcoatl, you ready?" Venelene asked.

 **«"Let us achieve victory together, my lovely Venelene."»** The Legendary Dragoness replied.

Giving a slight chuckle at that last part, Venelene quickly had her eyes flash, and rushed towards the Venom Blood Dragon as she channeled all her power for a heavy assault.

Rossweisse was surprised as she saw Venelene smash her fist into Orochi with such force, the Evil Dragon couldn't even vocalize its pain as her fist left an imprint on his skin. Quickly grabbing the monster by the tail, she swung its around, and smashing its fangs against the nearby trees.

"Now, it's time to finish this!" Venelene screamed.

She swung Orochi high into the air, before quickly jumping even higher than it, surprising Orochi as it noticed what she was about to do.

 **«"Yeah, that's how you do it!"»** Regulus roared with praise.

" **Rampaging Savannah!** "

Diving down at the Evil Dragon before her, Venelene spun a few times before going into a flip, and slamming her foot onto Orochi's head. Everyone could only watch as seconds later... Orochi's body released rays of light, followed by an explosion!

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

"How's that for my roar, you wimpy snake?" Venelene asked.

'Incredible... if Sairaorg has a Pawn like her, then what else is he hiding that I don't know about?' Rias thought, still in awe from what she just witnessed.

However, as that was happening... no one saw a purple fireball floating nearby, spying on them.

"So, there's now only the one head left. Just as planned." A voice stated, giving a light chuckle that hid the smirk of its originator.

* * *

In the part of the forest nearest to where Sona's group was, the last Orochi suddenly had a huge growth spurt, giving a light hiss as it focused its eyesight into finding the Sitri Heiress and the allies with her.

"Just... as... planned." The same voice echoed, giving another dark chuckle.

The group quickly entered its view, and its eyes glared as it slithered towards them, compelled to eliminate them as venom drooled from its mouth.

None of them knew what would come next.

* * *

**That's right, Venelene has a Sacred Gear, and it has Quetzalcoatl. For why I made her a girl? The only female Dragon we have is Tiamat, and after watching Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid, it got me curious why she was made a woman. That's when I found the actual deity is tied to the planet Venus, and since it's named after a Roman Goddess, it made sense.**

**Giving the Sacred Gear its name wasn't too heard after that, with the feather coming from Quetzalcoatl also being considered a feathered serpent, and learning Venusian can mean "relating to or characteristic of the planet Venus", making it a good indicator that it was named after the being that's inside of it. Taking all of that together, we got the result you saw in this chapter.**

**As for why Venelene has one despite being a pureblooded Devil? Simple, because we've never had a heroic example of someone taking a Sacred Gear, and felt like having a character that should be in the story. You might say that the Incinerate Anthem leaving Walburga counts, but that Longinus can do that itself, and I'm referring to the procedure that Raynare used.**

**Now, for Venelene being able to use the Regulus Nemea, she basically answered that question already. Sairaorg won't use weapons, meaning we've only gained a brief glance on what Regulus should look like as an axe, with nothing ever saying he can't assume that form. I feel it was wasted no one else in his peerage can use him in axe form, so I decided for Venelene to do that job.**

**Speaking of her being able to use it? While Venelene can use Regulus, she can't use his Balance Breaker, as it would kill her. You might be thinking "but we have people with multiple Sacred Gears" at this moment, but they were either formerly human, or part human at the very least. Venelene has always been a Devil, so I decided that should be a limit to keep people like Raynare from becoming too dangerous.**

**Also, there's a few things I should bring up in correlation with the Concept Talk of today's chapter. First, the fact I'm calling the Devas as Daeva is intentional. How is it so? For the same reasons Ishibumi has certain factions be a composition of multiple mythologies and/or religions. The term Daeva comes from something in Zoroastrianism, but it'll be a while before I reveal it, so just remember that connection for now.**

**For the other major part of the Top 10 list, you'll notice that there are seven Dragons among them. Like with the above, this is related to something in the future, but the best I can hint for this one? Remember the title of this story, because that has the biggest connection to this. For now, I can say that the Dragons are easily the most powerful race, only weakened by their division after the events of the Great War.**

**Ddraig's one comment was the result of this, as to directly show you anything beyond the Top 10 would be too hard to manage. Regardless, now you know that every named Dragon in the series (the exception being Samael) rank within the Top 50, truly showing why they're considered the most powerful species, aside from the standards that Great Red and Ophis alone were able to set for their fellow kin.**

**We've also learned an... interesting detail about Walburga through Kelsey, which is that the Demons all call her an old hag for some reason even she's not aware of. I can't reveal what it is just yet, but there was a time Cassiel and Walburga fought (that she can't remember in the present day), and since the Demons were still getting on their feet? Whatever happened caused every Demon to refer to her as an old hag, and she hates it.**

**Last thing I need to say before we close today's end notes? To anyone that asks why I chose to have Amaterasu of all people on the list, I mainly have two reasons for that. The first is that I really like the Gods of Japanese and Hindu mythology, especially her. The second one is because she'll have an important role during Season 4 and the Diodora arc.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

* * *

** Rias' Peerage ** **:**

**King - Rias Gremory**   
**Queen - Akeno Himejima**   
**Bishops - Gasper Vladi (Mutated Piece: x4 Multiplier), Valerie Tepes (Mutation Piece: x6 Multiplier)**   
**Knights - Kiba Yuuto, Jeanne d'Arc Yuuto**   
**Rooks - Shirone Toujou, Unclaimed Rook**   
**Pawns - Xenovia Quarta (x5), Tosca Shirayumi (x3)**

* * *

** Sona's Peerage ** **:**

**King - Sona Sitri  
Queen - Tsubaki Shinra  
Bishops - Momo Hanakai, Reya Kusaka  
Knights - Tomoe Meguri, Unclaimed Knight  
Rooks - Tsubasa Yura, Unclaimed Rook  
Pawns - Saji Genshirou (x4), Ruruko Nimura (x4)**

* * *

** Bust Size of New Female Characters ** **:**

**Liuthei - 105 cm**

* * *

** Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter ** **:**

**【** **Crystal Flurry** **】** **  
The unique power of Adam, which manifests orbs possessing divine strength to them, given to him by God to protect himself from danger. This ability was later proven genetic, as his daughter Kelsey inherited it.**

**【** **Gravity Force** **】**   
**The special ability of Cassiel (back from her days as the Seraph representing the virtue of Perseverance), which was inherited by Kelsey. This power allows the user to create powerful gravitational forces on a specific target.**

* * *

** Pairings List ** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating  
Ddraig/Albion - Married  
Tiamat/Fafnir - Married  
Ophis/Great Red - Married  
Saji/Sona - Master and Retainer  
Gasper/Valerie - Sorta Dating  
Kiba/Tosca - Friends  
Hina/Nanami - Dating**


	23. Chapter 23

**Well, this is it everyone... we're about to reach the end of the "Calling of the Elves" arc! This chapter was a bit of a surprise, as originally, I expected it to be two more chapters, but I overestimated how long the arc would actually be. Guess that just proves when you're writing, the unexpected can always sneak up on you, even in simple ways like having a single chapter where you thought there'd be two.**

**Anyways, this chapter will be where Sona's peerage takes on the last Orochi head, but as last chapter showed you... I think we already know who the one who brought him into Alfheim is, and it seems like there's some hidden motive behind it, one that required seven of Orochi's heads to be slain in battle for the sake of the last one. Either way, the mastermind's still waiting to strike.**

**This chapter is also where Saji is finally going to get his chance to shine, because everyone else among the volunteers have already done so. Can't say any more about it, or I'll give away what I have planned, but if you paid attention to some of my start/end notes, I think you'll know one piece of the puzzle. Admittedly, said piece isn't what he'll do here, but it's still related, so... guess it counts?**

**For the next arc, we're heading back into canon territory through the Diodora arc, though I've thrown in plenty of twists to shake things up. When I mean twists, I _really_ mean it in this case, because what I've got planned for the last few chapters of Season 3? Let's just say that Season 3 isn't going to end in the same way as the first two seasons of this story, because where they were bending... Season 3 will actually break.**

**Now to reply to a guest review.**

**To guest:  
"Recall how in Season 1, is was mentioned that Satan died before Hell was created? This is why Lucifer chose to honor his name in the form of a title, which is why in-story, Humanity sometimes believes Lucifer and Satan to be the same person, when they actually aren't. However, one could say that Lilith unofficially fulfills the role in his place, as Vali got her unique way of getting angry from her."**

**So, let's get ready to bring this arc to the grand ending it deserves!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

 **[]** \- Ddraig Talking

 **«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

 **「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

 **【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

 **⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

** Venusian Feather **

**A powerful Sacred Gear that's owned by Sairaorg's younger sister, Venelene Vapula, who's his second Pawn, and the Vapula Clan's backup Heiress in case anything happens to the current. This Sacred Gear gets its name from being named after Life Song Dragon: Quetzalcoatl, who was considered a God by the Aztecs, and connected with the planet of Venus.**

**Despite what legends state, Quetzalcoatl was not a deity, as Humanity just assumed she was one due to the fact she helped civilization grow, spreading fertility. Her ability, which would be inherited by her Sacred Gear, allowed life to adapt, befitting how Dragons were born from the Earth itself, unlike all other life that result from God. Unfortunately, she realized too late that she was letting Humanity develop too fast.**

**To rectify her mistake before it grew beyond repair, she agreed to be sealed inside the first of God's official Sacred Gears, who then left a small part of the adaptability she left throughout Humanity, which let them learn to develop and evolve on their own. Based on Ajuka's studies, this is why a reincarnated Human can keep their Sacred Gear after reincarnation, regardless of which species they become.**

**As Venelene has shown, and according to her word upon obtaining it, the wielder of the Venusian Feather gives its host the power of adaptability, enough that its previous host was unable to die until Venelene transferred the Sacred Gear into herself, and inherited those powers as her own. However, this also means among those with Dragon-type Sacred Gears, making her the only one immune to Dragon Slayers... _and_ Samael!**

**Despite the powerful being sealed within it, the Venusian Feather isn't a Longinus, though it is one of the few candidates that many believe will eventually evolve into one. There are even rumors that claim the reason it has yet to become one is because in all the time its existed, not a single possessor of this Sacred Gear has managed to achieve its Balance Breaker, where the other Longinus have at least once.**

**Regardless of it will ever become a Longinus or not, the Venusian Feather was the beginning of the legacy started by the Sacred Gears.**

* * *

**_ Season 3, Calling of the Elves Arc: Chapter 4 - The Roar of Vritra _ **

Venelene dived down towards the 7th Orochi head, calling out her finishing attack.

" **Rampaging Savannah!** "

Venelene spun a few times before going into a flip, and slamming her foot onto Orochi's head. Everyone could only watch as seconds later... Orochi's body shout out rays of her power, and then exploded!

"How's that for my roar, you wimpy snake?" Venelene asked.

'Incredible... if Sairaorg has a Pawn like her, then what else is he hiding that I don't know about?' Rias thought, still in awe from what she just witnessed.

"What... was that!?" Yuuma asked.

Venelene turned to see Vali's group walking into view, with a shaking Yuuma looking at what Venelene did.

"Oh, hey you guys. I guess you dealt with your Orochi?" Venelene waved.

"We did, and... then we walked in to see you kick yours into oblivion. So, unless you can smash at the same level as Sairaorg, how exactly did you do that?" Vali asked.

"With this." Venelene answered while holding her arms up.

The Lucifer Team all showed surprise as they saw the Venusian Feather on her wrist. However, the gem reaction came from Irina, who began blubbering some gibberish, followed by her iris and pupils turning into black rings.

"Uh... guys, I think we broke Irina." Le Fay mentioned with worry.

Bikou bopped her head with the Ryuu Jingu Bang, making her shake her head and she regain her senses.

"You alright?" Vali asked.

"Yeah, I was just shocked I actually got to see _the_ original Sacred Gear." Irina replied while taking a deep breath.

Kunou's eyes widened at that.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait... did I just hear you say that was the original Sacred Gear, like as in... the first one God ever created?" Kunou asked, trying to make sure she heard that correctly.

"That's exactly what I said, a tale that came from when the Dragon known as Quetzalcoatl noticed her attempts to aid Humanity was pushing their progress too fast. What I don't get is how Venelene has it... I mean, she's a pureblooded Devil, isn't she?" Irina answered before looking at her.

Yuuma thought for a bit, and then walked up to her, making Venelene blink as Yuuma patted down on certain parts of her body. Everyone gave her an odd look, and then...

"You took this Sacred Gear from someone else, didn't you?" Yuuma assumed.

"Yeah, but only because the host was already dying, and his Sacred Gear was prolonging his suffering." Venelene answered.

Hearing that, Yuuma sighed before giving her a smile.

"That both answered everything, and kept me from assuming the worst about you." Yuuma replied.

"I don't blame you for worrying about that." Venelene giggled.

"Uh, guys? We should probably save this discussion for after we deal with Orochi." Issei interrupted.

"Right, we need to find Sona's group." Venelene remembered.

Using her heightened sense of smell, Venelene took the lead, while the twin Dragons had their partners help her triangulate where the last Orochi head was.

'Sona, if your group has already found your Orochi... I hope you're all OK.' Vali thought worriedly.

* * *

Speaking of Sona's group, they were currently sitting as Saji had Vritra try to sense the last Orochi head's presence.

Reya was currently using her Scouting Persona to try looking for it, while most of the others watched as Bennia ate some... well, to anyone but her, it looked to be fairly disgusting looking food, which was likely the same food of Tartarus that Persephone ate in in the one Greek Legend.

"You sure you don't want any?" Bennia offered again.

"Uh, I... eh, we... well, the thing is..." Saji stammered.

Everyone gave the same blue faced reaction as him, not sure how to refuse without bringing up said legend. However, once Bennia looked at them long enough...

"Wait, do you guys actually believe that legend about Persephone and our food?" Bennia questioned, smirking a bit.

Everyone went silent, which the Grim Reaper took as a confirmation, making her fall on her butt, kicking the air as she let out heavy laughter. After she finally ran out of air, she got to her feet, wiping a tear from her ear.

"My god, you do believe it! Come on, everyone knows one mythology can't decide everything in the world, that's just a human misconception! The only thing about Hades and Persephone is he got her pregnant with a few children the one time she was there, but that's it!" Bennia clarified, still giggling a bit.

"Oh, then... no, we don't want it because it looks gross." Ruruko answered for everyone.

Bennia shrugged at that, picking up something resembling a jagged sea urchin.

"Suit yourself, you don't know what you're missing." She replied.

Everyone other than Rugal nearly threw up as she ate it, making the sound of a gross sounding squish, and making them wonder how Persephone was even able to eat the strange cuisine of Tartarus in the first place.

"So, uh... Bennia, being a Half-God, what's that like?" Saji asked in an attempt to think about anything else.

"Hmm... think of it like a job if it was a species, only without pay, the inability to be fired, and your boss doesn't care if a few individuals don't do their work as long as the majority of your kind does. Kinda wish us Reapers could function more like the Valkyries or the Hero Clan, because Hades is one big ugly-" Bennia answered.

Realizing what she was about to say, she immediately covered her mouth before it slipped out.

"You get my point though, most Reapers might ignore the fact Hades is one of the Worst Gods, but I'm not one of them. He deserves the hate everyone gives him!" Bennia continued.

"Bennia, did... being part Human give you problems living among the Reapers?" Tomoe asked.

Bennia sighed, crossing her arms.

"No, it wasn't that... my father never treated me like his daughter, it was like I was just there. Just some loyal puppy to his loyal dog to Hades. I don't even know why he even had a child with my mother, because I never saw him mention any love for her, in fact... she left before I ever got to know her. I don't even know her name, her face, or what she looks like." She admitted, looking to the ground.

Rugal walked by her, and she looked up as he petted her on the head.

"I left on my own choice, but the only reason I went to the Devils is because of what I saw Lilith do to him before I picked up my scythe for the first time." Bennia continued.

"Wait, the Devil Queen did something to him? What was it?" Tsubasa questioned.

"Let me ask you all this... did any of you know that at one point, Hades had actual flesh and blood?" Bennia asked with a wide smirk on her face.

Bennia laughed as she saw their shocked reactions.

"It all went down like this..." She said as she recalled the wonderful memory.

* * *

_Deep within the walls of Tartarus, Lilith was seen standing before Hades, back during his days when he was not a living skeleton. The Greek God of Death just picked his ear as Lilith gave him a rant over his attitude, intentionally ignoring everything that he said._

_"You're just a bloody racist at this point, I mean really... calling us Devils as Bats? That's racism at its finest! I bet you don't have any other reason you hate us. Yet you try make the Demons think we broke our ceasefire, torture a group of Fallen Angels to incite Kokabiel's efforts to force a war, and worst of all... you attempted to turn me into some blob of flesh to create your own army with!" Lilith roared angrily._

_Finally annoyed with the babbling he had been drowning out, he looked towards the Devil Queen with an annoyed look of anger._

_"Oh, shut up! You know fairly well those acts were all justified! It was your kind that brought the Great War to this world, and look where it got you! Lucifer is dead, God is dead, and all the deaths that happened are on your hands as the one leading your filthy bats!" Hades shouted while pointing at her._

_"Shut up..." Lilith growled quietly._

_"Face reality! You may call us the Worst Gods, but everyone who remembers the truth still knows what happened, and only the three of us aren't cowards! We know what needs to be done! Deep down, I bet you know the truth... that the world's thanking Lucifer for basically killing himself, just like he deserved!" Hades laughed._

_Lilith's eyes widened at that, and her foot that was on the ground? In just a few seconds, with Bennia nearby to see it, that very ground... shattered, destroying Hades' throne room. The Greek God suddenly looked at Lilith in shock, seeing her give her usual aura of rage, but this time?_

_She was frowning, which meant the point where all the joy showed as an innocent looking smile... faded away from her pure rage._

_"Ooh! Lord Hades has done it, he's gonna die!" Bennia laughed._

_"Bennia!" Orcus warned._

_"Shut up! I'm seeing this, and you can't stop me!" Bennia blew a raspberry after replying to him._

_Orcus tried to retort, but Lilith's aura grew so strong, every Grim Reaper instantly stood down, with many running away. Hades himself couldn't even find himself able to move as Lilith took a step near him, further damaging Tartarus with each one she took._

_"Hades... I have a little something to say to that, and you wanna know what that is?" Lilith inquired with an intense glare._

_At that next moment, somehow defying most logic and physics in the area, everyone in Tartarus suddenly saw Hades being flung across the air. Intense steam was seen in Lilith's hands, with all of Tartarus' residents watching as after a long flight... he landed in the River Styx!_

_"Lord Hades!" Many screamed._

_Just when it seemed like she had murdered him, a hand rose out of the ground, showing Hades had survived being submerged in the water deadly to all others. However, many soon screamed for another reason, confusing Hades once he saw them._

_"What? Just what are you all screaming at? It's just me-" Hades questioned angrily, his voice now sounding distorted._

_Only when he finally heard his voice did the Greek God of Death see himself, looking at the hand that rose out first... the hand that was now nothing but bones. Someone held up a reflective surface, making Hades see he was nothing more than a skeleton with glowing red dots for eyes._

_"N-no... my body, it's gone!" Hades panicked, realizing what the River Styx had taken in place of his life. As the crowd watched, Bennia began pointing at Hades, laughing at him in pure joy at the karma he received._

_"Lord Hades, you should put a little more **meat** on those bones!" Bennia mocked, pointing as she laughed._

_Orcus spanked her, but Bennia was enjoying the scene so much, she didn't feel a thing, much to the chagrin of the Ultimate-Class Reaper. Right as Hades fully climbed out, he looked up to see streams of darkness near him, threatening to push him back in, and possibly causing worse._

_"I can take any shit that's directed at me, I can take any shit that's directed at the Devils, and... I can take almost any kind of shit that's directed at anyone. However, there's one person I will never tolerate ANY shit towards, and that's my husband! So, you listen close Hades..." Lilith warned as she got closer._

_She grabbed Hades by the throat, squeezing it enough to only be a hair's length away from choking off his air supply (which he somehow still had), and smashed him onto the ground, her light lacking eyes glowing to truly emphasize her threat._

_"I'm going to see your brothers, tell them what happened here, and make sure they force you to obey what I'm about to tell you now. If you EVER so much as try anything, attack, or step on Hell... insult its people, my fallen friends, the Maou, or Lucifer himself... I will come back, and let them hold you both down I as I murder you, show you being replaced as the ruler of Tartarus, and then... I'll make sure you get no mercy in your death as I drag it out!" Lilith warned with a voice that shattered all doubts._

_Lilith swung her hand out, aiming it near a large rock formation._

_*BOOM*_

_Hades jumped a bit, seeing that very rock being vaporized by her Ethereal Twilight's power, and making all the Reapers who watched scream before they ran off. The only ones who didn't were Orcus and Bennia, who looked at Lilith with awe and shock respectively._

_"Are. We. Clear?" Lilith questioned._

_"W-we're clear..." Hades whimpered._

_She dropped him to the ground, and then began walking out, soon noticing Bennia._

_"You weren't afraid of all that?" Lilith inquired._

_"I've never seen anyone stand up to Lord Hades, you're so awesome!" She praised with sparkling eyes._

_Blushing slightly at the compliment, Lilith giggled a bit._

_"Glad to see that one Reaper here has enough of a **backbone** to say that." Lilith replied, throwing a small joke into her praise._

_Bennia saw Lilith leave, forming the spark that would eventually have Bennia side with her years later._

* * *

The Grim Reaper gave a happy sigh as the memory finished.

"And that's how he became the skeleton we know him as today, while also never attacking Hell despite his clear racism." Bennia stated, finishing her tale.

"Oh, my god... no wonder my sister always told me that Hades was afraid of Lady Lilith." Sona realized.

The Grim Reaper soon sighed, giving a worried look.

"Yeah, but I think it's only because of that threat, if Hades ever finds a way to get stronger allies, or become stronger... there's little doubt in my mind he'll raze across Hell without anything to stand in his way. That's another reason the Alliance is important, because I'm pretty sure Lilith knows a few people stronger than her, and who would very pissed if he tried anything." She replied.

Saji cleared his throat at that. getting everyone's attention.

"Let's not think of worst case scenario's here, especially when we're dealing with trying to find a dangerous Dragon that's-" Saji begged.

Before he could finish, the Absorption Line suddenly pulled him forward, getting everyone's attention as it vibrated heavily, with the Sacred Gear's eyes lowering its eyelids into an angry shape.

In a way, it looked like Vritra was actually _growling_ through it, with only a lack of sound defining it as such.

"Vritra?" Saji tried to reach his partner.

Saji's arm moved again, making the Absorption Line's eyes flash.

 **«"He's here."»** Vritra stated quietly.

As every got ready, Etherei held her hands together to make a magic orb to try and spot his body moving around the area, then predict his movements... only to see heavy static forming within in.

"Something's off, my magic's not getting a clear reading on the beast." Etherei remarked.

"For your magic to experience that, we can definitely clarify that as a very bad sign." Rugal warned everyone.

Rugal instantly took his werewolf form, trying to smell the Dragon out, only to get a similar result as too many smells invaded his nostrils.

"I can't sniff out Orochi's location either." Rugal growled in annoyance.

This began to worry everyone, right as Tsubaki put finger to her mouth, and then looked at the Absorption Line.

"Hmm... Vritra, I think your worries about Orochi's silence are starting to become more founded." She wondered aloud.

 **«"No, it's much worse. Due all the curses I could use when I still had a body, Etherei and Rugal's inability to detect anything only tells me one thing..."»** Vritra replied.

He paused for a moment, making everyone sweat as they awaited his answered.

**«"Orochi's not acting of his own will."»**

Hearing that, Sona's peerage showed a worried response, right as the last Orochi head borrowed out of the ground... only it was so huge that the other Elves, as well as the members of Rias, and Vali's groups could clearly see it from a distance.

"Holy shit!" Ruruko shouted.

"The one we fought before wasn't that big, what's happened to it?" Momo questioned with fear.

"I don't sense any magic... did it grow larger on its own?" Etherei wondered.

Flashing its eyes towards Sona's group, Orochi's final head slowly opened up its mouth... before firing off venom that rivaled the force of a high-pressure geyser.

"Quick, get behind me!" Etherei ordered.

Everyone went behind her as she quickly swung her hands out, creating a powerful magic barrier that covered twice the range of Orochi's geyser. The best part was not only did it block the attack, but showered light over the ground they stood on, making them glow.

"What's this?" Tomoe asked.

"A protection spell that also hit you with an anti-venom aura. It'll only last for the next five minutes, but the poison won't harm you in any manner while it's still active." Etherei explained.

"Good for us, and bad for that slipper snake." Bennia smirked.

Rolling up his sleeves, everyone saw Rugal howl loudly before he took the lead, showing incredible speed as he climbed Orochi's long body.

"Whoa, he's faster than me." Tomoe remarked.

Smashing his palm on certain parts of Orochi's body, the snake noticed magic circles, and began curling around in an attempt to bite him, or at least force him off. Unfortunately, Rugal's claws made the latter impossible, and he dodged his attempts at the former. Once enough magic circles were on the Evil Dragon's body, he immediately jumped off.

As Orochi lunged at him again, Rugal clapped, forming magic ropes from his hands. The ropes latched to every spot he made a magic circle, and he swung around Orochi's body with ease, confusing the serpentine Dragon.

"Now, time to taste this!" Rugal shouted.

Twisting the ropes, the Venom Blood Dragon got locked in place, leaving him wide open as Rugal motioned the rope ends into a magic circle of sorts.

 **⟨** **"Savage Lunacy, grant my voice an unshakable resolve. Give me a roar that resounds through the stretches of space, then silence all my doubts, and echo the might of my power to destroy the fools before me with the power we both possess!"** **⟩** Rugal chanted his Custom Spell.

" **Howling Cannon!** "

Rugal howled again, but this time a real magic circle formed where the self-made one was, amplifying is own.

Everyone held their ears as the ringing sound shot through, becoming a powerful series of sound-based explosions on every spot of Orochi's body that the magic circles were embedded to.

"I've heard of sound that can break glass, but sound that can break a Dragon? Rugal, you're an animal, but in a good way!" Bennia shouted to him.

"What!?" Everyone shouted, thinking she was talking to them.

"What!?" Bennia shouted back, thinking they were asking her something.

Orochi's eyes flashed again, and its tail soon shot out, snapping the ropes in half before it grabbed Rugal, soon threatening to constrict him to death.

"Rugal, no!" Tomoe gasped.

She formed her Sacred Gear, preparing to draw her sword, only for Sona to stop him.

"Sona, but-" Tomoe replied worriedly.

"We can't risk it, at least not yet." Sona replied as she channeled her Creation Wave's power.

Orochi noticed Sona unleash her water serpent, and countered by unleashing purple fire from hits skin, instantly making it break apart to the black-haired Devil's shock.

'That purple fire cancelled out my attack, but how?' Sona thought.

**«"DELETE"»**

Orochi paused for a moment as a purple aura rained down on him, letting Rugal jump down as Saji activated his Delete Field's power. Orochi quickly broke free before looking towards the group again.

"Dang it, if only I could use Vritra's full strength!" Saji grimaced.

"Here, let me get him!" Bennia offered.

Flying forward, Bennia began slashing against Orochi much faster than he could attack her, manipulating soul energy as she tried to cut through his. When she stopped to catch her breath, she looked at her work... only to see nothing happened.

"Eh?" Bennia was surprised by the sight.

Her scythe dropped like it was tired, making her put her hand on it.

"Wait, there was nothing to hit? That's impossible!" Bennia exclaimed.

"Bennia, tail up!" Reya warned.

"Tail?" Bennia repeated in confusion.

She saw a shadow form ahead, seeing a tail was about to slam her from above.

"Oh, you mean Orochi's tail!" She realized.

She fell down, giving Tomoe a chance to rush by, and grab her before it slammed against them. The recoil still sent the two tumbling... followed by it whipping them hard!

*SMASH*

Both tumbled across the ground, both showing signs that their injuries were bad.

"Ruruko, get them back on their feet, or things might get ugly." Sona warned, tossing her the pouch of Phoenix tears.

"OK!" She replied.

Rushing over to them, she noticed Orochi trying to attack her as well, prompting Tsubasa to spin her Twinkle Aegis forward. Orochi felt it grab his tail, and hissed as she pulled against it.

"Sona, I need... some help!" She grunted.

"Everyone, give her the opening that she needs!" Sona alerted her team.

"Right!" Everyone replied.

Everyone gathered around Ruruko, right as Tsubasa's Sacred Gear shattered, and the tail kept going forward.

" **Applause Wall!** "  
" **Mirror Alice!** "

Etherei and Rugal put up a combined magic shield, while Reya lend her magic, Sona created a few water targets to absorb the impact, and Saji used the Shadow Prison's power to do the same as the tigers. For the moment, it seemed like Orochi had been locked in place by their combined defenses.

Unfortunately, Orochi's body began to crack, showing he was shedding his skin again... or rather, what the others thought he would do as they watched from their locations.

"Finally!" Orochi suddenly said.

This surprised all three groups, as they finally heard the Venom Blood Dragon's voice, followed his laughter.

"Yes, I feel my restoration completing!" Orochi began cackling.

"I told you that I'd get it done today, didn't it?" A female voice smirked, faking a hurt voice.

* * *

Suddenly freezing for a moment, Vali's eyes began to shake, recognizing the owner of the voice.

"Vali?" Issei asked worriedly.

"Damn it, she really is the one responsible for this! We need to get over there right now!" Vali shouted.

Right as she intended to fly towards them, a sudden force pushed her back, also appearing around the area of Rias' group.

"Uh, Issei?" Vali looked at him.

"Right." He nodded.

He punched at the air, hoping for his Penetrate ability to work... only, it was as if there was nothing to hit. The Lucifer Heiress panicked upon realizing Walburga had learned stronger spells, with a bead of sweat trickling down her face.

"Damn it..." She growled.

* * *

Orochi roared as ghouls of its other heads suddenly shot from the areas they were killed at, swarming around his living body before diving into his still shedding form.

"Now, time to give you the last needed push." The female voice declared.

The purple flames Orochi's body was producing before surrounded him entirely, making him roar at the painful transformation process he had to endure.

Finally, after a few seconds, the shedding complete, with all eight of Orochi's heads present on his real body, some kind of triangular base made of scales that took the shape of gray-colored sphere.

However, as the purple flames began to die out, something else began to happen... the seven other heads began to shake, roaring loudly.

"Yes, I feel... the power!" Orochi screamed.

Red spots formed on each head, and soon began to change into different symbols, becoming like tribal markings. Following that, the other seven heads all morphed, being enveloped in a dark aura as the change happened.

 **«"Oh shit..."»** Vritra whispered worriedly.

The leftmost head soon turned red in color, with parts of the body having glowing markings like magma, and gaining a fiery mane. Its upper fangs also released a trail of smoke, as the inside of its mouth showed the flicker of flames.

Continuing on from left to right, the second head gained an icier look, but also had fin-like horns, combined with ice plating across its blue-colored body. An icy mist was seen leaving its mouth, with a more ripple effect seen in its throat.

The third head took a green coloration, with two feather wings in the place of horns. Feathers could also be seen across its body, and based on the prior two heads, it was clear what the theme for this head was.

The fourth head was very rocky looking, being a sandy tan, and various hexagons of either brown rock, or gray steel.

The fifth head had was purple in color, but had yellow-colored bioluminescence across its body, with sparks of electricity coming out of its mouth, and its glowing throat. Also, its eyes weren't like the other heads, as either they were glowing... or it was just blind.

The sixth head was pure white, though it wasn't like the others, just having a sleek, and smother appearance. Although, one could say that was all it needed to show its theme.

Finally, the rightmost head was skeletal in nature, resembling Hades' current appearance, but having a purple glow for his eyes. There was a shadowy mist within its bones, with slight wisps of it seeping out of its fangs.

"This new body feels right, I feel so... strong!" The main head stated, its head having altered a bit to gain.

Even its main body had altered, having two black horns grow out of it. Those "horns" wouldn't stay as such for long, as both of them and the main body morphed once more, making Orochi become a multi-headed snake with wings.

Seeing the mighty beast, Sona's group look worried.

 **«"I... don't know how, but... Orochi has evolved!"»** Vritra realized in horror.

Orochi's main head, the only one that could speak, began laughing at Saji.

"So, this is what happened to you? How embarrassing to have been chopped up into pieces! And to think, you were once a fellow Evil Dragon!" Orochi mocked his fellow kin.

 **«"Damn it... I could ignore that if it was Grendel or Nidhoggr saying it, but for you to say it?"»** Vritra growled in anger.

Orochi roared in response, right as his tail smashed through all the defenses placed against him, which included a complete negation of the Mirror Alice. The end result sent the entire group flying, including the still injured Bennia and Tomoe.

As Saji got up, he saw only Sona was still in good condition, with everyone else out of commission.

Among the group... his eyes widened in horror as Ruruko, Momo, Tsubaki, and Reya were all in the same state as the injured duo, with Ruruko unable to move to apply the Phoenix Tears to any of them, much less herself.

"Sona, I'm... sorry." Ruruko apologized before blacking out.

"No, everyone..." Sona breathed in horror.

Loud cackling is then heard as the female voice's owner revealed herself, showing a woman in her early 20s with short hair adorned with numerous ribbons and wearing a purple Gothic Lolita outfit.

"Who are you?" Saji demanded.

"The name's Walburga, and I'm the leader of Hexennacht." Walburga giggled darkly.

Holding out her hand, a purple flame formed, making Sona's eyes widen as she finally recognized the source of the purple flames.

"Saji, be on guard... she has the Incinerate Anthem, the worst Longinus a Devil could face." Sona warned.

"Ah, so you know of my Longinus? Guess that makes sense if you're friends with that pathetic little Lucifer Heiress you know of tell you about it." Walburga cackled.

"Wait, how do you know Vali?" Saji demanded.

"That's my little secret, and why bother when I intend to turn you into ash?" Walburga answered.

She unleashed purple flames towards them, Saji use his Absorption Line to pull the others to safety, with Sona giving cover by using her water magic against it. Walburga sighed as the steam formed.

"Orochi?" She requested.

"Of course, you did fulfill your promise after all." Orochi agreed.

Right as she was about to say something...

"Hmm?" Orochi looked at her, before all of his heads blinked.

Walburga's face suddenly showed a vein, as if hearing something on instinct... which she did, looking to the side.

"What Demon just called me an old hag!? I'm only 24, you've got that!" She screamed.

"Uh..." Orochi's eight heads blinked at her.

She gave an embarrassed look, and turned her head away, making the Evil Dragon's heads shrug at one another before the darkness head began searching through the steam.

As Sona and Saji were hiding, the two used the Phoenix Tears on the most critically injured, though it seems Orochi's damage was strong enough it didn't get them back on their feet. The host of Vritra quickly saw the Sitri heiress' nervous expression, knowing how they were the only two who could fight.

"I... I don't know what to do." Sona whimpered.

Saji was surprised at that, and even more when he Sona's nervous panic cause her voice and appearance to revert to normal.

"Lady Serafall is... Sona!?" He remarked, feeling his eyes spin around.

"Eh!?" Sona panicked, only now realizing she dropped her disguise.

The darkness head of Orochi had its eyes glow, breathing out a breath of dark mist at them, and getting their attention.

"Found you!" The main head announced.

The wind head blew the steam away, leaving all of the Sitri team wide open.

"Destroy them!" Walburga declared with an excited look.

All eight of Orochi's heads fired their respective elements, with the main head's being the venom that was part of its title. The Heiress of Sitri was frozen at the apparent situation, and right as it neared her...

"Sona!" Saji shouted.

The Sitri Heiress suddenly felt herself pushed away by her Pawn, who used his Shadow Prison to toss the others toward her, leaving him to be hit by all eight breath attacks. Sona looked at the act in surprise, her eyes widened in horror at Saji's screams.

"Saji, why did you do that!?" She shouted, thinking her Pawn might die any second.

"Sona, I know for a while I haven't seemed like the ideal servant..." He answered, trying to bear the attack.

Orochi was surprised, and upped the power of his eight breaths against him, making Sona's horror grow.

"I can be an idiot, and I might not seem serious at times. I can understand why people would think that. After all, before you brought me into your peerage... I was a nobody." Saji continued, surprising his master as he admitted his faults.

He stood up, surprising everyone watching.

'How is this boy still alive right now!?' Orochi questioned in surprise.

"Kill him already!" Walburga demanded angrily.

"But... I know one thing, your dream is something worth fighting for, no matter who laughs at it! I'll fight... to my breath for what you want! Because I'm your pawn, and... if I don't make that dream a reality, how can I repay you for what you've done for me!?" Saji grunted, walking forward.

Vritra felt something, and it began to well up inside him.

 **«'What is... happening?'»** Vritra thought.

Sona's eyes began to water as he heard his words, and then...

"Why? Why go so far, it's not worth giving up your life here." Sona asked, almost begging for an answer.

"I don't know why you're hiding your real voice, your real appearance, or even your real self... I think, but there's... one reason alone I'd go so far, and that reason is simple! I'm the... same as Issei and Vali are for each other! Maybe it's a hopeless dream, but people can still fight for the ones they love!" Saji announced.

Sona's eyes widened at that, unable to believe what she had just heard. While she had known Saji felt something for her, until just now... she had just assumed it was one of random crushes on a popular girl that faded after finding real love.

However, this scene before her? No one would risk their lives over such a simple crush... his feelings for her were serious, and lacked any doubt to them.

"Saji..." Sona cried, covering her mouth.

"Big talk for a weak Devil like you, time for you to meet your demise!" Walburga shouted loudly.

Gather all his heads into one spot, the eight breathes melded into one combined breath attack.

"SAJI!" Sona screamed.

**«"SAJI!"»**

"Go ahead, I'm not afraid!" Saji exclaimed.

As the blast hit him... Saji's body suddenly glowed, dispelling the entire attack as everyone within Alfheim noticed a powerful purple light, showing a silhouette of Vritra's body.

**「** **Sonic Forces: Fist Bump** **」**

**«"Orochi, prepare yourself... you're not the only Evil Dragon that's evolved today! Behold the new strength belonging to the Evil Dragon King, the Prison Dragon: Vritra!"»** Vritra roared.

At that moment, the four Vritra Gears appeared on Saji's body, losing their jewel eyes entirely. The gauntlets stretched themselves out, as did the greaves, creating openings where extensions that resembled a bunch of snakes with yellow grew out of.

However, the real shocker resulted each Sacred Gear created one "snake" that traveled across his arms and legs to his back. Eventually, they fused and stretched out of his shirt to make... a small-scale, Sacred Gear version of Vritra's original body! At that moment, it was clear the four Vritra Gears had fused into one, fully restoring Vritra's fragmented soul into one.

 **«"Behold! This is the now singular Sacred Gear that holds my power, the _Vritra Pandemonium_!"»** Vritra announced.

Sona's eyes widened, and soon took out all of Saji's Pawns, showing changing color as they became Mutated Pieces!

"He fused all his Sacred Gears together!?" Orochi exclaimed in shock.

Feeling the power, Saji's eyes turned black, gaining more draconic pupils as he called out five unexpected words.

" **Balance Breaker: Malebolge Vritra Promotion!** "

Walburga gasped in horror, right as she felt herself being blinded as an aura covered Saji's whole body.

"You hear me lady? This is my power! The curse of Vritra I bear, the curse I bear the strength of for my comrades! For Sona! So, let's see which of our flames are stronger! Your holy purple flames, or my cursed black flames!" Saji screamed out.

At that moment, the rest of Sona's team regained awareness, looking to see Saji's transformation. In moments, Saji was covered in a scale mail armor with four eye slits, all of which glowed purple, with four tentacles on his back.

"Orochi, stand down! I'm gonna kill this little shit, right here, and right now!" Walburga screamed.

" **Incinerate Anthem!** "

Walburga unleashed her purple flames, but they were instantly hit by Saji's tentacles, completely devouring them. The Hexennacht leader gasped, surprised a counter for her fire existed.

"Damn you!" She roared.

" **Balance Breaker: Incinerate Antiphona Calvario!** "

A mass of flames appeared, transforming into a fiery copy of Orochi's old appearance, which quickly roared as it dived towards Saji.

"Vritra!" Saji shouted.

 **«"This is the combined power of the Evil Dragon King and his partner!"»** Vritra roared.

Uniting their auras together, Saji held his hands out, along with his tentacles, and the two shouted their final attack in unison.

**«"Cursed Prison Blaze!"»**

A beam of dark fire blasted out of both Saji's palms, and the tentacles, which united into a single massive blaze. The fiery fake of Orochi was hit by it, consuming it entirely before it rushed at the real deal, and Walburga.

"I'll get you for this, you hear me!?" Walburga announced.

She formed a magic circle, and jumped into it, followed by Orochi, allowing them to escape the blaze as it soon rose up into the sky.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

After panting for a while, Saji lost his scale mail armor, falling onto his back as he used up all his remaining power. Sona rushed to him, catching his weakened body before he hit the ground.

 **«"The fusion of his Sacred Gears and achieving his Balance Breaker was more than his body could handle, though you don't need to worry about his life. This is just mere exhaustion at work."»** Vritra reassured her.

"Saji... you did it." Sona smiled with happy tears in her eyes.

Thinking back on everything she had done before this moment, she rubbed his head, feeling a faint blush on her cheeks.

'Maybe... your dream's not that hopeless, because... I don't think I could ask for a better Pawn than you.' She thought.

Hearing some rustling, she put her disguise back on as the others rush into view.

"Sona, is everyone alright? There was something keeping us trapped, and we couldn't get in until just now." Vali asked worriedly.

"Everyone's fine, although... you might need to help me carry the members of my group back to the village." Sona answered.

Seeing the downed members of her team, Vali gave an awkward chuckle.

* * *

The group returned to Alfheim, where Kelsey began reporting all the events that had transpired to Liuthei, while Etherei went to make sure that Walburga didn't use her chance to flee to go after the Orichalcum.

"So, what your saying is Walburga may have used our location and Orichalcum to do a false flag operation, and simply revive Orochi in a stronger form?" Liuthei questioned.

"I'm afraid so, while if they had any purpose for the Orichalcum itself is still being checked by Etherei, it seems like Walburga got the Norse Pantheon's attention just for the sake of destroying the other heads to complete this process." Kelsey sighed in confirmation.

Liuthei bit a nail, but before she could say anymore...

"Mother, I bring some worrisome news." Etherei alerted everyone as she walked in.

"What is it?" Liuthei asked.

"It seems the Orichalcum was still part of what this Walburga lady was planning. While the amount is strange, she took enough Orichalcum to be held in one palm." Etherei revealed.

Everyone blinked in surprise.

"Just a single piece and nothing more?" Liuthei said in disbelief.

Hearing this, she put a finger to her mouth.

"To steal so little... that means they believe that alone is enough for whatever they needed. Us thinking they needed them more was enough to sneak a small theft of that level. I hate to say this, but I fear that we're no longer able to sit to the side on this matter." She sighed.

"Mother!?" Etherei gasped, covering her mouth.

"I'm afraid so my child, we must offer full aid to the Alliance... though right now, we'll need to focus more on what the Orichalcum theft was about." Liuthei confirmed.

Kelsey's eyes widened, and bowed to the ground.

"Elder Liuthei, the Alliance will understand if you can't send genuine support at the moment. If you are truly worried about this theft, then we will be willing to send Demons to aid your search." She offered.

"Thank you, I'll accept the offer, but it's only fair we give you something in exchange." Liuthei smiled.

Holding out her hand, she formed a staff that looked like Le Fay's, but the wood was a much lighter color than the original was. The Pendragon soon felt it fusion into her current staff, making her eyes widen.

"While you were gone, I had some of our artisans form this copy of your wand to overlay with your own. It should now be easier for you to cast stronger magic without the same backlashes you may have faced before." She explained.

"Thank you, Elder Alfheim." Le Fay said in gratitude.

"No need, we're friends now, so just call me Liuthei." The Elven Leader smiled.

"Know from today, the Elves are your allies." Etherei smiled as well.

The group nodded, and knowing their task was complete, Vali made a magic circle to contact Yumina, while Etherei gave Kelsey proof to show the Elves would join the Alliance.

"Yumina, we're head back, set up the gate." Vali alerted her.

The same magic circle that brought them into Alfheim's borders appeared, causing most of the group to get on it. Kelsey stood by for a moment to give a thanking motion.

"Good luck, and thank you once again." She smiled.

"We wish the same." Etherei smiled back.

With that, the group returned home, leaving the mother and daughter pair to watch.

"Mother, do you think..." Etherei wondered.

"Yes, it feels like what Lucifer warned us about may be in the horizon. We must ready ourselves for whatever Rizevim may be planning." Liuthei agreed.

* * *

Upon seeing everyone return, Yumina jumped in front of them, giving a high-five to Vali.

"Welcome back you guys!" She greeted.

"So, how did things go with the Elves? Nothing bad I hope." Lilith inquired.

"The Elves problem was solved, however..." Vali answered.

Explaining the full situation, making Lilith give a disgusted sound upon hearing about everything related to Walburga, as she considered Lavinia her daughter for the simple fact she was Vali's sister.

"Her again... Lavinia will have a field day when she hears this, and not in a good way." Cassiel sighed.

"I'll go report this to Lord Odin." Rossweisse stated, heading off to find him.

Kelsey held out something to her mother, making Cassiel's eyes widen.

"Wait, you mean Liuthei actually decided for the Elves to fully join the Alliance efforts?" Cassiel asked in shock.

"She did, but the Orichalcum theft has them too much on edge. I promised them we'll send help over for now. I'm not sure why, but the small amount was enough to scare her, if enough to hold in your palm is enough." Kelsey explained.

"Hate to say it, but she's right... I'll have some of my personal soldiers over when I can relocate them. Either way, having Liuthei giving us full support in general is a huge boon for us." The Demon Queen replied.

Vali soon showed Kunou to Lilith, surprising the Mother of all Devils.

"Kunou?" Lilith said in surprise.

"We found her in the Elves' home, she says that Cao Cao's group attacked her to kidnap her mother, and it seems after they did... one of his allies nearly killed Kunou." Vali explained.

This caught Jeanne's attention, but Cassiel made a motion to her.

"Well, guess that's a reason to contact Amaterasu sooner than later. Hopefully, saving Kunou will help make the Shinto Pantheon join the alliance, like how I'm hoping Bikou being the descendant of Sun Wukong will get the Hindu Pantheon to join us more easily." Lilith replied, crossing her arms under her breasts.

"Well, let's go inside and figure things out." Cassiel offered.

As everyone went in, Bennia and Rugal walked by Sona.

"Hey, can we ask you something?" Bennia asked.

Before everyone went in, the leaders all turned their heads towards Jeanne, who gave a worried look because she knew they were sharing the same thoughts with her.

"Go into the third room in the left hallway, you'll have the privacy to contact him in there." Cassiel whispered.

"Right, especially since Kunou seems to have forgotten the most vital memory about the entire situation." Jeanne whispered back, nodding her head.

They wall went in, and as they walked inside, the Maiden of Orleans had a single thought through her head...

Who was it that attacked Kunou?

* * *

As Sona was sitting alone in her assigned room of Cassiel's castle, she looked at herself in the mirror as she thought back to the battle.

"Saji..." She thought aloud.

_"If I don't make that dream a reality, how can I repay you for what you've done for me!?" Saji's voice echoed._

Looking at herself, she remembered how Rias struggled to escape her engagement from Riser, and how Issei and Vali ended up falling for one another through all their time apart. With that, she saw the self she hid through her magic, and then...

'I tried acting as someone else, but here everyone is giving their hardest as their real selves, with even Saji not denying who he is. Maybe loves makes you crazy, though if it's true... we're all crazy.' She thought, blushing about her Pawn.

She formed blue ribbons she used to wear, and as she dropped her illusion spell, she tied them back in, forming a new resolve within her. From outside her room, Rias smiled a bit before walking away.

'Welcome back, Sona.' Rias thought.

* * *

The very next day, everyone returned to Kuoh Town, settling themselves back into the Hyoudou Mansion almost immediately. Currently, neither of Issei's parents were home as Lilith gave them a trip around the world as thanks for opening their home.

"Man, feels good to finally kick back at home and just relax." Issei sighed.

As he adjusted himself, he felt a knot in his shoulder, prompting Vali to dig her fingers into it to undo the knot.

"Oh... yeah, that's the spot." Issei sighed in relief.

"Issei, better make sure that doesn't happen too often, or you'll start sounding like an old man." Irina joked.

"Any older than Vali's mom?" Issei joked back.

Vali giggled at that while continuing to rub both of his shoulders, considering mother's biological age was locked at a favorable number.

"Hard to say, both of them can be considered old farts by Human years." Irina chuckled.

Jeanne blinked at the scene, and just shrugged her arms while heading to join her own peerage... who she quickly learned were staring at Rossweisse. The Valkyrie sat on couch, giving a dull look as she stared at the wall, a clearly fake smile on her expression.

"Wait, Rossweisse! Why is she here?" Jeanne asked in surprise.

"Uh... I'm not sure you should ask her." Rias warned, getting a bad gut feeling.

Jeanne looked at her, but... her curiosity won.

"Rossweisse, why are you here?" She asked.

Everyone sighed, making the Maiden of Orleans begin to sweat a bit.

"Oh, hello everyone... I've basically moved in here. I reported to Odin, and he told me to stick around as his sign of Asgard joining the alliance... yeah, said the kettle after meeting the pot. That was just his way of saying I've been red slipped, and to not bother following him back. Don't know why I'm surprised though, no other man has every wanted me before, so why would my own boss? Next time I see that prune-faced pervert, I'm going to-"

Seeing her mumble on, Jeanne paled a bit, with Xenovia looking towards her.

"You regret asking yet?" Xenovia inquired.

"Nope, that was around the moment she referenced the pot meeting the kettle." Jeanne sighed.

Rias began thinking, making her peerage look at her.

"What is it?" Tosca asked.

"Nothing, just a thought on an opportunity that works in our favor for now, and should be a good benefit for Vali depending on what happens in the coming months." Rias answered.

The Gremory heiress tapped Rossweisse's shoulder, making the brooding Valkyrie turn to her.

"How about you and I talk business?" She offered.

"Huh?" Rossweisse replied.

Akeno giggled a bit as she realized what her King was about to do, with the others aside from the group's four original retainers looking at her in confusion. Seeing this, she simply giggled again.

"Sorry, no spoilers." Akeno replied.

* * *

In another location, the sight of Walburga and Orochi leaving her magic circle was seen, with the latter somewhat annoyed they had to flee.

"Damn host of Vritra, my pride's never going to be the same because of him." Orochi hissed angrily.

"Oh, I wouldn't be so cranky about it. You were brought back earlier than you would have been, have a stronger body, and most of all..." Walburga replied.

She showed the chunk of Orichalcum she got to the hydra-like Dragon's surprise.

"You actually stole some of the Orichalcum? I don't believe it, that means it wasn't fully a convenient excuse!" Orochi replied.

"Yep, those brats played right into our hands, and don't even know why we needed any." Walburga giggled.

"And you're as annoying as ever." A male voice growled.

Orochi's heads turned in surprise, seeing a familiar face he'd rather not have seen. It was a large, black-colored Dragon with red sclera, and green serpentine pupils. Strangely enough, his scales had bones covering its entirety, possibly being fused to his skin, with the almost snug fit implying they were _his_ bones.

Despite looking completely different, the Venom Blood Dragon recognized who it was, as only one Evil Dragon could revive fast enough that marking him dead was near-impossible.

"Nidhoggr..." Orochi hissed.

"I can't believe you actually bothered to bring him back early, if you had wanted longer, then I could have seen Crom Cruach leave him wetting himself in fear." Nidhoggr growled at the Hexennacht leader.

Orochi's eyes widened, shaking with the very terror his kin mentioned.

"What? No way, you revived him as well?" Orochi asked shakily.

"Revived? Oh no, I can't revive someone who never died, it just shows how much of a tenacious brute he is compared to the rest of you Evil Dragons." Walburga answered.

'Impossible... of all Dragons that could, it was Crom Crouch that's avoided the need for resurrection?' Orochi thought fearfully.

Walking ahead, the sinister witch giggled to herself.

"Come on you two, and Orochi? Wait until you hear the idea a certain someone I know has planned." She stated.

"Who?" Orochi inquired.

"The evilest Devil you'll ever meet." Walburga answered.

* * *

**There we have it, the "Calling of the Elves: arc has finally ended! While it hasn't been officially shown as of this chapter (you'll see flashbacks showing the exact moments they join them), Rugal and Bennia have joined Sona's peerage, Rossweisse has joined Rias' peerage. Although, in the case of the Gremory Heiress she seems to have other plans with her that relate with Vali in the near future.**

**Well, this arc was a first. Other than having Walburga show early, mostly due to Vali's role in the story, and a prior meeting with her during the Slash/Dog events... I've had Orochi revived in a new form! The group also managed to get the Elves on their side, but they won't be able to give active help for some time, and the biggest difference this arc has compared to the last four?**

**The heroes didn't stop Walburga, who got everything she needed, and because of that... the villains actually won in this arc.**

**For now, what the Orichalcum needed to be stolen for will remain a mystery, though I can say that it won't be used to help break Trihexa's seal in any manner. There's also the fact that with Orochi alive, the Evil Dragons are being brought back without the Sephiroth Graal, and Walburga's somehow evolving them into even stronger forms she's given to him and Nidhoggr... *gives an evil laugh***

**Let's give a big hand to Saji, who's finally achieved his Balance Breaker, and evolved his four Sacred Gears into one. In this form, it might just be a candidate for an eventual Longinus in the future. Guess we'll just have to wait and see, considering we already have two other candidates. Best of all, due to his efforts, Sona's decided to accept who she truly is! This is the first official step towards the Saji/Sona pairing in this story :)**

**As you can see with that flashback between Hades and Lilith, my explanation in-story for why Hades hasn't done anything to Hell earlier than he did in canon is because in a sense, Lilith made him literally jump out of his skin. His brothers didn't restore it afterwards because they felt he deserved losing it, because his words to Lilith only proved the attitude that got him labeled as one of the Worst Gods.**

**Still, that isn't gonna stop him from pulling what he'll end up doing around Season 6, although I think as you just saw between that brief scene between Jeanne... something about what happened to Kunou doesn't add up. Last chapter already brought up she couldn't have landed in Alfheim if she had been launched from Kyoto, especially when she had been inside the Youkai Realm at the time of the attack.**

**It seems that Cao Cao's linked to it, but now things have become complicated, as its been heavily implied that Kunou and Yasaka were aware the attack would be happening, but didn't try to avoid it. Did the really know it would happen, and does that mean whoever attacked Kunou made sure she lost her memory of that specific event? Whatever's going on, it seems Jeanne and some, if not all of the leaders know something the others don't.**

**Get ready, because next time, the Diodora arc will begin, which includes the Rating Game Tournament, and most of all... things will be nothing like they were before, especially the finale like I stated above. So, I hope you'll enjoy it, because I'm gonna have fun writing this Rating Game with the new additions, and we'll be seeing a lot of new characters I'll be introducing in some peerages.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

* * *

** Rias' Peerage ** **:**

**King - Rias Gremory**   
**Queen - Akeno Himejima**   
**Bishops - Gasper Vladi (Mutated Piece: x4 Multiplier), Valerie Tepes (Mutation Piece: x6 Multiplier)**   
**Knights - Kiba Yuuto, Jeanne d'Arc Yuuto**   
**Rooks - Shirone Toujou, Rossweisse Brynhildr**   
**Pawns - Xenovia Quarta (x5), Tosca Shirayumi (x3)**

* * *

** Sona's Peerage ** **:**

**King - Sona Sitri  
Queen - Tsubaki Shinra  
Bishops - Momo Hanakai, Reya Kusaka  
Knights - Tomoe Meguri, Bennia Orcus  
Rooks - Tsubasa Yura, Loup "Rugal" Garou  
Pawns - Saji Genshirou (x4, All Mutated Pieces with a x5 Multiplier), Ruruko Nimura (x4)**

* * *

** Bust Size of New Female Characters ** **:**

**None**

* * *

** Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter ** **:**

**【** **Vritra Pandemonium** **】**   
**The result of Vritra's four Sacred Gears fusing into one, which fully unlocks the power of Vritra sealed within them, including cursed black flames that are the Sacred Darkness counterpart to the Incinerate Anthem's purple holy flames.**

* * *

** Pairings List ** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating  
Ddraig/Albion - Married  
Tiamat/Fafnir - Married  
Ophis/Great Red - Married  
Saji/Sona - Saji is serious about making Sona's dream a reality, while Sona realizes she might have fallen for Saji  
Gasper/Valerie - Sorta Dating  
Kiba/Tosca - Friends  
Hina/Nanami - Dating**


	24. Chapter 24

**Welcome to the Diodora arc everyone, and boy am I excited we've finally reached this point of the story! To explain, if you remember the Rating Game Tournament from canon, it'll be much more vital to the plot here, enough that it's an overall story line that stretches from this arc up until the end of Season 5 of the story. I repeat, it's important for five arcs, which include the Loki and Kyoto arcs.**

**You'll learn what makes it so important at the end of this chapter, and as such... *makes locking motion with my hands* I've said all that I can. For now, the obvious focus includes the Sports Festival, and... that horrible Diodora showing his face. Among all the characters in DxD who are inhumane, he stands out to me for the fact he's a wimp, whereas others like Riser and Rizevim could actually back up their strength.**

**There's plenty of Devils that'll show up beside him, including some that aren't as focused on in canon, and a bunch of OCs that I've made for everyone's peerages... some of which don't have a very big role. On the bright side, all of them will be against the discrimination the Elders have promoted, making this tournament a good opportunity to completely shut them up.**

**Something I think you'll all enjoy is a few characters like Lilitifa will even be among them, mostly because like Sairaorg, the Maou Heirs were in situations they teamed up with some Devils from the Extinct Clans, and that makes Lilitifa one of them. (I bet you can already figure out which Devil she serves under) Oh, and speaking of which... I should say this now since as an AU, this can't be brought up in story.**

**In this story, with the exception of Kuisha (because I love the Sairaorg/Kuisha pairing) and Regulus, the members of Sairaorg's peerage aren't in his peerage. My reasoning for this is if more than one Devil Heir is offering the same thing as him, then they'll want to go with the one they can best work with, so they all chose one of the Maou Heirs as a result.**

**From what I've felt and seen through canon, every peerage has some kind of matching theme with their King in some manner. For Riser, all of his pieces were as stuck up as him, then got better when his personality began improving. Plus, going by word of Karlamine, can all command the same elements as him as well. I feel that shows while he chose them for an odd theme, he was still careful with his choices.**

**Each chapter will have me reveal two of the peerages that'll be in the upcoming tournament, so get ready to see what kind of people fight for every Devil Heir that'll be trying to win the right to become champion. Just be aware that there's quite a few who'll only show up in their Rating Games, and I had named via one of those random name generators.**

**Anyways, to excite things one more time before we begin? Like I said in last chapter's start/end notes, I'm going to be a bit daring and add lot that wasn't in the original Diodora arc. For example, since the party was in the Demon Realm, I've got something else planned to bring the Devil Youths together. All I'll say here is it involves something that's not related to the Norse Pantheon, and the chapter will say the rest :)**

**Now, without further delay... let's get this arc started!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

 **[]** \- Ddraig Talking

 **«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

 **「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

 **【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

 **⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

** The Rookie Supernovas **

**The Devil Youths of Hell are always expected to do well and grow strong for the day they must inherit their households, regardless of if they will only do so temporarily until a sibling/relative can inherit it in their place, said sibling/relative dies, or they pass the role onto their children. However, compared to the generations before them, the Devil Youths of the present are considered exception by Lilith's standards.**

**It all began with Rias Gremory, Sona Sitri, Seekvaira Agares, and Sairaorg Bael, who at the time were called the "Rookies 4" by most Devils. When they gained the right to have a peerage, they all began doing something that shocked many... began training their retainers, something almost no Devils before them had done. Seeing potential in their retainers, some big shots Devils offered them trades, but they always refused the offers.**

**Seeing this, the Devil Elders were annoyed, so they decided to try and stop them, but it was too late... the other Youth Devils quickly followed, and that's when Lilith had Ajuka measure their strength compared to the prior generations before them. The results of his study? Even the best generation before them was only half as strong, forcing all doubts to dissolve as the results proved otherwise.**

**Following this, the "Rookies 4" title spread to the entire generation of Devil, but it wasn't until Vali arrived at Hell, even though she wasn't publicly known as a Lucifer at the time, that the current name of their generation was set. Lilith named them the "Rookie Supernovas" because she believed they'd bring an explosive change to Hell's future.**

**Including the original Rookies 4 members, the most notable Devils within this generation are: Vali Lucifer, Ingvild Leviathan, Niruili Beelzebub, Shuriliu Asmodeus, Leelexe Belphegor, Aariliyn Mammon, Ereilie Glasya-Labolas, Amalya Astaroth, Ravel Phenex, Iolava Amon, and Eneely Vassago. The proof of their strength has only grown due to the efforts of Vali, Rias, and Sona's involvement in stopping the Khaos Brigade's threats.**

**The only ones who hate this generation are the Devil Elders, but not for the reason the public might assume...**

* * *

**_ Season 3, Diodora Arc: Chapter 1 - Let the Tournament Begin _ **

A few weeks had passed since the incident in Alfheim, with the end of Summer Vacation having arrived, and at the current moment? Issei was blinking a few times as he saw something before him, but had to make sure was really there.

"Hey, can someone pinch me to make sure I'm awake?" Issei requested.

"OK." Kunou agreed.

She did so, making Issei scream loudly to her surprise.

"Yeah, not a dream... and next time I say that, bite me instead." He replied as he rubbed his arm.

What he was seeing before him you ask?

Bennia and Rugal, both with luggage carrying their belongings, which meant they were moving into the house. The very thing that happened when all three peerages were asked to move in after the Peace Summit.

"I think I have some idea of what's going on, but... can someone confirm it for me?" Issei asked.

"I can." Sona said from behind him.

The two new residents of the Hyoudou Mansion both showed some surprise at the sight of looked like a taller Serafall Asmodeus, but with Sona's eye color, and two blue cloth ribbons, rather than Serafall's purple string ribbons, and slightly longer pig tails that along with the side locks of her hair, had a weak curve to them.

"No, that is not Serafall." Kunou stated while pointing at Sona.

"Wait, is that really you, Sona?" Bennia asked.

"I'll explain later." Sona promised, an embarrassed blush on her face.

Looking at Issei and Kunou, she answered their thoughts by revealing both her Knights and Rooks, but this time... neither of them were white.

"They joined your peerage!" Issei cheered.

"After we got back, they both gave me the offer, and I accepted because of how well they worked well with my peerage." Sona explained, putting her Evil Pieces away.

She began recalling how it went.

* * *

_Sona's group showed surprise as Bennia held up a hand, with Rugal just nodding._

_"You... want to join my peerage?" Sona repeated in surprise._

_"Like I told you already, I ran away from home, so there's not much else I can do until I can get a new one somewhere in the alliance's borders. Plus, we did fight together... I guess I feel like you guys know me by now." Bennia answered._

_"I saw the battle with the Khaos Brigade at Kuoh Academy, was interested ever since. Only reason I didn't join in was the barrier." Rugal answered, shrugging a bit._

_Thinking a bit, Sona looked at the rest of her peerage._

_"Any thoughts from you?" She asked._

_"A peerage needs good synergy, and they complement our style." Tsubasa remarked._

_"Not only that, but since they don't have Sacred Gears, you aren't the only one we'll need to rely on for Anti-Sacred Gear strategies anymore. That was a big worry you've had about our first Rating Game." Reya mentioned._

_Hearing the unanimous decision, Sona took out her remaining Evil Pieces._

_"Let's see... Bennia, you don't have the strongest stature, but your speed was good, and your powers seem to favor how fast you strike over how hard. I'll make you my Second Knight; while for you Rugal, you already have good speed and magic, so having this Rook amplify your power and durability means you a good choice as my Second Rook." Sona handed him the Rook Piece._

_Holding out her hand, a familiar magic circle began the process._

**_"In the name of Sona Sitri, I call to Bennia Orcus and Loup Garou. Hear my request! Lend thy souls to me, and become my Devil retainers! Wake as my sword and cavalier, Bennia Orcus! Wake as my shield and tank, Loup Garou!"_ **

_After a brief moment, the two pieces glowed before their respective new owners absorbed them. Rugal briefly spread his wings out before folding them, but for Bennia? Well... she disappeared to everyone's confusion._

_"Hey, where'd Bennia go?" Ruruko asked._

_Suddenly, with her new Devil wings stretched out, dropped down from behind the speedy Pawn of Sitri._

_"BOO!" She shouted, wearing her mask._

_Ruruko screamed loudly, followed by her fainting onto the ground, and landing on her back. The new Knight of Sitri floated in midair, laughing at what she just managed to do, kicking her legs as she continued her laughter._

* * *

Bennia was seen kicking her legs in laughter, just like in her flashback, and making everyone give a nervous sweat because of her personality.

"Jump scares never get old! However, the one problem with them? I start laughing so hard that I... can't breathe!" Bennia laughed, slamming her fist onto the couch before rolling onto the floor.

At that moment, Kelsey walked in and noticed this, making her give a strange look at the sight before her.

"Did I miss something?" Kelsey asked.

"Not really, just Bennia being... Bennia." Issei answered.

Sona gave an awkward chuckle at that, looking at the others.

"Well, at least it wasn't like what led to Rossweisse joining Rias as her Second Rook." Sona remarked.

The moment she said it, everyone recalled that very exchange.

* * *

_From a distance, the Vali and Sitri peerages were watching as Rias sat with Rossweisse, her peerage behind her._

_"Here you go, it's a summary of the benefits package for retainers of the Gremory Clan." Rias stated as she handed a bunch of papers to Rossweisse._

_Taking a look at them, the Valkyrie's eyes widen in shock and awe._

_"No... way! The insurance premium's so cheap! There isn't even any term life policy mumbo jumbo... shut up, I get dental or paid vacation days!?" Rossweisse read in shock, her hands shaking at the sight._

_Most of Rias' peerage watched in shock, with Tosca slapping her cheeks to verify she was awake._

_"If Rias ever needed a job, I think she'd have a good future as an insurance rep." Jeanne mentioned, giving a nervous sweat at the sight._

_"Not to mention this is her buying on the cheap." Kiba added._

_Jeanne stared at her brother like he just grew a second head._

_"And the Devil's whispers were woven with temptation, there's a lot she could teach me." Xenovia smiled a bit._

_Some of the Gremory chess pieces inched away from her._

_"What? What did I say?" She inquired, confused by why the moved away from her._

_Akeno and Valerie giggle slightly as Rias held her final evil piece, her second Rook, to the daughter of Brynhildr._

_"So, what do you think? Sign up with Team Gremory for the big win." Rias offered._

_Rossweisse took a look at it as she held it, and after a while of thinking... Rossweisse finally made her choice._

_"Perhaps the Norms of Fate themselves spun the threat that lead me here!" She replied._

_"Translation? Heck yeah, I'll join you." Shirone smiled._

_Like with Sona the day prior, the magic circle formed underneath Rossweisse, and Rias began her chant._

**_"In the name of Rias Gremory, I call to Rossweisse Brynhildr. Hear my request! Lend thy soul to me, and become my Devil retainer! Wake as my shield and tank!"_ **

_In a matter of moments, the Rook entered Rossweisse, and she spread out her new Devil wings._

_"Everyone, I look forward to our joyous days of working together!" Rossweisse announced, turning to the others as she put her wings away._

_"As there you have it, Rossweisse's the final member of Team Gremory." Rias smiled._

_Scratching her head, Tosca looked to the others._

_"The way we joined wasn't anything grand, but... this instance felt a bit too casual." She remarked._

_"If it wasn't for all my spots being filled, I'd have probably had her join my peerage." Vali mentioned._

* * *

They all shook their heads as the memory ended.

"I still can't tell if Odin actually expected this, or if he was just being a jerk by attempting to ditch his bodyguard." Issei wondered.

"Yeah, I'd expect that if it was Loki, but Odin is another thing." Kelsey agreed.

At that moment, Vali walked into the room, holding two letters in her hand, and noticing the scene before her.

"Bennia? Rugal?" Vali said in surprise.

"I'll re-explain what I just said later, just know they're living with us now." Sona replied.

The Lucifer heiress just shrugged her arms, just going with it.

"I have two things to say, the first of which... Issei?" Vali stated, showing him the first letter.

"What's this?" He asked in confusion.

"Remember when my mom had us do that thing in Hell before we went home after the Riser game?" Vali reminded him.

"You mean that TV interview? Uh... yeah, but why's that matter?" Issei replied, still unsure of her point.

"That answer's in a DVD I got from this second letter, one my mom wants everyone here to watch." Vali explained, holding said DVD up.

"I'm on it!" Yumina saluted.

She vanished from view, making Issei completely lost.

* * *

In the living room area, everyone was gathered as Vali put the disc in.

"Take a look everyone, this will be a surprise." Vali stared, pointing her finger at the screen as she cast a spell.

A video played, and it showed Issei right as he confessed to Vali, surprising the Sekiryuutei... followed by him smashing Gavauren in the face!

"Wait, how'd they get footage of that!?" Tosca asked in shock.

"That's what you're asking about?" Tomoe replied in surprise.

Vali soon appeared smashing Kokabiel, before scenes showing the two fighting together appeared, ending with a logo stating: " **Heavenly Dragons: The Series** ", making it look like a TV promo for a new series of some kind.

Yumina spit her drink out in surprise, this time hitting Sona with it, who gave a dull reaction to it.

"Uh... sorry about that, Sona." Yumina apologized, embarrassed she hit another Devil Heiress with a spit take.

"Yep, it seems the two of us are gonna be part of a new TV show. In fact, my mother has plans for us to meet a few kids next time we visit Hell, which is fairly soon. Among them we have Yumina's younger brother, Millicas; and Alanira's daughter, Siarea." Vali answered for everyone.

"Wait... Alanira's a mom?" Issei asked.

Vali blinked at that, realizing she never mentioned it.

"Oh, guess I forgot to bring that up." She remarked.

The Lucifer Heiress cleared her throat.

"She is, to a member of the Naberius Clan, and there's a lot of talk between her and Millicas being engaged. Unlike with Rias' situation, they've already shown signs they'll end up being romantically involved with one another." She answered.

"Why'd I see that coming?" Rias sighed at Vali's response.

"However, I think the real VIP is the niece of an infamous Devil, the Rating Game Champion himself." Vali mentioned.

This caused all the other Devil heirs in the room to go white in shock, dropping whatever they were holding as a result.

"Y-you mean, Diehauser Satan's going to be there!?" Rias asked.

Vali nodded, making Rias squeal before she nearly fainted, with Akeno being the one that had to catch her.

"So, I'm guessing he's one of the stronger Great Devils?" Issei asked.

"Strong enough that only Sirzechs is ranked higher than he is. Back when Alanira was still in the Rating Games, she was the original 2nd best player, and Diehauser was an opponent even she couldn't defeat. The only reason he's still in the games since becoming a Great Devil is because my mom said he could keep playing until he was finally defeated." Vali answered.

"Wait, as in he's..." Issei's eyes widened as he realized it.

"Completely undefeated, yes." Sona confirmed.

Issei's expression went flat from the shock, only ending when he gulped a bit.

"Wow, makes me wonder what that niece's parents are like." Issei wondered.

Suddenly, all the Devil heirs and even Irina went eerily silent at that, making Issei realize he just said something he probably shouldn't have.

"Wait, you don't mean..." He realized.

"The parents of his niece, Cecilia Belial... were Rias' predecessor, and an exorcist from the church. Both of them died when she was just a newborn." Vali answered sadly.

"Oh god... that's awful." Issei apologized.

"Yeah, and worse? Cleria was like a sister to him. Her death made him hate Hell's government so badly, he only trusts the people who found it, meaning the other Great Devils, my grandma, and Aunt Lilith are the people he can bring himself to trust." Yumina sighed, looking at her empty glass.

An odd silence filled the room, only ending when Lilith appeared on the screen, knocking to get their attention.

"Hello!" She shouted, making everyone jump.

"Mom, don't do that!" Vali gasped, feeling her heart race.

"Sorry about that, but you were all staring off into space while I was trying to talk through the TV." Lilith giggled.

Le Fay's familiar tried to touch the screen, making Lilith look at it.

"Uh, uh, uh." Lilith smirked, making the Evil Eye fly away.

The Devil Queen snickered as it did, and then looked at the residents of the Hyoudou Mansion, ready to make her announcement.

"As you might notice by my absence, I'm currently back in Hell, and that's because... I'm here to let you all know it's time for the Young Devils' gathering for all of our Devil Youths, and you're all invited!" Lilith announced.

"Oh god, I forgot that was coming up!" Vali gasped in surprise.

"You can be excused this time, as this one's a bit different that the times before, because... we're getting guests from other Factions! Especially the Shinto Pantheon, as Amaterasu thanked us for helping to rescue Kunou, and getting her faction aware of Yasaka's kidnapping." Lilith replied, mentioning a few details.

"Which factions are we talking about?" Issei inquired.

"Nearly all of them. The only ones I know aren't coming are the Hindu Pantheon, Celtic Pantheon, Egyptian Pantheon, and the Hero Faction." Lilith recalled.

Issei's jaw dropped at that.

Seeing his reaction, Lilith gave a slight giggle before nodding her head, making her breasts bounce a bit.

"I want you all to get ready ASAP, because I'll be leaving a magic circle for you to jump through any day now. Until then, good luck!" Lilith smiled, waving at them.

The DVD stopped playing, and the screen turned off.

"Well, I guess we better have our welcome party happen sooner than later." Vali suggested.

"Me and Asia will go shopping for the food." Issei offered.

"Thank you, that'll be a big help." Vali smiled.

She pecked him on the cheek, making Issei's face go red for a moment.

"I should offer my help more often" Issei chuckled.

* * *

After completing their shopping trip, each of them was seen heading back home with a bag of food in their hands.

"I'm excited for this welcoming party, are you?" Issei asked.

"I am, making everyone feel at home is a nice gesture." Asia smiled.

"Only thing I'm worried about is how my parents are gonna react to having three more faces in the house." Issei sighed, a misleading smile on his face.

His worries weren't founded on how his parents would view them, if anything... he was worried about how his parents seemed so... easygoing about the recent events in his life.

Luckily, he saw a distraction upon seeing a poster for Soccer, reminding him of something.

"Hey, the Sports Festival is coming up." He recalled.

"What's that?" Asia asked, looking at the poster.

"It's a competition we hold every year right before Summer Break ends, as the teachers feel it's better we burn off our excess energy before it affects our attempts to study. The goal is to try and see if your class is able to win the most points overall." Issei explained.

Asia's widened before sighing.

"Oh shoot, and while I came from the church I don't have any grace." She sighed.

"Uh... wrong grace, Asia." Issei joked.

He soon sighed himself, making Asia look at him worriedly.

"Are you alright, Issei?" Asia asked.

"I'm fine, it's just my class never seems to win, so I don't expect us to do well. I'm fairly sure despite that, we'll be gunning for an attempt to win the gold." Issei answered.

Asia smiled at that, but when she did... she failed to notice where she was walking, causing her to trip on part of the edge of the bike rack. As she fell, Issei turned in an attempt to catch her, only for someone to already do so.

"You alright." Issei asked.

"I'm fine, and thanks for the save, mister. I appreciate it." Asia reassured Issei, while looking at her savior.

"My pleasure... Asia Argento." Her mysterious catcher replied.

This surprised the two, which is when Issei recognized him, the same Devil that caught her at the Underworld's celebration.

"Hey, you're that guy who caught her before." He realized.

Asia looked at him, somehow getting a familiar feeling from him, but unable to put her finger on it.

"Issei, I think I know him." Asia mentioned.

"How could you... hey, wait a second." Issei realized.

As if on cue, Diodora adjust his outfit, and that's when they both saw it... a scar on his chest.

"That scar... I don't believe it!" Asia gasped.

"That's right, ma name is Diodora Astaroth, and I'm the Devil you saved long ago, but I never got the chance to introduce myself due to what happened afterwards." Diodora revealed, soon closing his shirt.

'Astaroth... that means he's related to Ajuka.' Issei realized.

"I never expected you to reunite with you in the Underworld, and as such, I've come to pick up where we left off." Diodora stated.

He took his hand as he kneeled to her, kissing her hand to Issei's shock.

"Hey, if you're doing chivalry, then you ask before you do it!" He shouted, going into his big brother mode.

"For us to have met twice, in the human world, and one of the worlds below... we are clearly bound by fate, so I must take you as my bride." Diodora declared.

Issei and Asia went white at that, followed by a gust of wind blowing.

* * *

Vali was going through a few papers related to summon request information, listening to Issei explain their encounter with Diodora.

"So, the Devil that Asia saved was Diodora Astaroth, huh?" Vali remarked.

"Yeah, know anything about him?" Issei inquired.

"I do, but I kinda wish I didn't, as he's basically Zephyrdor with manners." Vali answered.

Putting her papers down, she turned to the two.

"Because of their clan ability, the Akashic Calculative, the Astaroth Clan is a bit... different. Though among him and his siblings, Diodora was outright sheltered after he nearly died a few years back, so he'll likely leave you alone if you ignore him." Vali answered.

Asia sighed in relief, with Vali soon looking at her.

"Still, I can't believe he was the one you saved back then." Vali continued.

"Is he a big shot, like Rias and Sona are due to their siblings?" Issei inquired.

"Not exactly. He was the Astaroth Heir at one point, but his sister Amalya was always shown to be a better fit. After he nearly died twice in a row, the title of Heiress was given to her." Vali answered.

The Sekiryuutei scratched his head over that, right as Gasper opened the door.

"Hey, we're all set downstairs for the party." Gasper alerted them.

"Alright, we're coming." Vali replied.

Right before they went downstairs, Vali looked at Asia.

"Asia, if Diodora does give you any trouble, just let me know. After all, I'm basically your big sister." Vali smiled.

"Right." Asia smiled back.

Hearing that, Issei smiled at the sight before him.

* * *

Downstairs, everyone was gathered together having a small party, with Tiamat, Fafnir, and Azazel present as their guests.

"Everyone, I want to thank you all for letting me be here. Until I saw what Lilith did to Hades, I thought Devils would be my enemies, and that I'd be asked to reap your souls one day." Bennia stated.

"Please, drop that subject..." Gasper begged as his face went blue.

She chuckled a bit, standing up.

"But's over now, and I'd rather be friends with you anyways, so here's to me helping make your communities proud! Cheers!" She stated, holding up her drink.

"Cheers!" Everyone repeated.

As they watched, Azazel smiled at the sight.

"It's nice to see youthful idealism. Our sides had been fighting for too long, and while some still won't approve, you've all come together to stop the rampage of prissy terrorists. It just shows the proof of what we can do when we work as one." Azazel stated.

"Dad, when you say it like that, you imply nearly dying to multiple tyrants is worth it." Yuuma joked.

"Totally isn't." Jeanne replied.

"Hey, don't make it sound like that. I even find it a travesty is that no big shots can ever seem to help you all out, like with Tiamat and Fafnir here." Azazel sighed.

"That's a good thing." Tiamat smiled.

This surprised everyone, who looked towards the Blue Dragoness.

"The fact they still succeeded without us is an inspiration that we should commend. If this is what we see them as now, imagine what the next generation will be, and how good of hands we'll be left in when they take the stage in our place." Tiamat explained.

"Huh, guess that is true. Now who's the wise one?" Azazel smiled.

After that, Issei held his hand into the air.

"Let's put that same passion into the Sports Festival, who's with me!?" Issei exclaimed.

"Yeah!" Everyone cheered, hitting their drinks together once more.

* * *

The next day, everyone in Issei's class had come back to decide which students would be competing in each event, with Kiryuu being the one at the board.

"Alright everyone, this class has the misfortune of having everyone who didn't do so well in the last few Sports Festivals, but that changes this year! We've got plenty of students who are unknowns to aid us, and we're gonna put everyone into a position they have a chance to win!" Kiryuu encouraged.

Everyone cheered at that, making the Succubus of Kuoh smile at how much everyone wanted to win it.

"Alright, first event, who thinks they can do the Treasure Hunt?" She asked.

"Ooh, pick me! Put me down for that!" Katase replied, waving her hand.

"Done deal." Kiryuu agreed, writing down her name.

After a while, the competitions that required only one person were finished, leaving Kiryuu to begin announcing the team events.

"OK, next competition is the Four-Legged Race, so who wants to be part of the trio?" Kiryuu inquired.

Irina waved her hand excitedly, with Kelsey shrugging as she did the same.

After thinking for a bit, Yuuma shyly lowered her head as she decided to be the third hand up, surprising some of the class.

"Ooh, this looks like it'll be interesting." Kiryuu giggled, writing their names down.

"Not funny." Kelsey remarked.

Near the last part, the two biggest events among them all were left... the Relay Race, and the Cavalry battle.

"OK, who wants to run in the relay?" Kiryuu asked, looking nervous this time.

"I've got this!" Matsuda declared.

"I'll do it." Murayama offered.

Putting their names first, the big question was among the seven students remaining... who among them would be the last two legs of the relay?

"Vali, think we should try this one?" Issei whispered.

"Yeah, mostly because I worry we're too strong for the Cavalry battle." Vali agreed.

Both of them raised their hands, catching Kiryuu's attention.

"Ah, looks like our lovebirds are in, so I'm feeling confident about this one. Everyone else will get the Cavalry battle." Kiryuu announced, writing the remaining names down.

Issei and Vali blushed at the lovebird comment.

* * *

Meanwhile, outside on the school's track field, all of Class 2-B was seen practicing for the Sports Festival, with every student wearing blue headbands to represent their chosen class color.

Yuuma was seen in the middle of Irina and Kelsey, readying to practice for the Four-Legged Race.

"Uh..." Yuuma shuddered a bit.

"You ready to do this, Kelsey?" Irina asked.

"You bet, show me what you've got." Kelsey replied.

One of the students fired a popgun, since only the teachers and staff could use a smoke gun, and the three began running. Surprisingly, Yuuma's nervousness helped the trio stay on balance.

"Hot damn, that's one way to turn your timidity into a plus." Issei remarked.

"Let's just hope they don't fall, or they might end with more than black eyes." Matsuda nervously replied.

Saji walked by at that moment, wearing the green headband assigned to Class 2-D.

"Hey, Hyoudou!" Saji called out.

"Saji, what's up!?" Issei waved.

"Not much, you?" Saji inquired.

"Just preparing for the Relay Race, with Murayama warming up, and Vali somewhere else." Issei answered.

"Lucky you, I got stuck with the bread eating contest, and I'm expecting to explode." Saji replied.

Issei noticed Saji get a bit green, making him assume Saji didn't get to _choose_ his event like his class had.

"Saji!" Sona called out.

Saji jumped at that, seeing Sona wave at him.

"Class 1-C needs spare head bands, they ripped a few in a small cavalry battle tumble, can handle that for me!?" Sona asked.

"R-right, I'm my way!" Saji replied.

He hurried off to get the job done, leaving Issei's eye to twitch at the sight.

"Sona really changed over the break, but it's hot!" Motohama remarked.

A throat clearing was heard, making Motohama pale as Murayama stood behind him, giving a playful look at her boyfriend.

"U-Uh... I mean..." He stuttered.

"You walked into that one." Issei replied, shaking his head slightly.

Suddenly, everyone heard Vali yelp loudly, making them turn to see Kiryuu groping her breasts like bread dough, and giving many of the nearby men a slight nosebleed. Issei was not an exception for obvious reasons, especially since Vali's blushing face was cute.

"You really let your guard down!" She giggled.

"Stop it Kiryuu, this isn't funny! Let go of-" Vali whimpered loudly.

At that moment, Kiryuu's hand moved a certain way, causing Vali's face to go extremely red. The silver-white haired Devil shrieked before her reflex tossed Kiryuu into a nearby tree, surprising everyone.

"Oops... sorry, that was reflexive!" Vali apologized, still blushing as she held her chest.

"It's fine, I kinda deserved that one!" Kiryuu reassured her.

She felt a bird dropping hit her uniform's shoulder, making her look at it before blinking.

"Not so sure on this though." She remarked.

Issei walked to his girlfriend, who was still whimpering a bit as she noticed him.

"You alright?" He asked.

"Yeah, but... don't ask any further questions." Vali answered with puppy dog eyes.

Issei's face steamed up at the sight.

'She's too cute right now!" He thought.

Once the small moment was cleared up, everyone on the Relay Race team was set up on the track. Matsuda would be first, Murayama would be second, Issei took the third lane, while Vali would take it home.

"Alright, ready, and... go!" The classmate with the pop gun announced.

Matsuda rushed ahead, giving off some good speed as Murayama's legs shimmied a bit, readying for the baton to pass to her.

"Go for it!" He shouted.

"Right!" She replied as she grabbed the baton.

Murayama rushed ahead in response, with Tiamat checking the overall time, and individual times on a stopwatch.

"Impressive, especially for Murayama." She remarked, noticing she was faster than most humans she's seen.

"Issei!" Murayama alerted.

"OK!" He replied.

Grabbing the baton from her, he rushed ahead, surprising most of his class with his speed.

"Whoa, I knew Issei was fast, but not that much." Katase said in awe.

"Remember, we often go places for MHC activities, so he's gotten more practice than he would in Kuoh Town." Kelsey replied.

As Issei neared Vali, holding onto the red sash she was wearing.

"Vali, take it home!" Issei shouted, passing the baton.

"I got this!" Vali replied as she grabbed it.

The Hakuryuukou zoomed across the field, moving at speeds none of her classmates, other than her own peerage, knew she could move at.

"She's like a white lightning bolt!" Murayama exclaimed in awe.

She soon reaches the end, making Tiamat check the combined time of the four runners, and Vali's individual time.

"45 seconds! And for each individual lap... 15, 14, 9, and 7 seconds!" Tiamat announced.

"Alright!" Motohama exclaimed.

The entirety of Class 2-B cheered, believing they actually had a chance to win the Festival this time.

'Yeah, we'll win this like I'll win what's coming up soon.' Vali smiled.

* * *

After an exhausting day of their respective classes' Sports Festival practice, everyone returned to the Hyoudou Mansion, hoping to relax for a while. Looking at the table, Vali noticed a bunch of letters, with Asia blushing as she realized they were for her.

"Oh, for the love of... does Diodora understand woman at all!?" Vali asked rhetorically, soon using her magic to destroy them all.

"I'm thinking we need to have a serious talk with Ajuka, because this is ridiculous." Issei sighed.

"I'm sorry." Asia apologized.

Vali pet her Bishop's head, smiling at her.

"Relax Asia, you can't blame a boy for letting a little crush make him dumb... to the point of nearly stalking you." Vali reassured her.

A magic circle suddenly appeared on the floor, showing a timer counting down from 30 minutes.

"What's that?" Irina asked.

"My guess? That's my mom telling us we need to get ready, because the gathering will start in that many minutes." Vali assumed.

A small slip of paper flew out of the circle.

"Oh, and Irina? Lilith wants you to bring all of the Excaliburs, including the one in Arthur's possession." She added as she read it.

This confused both of the Lucifer Knights, wondering why she needed them brought to the event.

"Well, no point in waiting, you should all get ready before you're too late to do so." Tiamat warned everyone.

"Oh, right." Vali remembered.

Hurrying as quickly as they could, the Devils all readied themselves for the gathering, including Vali having to wear a special outfit the Maou Heirs all had to wear. Once they were ready, they met by the magic circle, where Issei saw Vali's outfit.

It was a silver-white Dress with a slit by the legs, with a blue sash marked with many small versions of the Lucifer crest on it. It also including metal bracelets matching her sash's color on each wrist, and a choker of the same metal.

"Wow..." Issei said softly.

"Vali, why are you wearing something formal unlike the rest of us?" Kunou asked.

"That's simple, Kunou. The Maou Heirs have to wear this because due to tradition, my mom's also wearing such an outfit, as are the others' guardians." Vali explained.

With that, the group walked through the magic circle, transporting them to the gathering.

"Lilith, it's finally time, isn't it?" Tiamat realized.

She soon followed the others, making the Magic circle disappear.

* * *

A few guards saw Lilith's magic circle form, and quickly stood to the side as everyone walked out of it.

"Welcome, Princess Vali." The guards greeted.

"Thank you." Vali waved to them.

As they walked in, various Devils all noticed Vali walking into view, making the many who hadn't seen the Rating Game view her for the first time.

"Hey, look! Isn't that her?" A Mid-Class Devil asked.

"Yeah, that's definitely the Princess! She has Lucifer's hair!" A Low-Class Devil confirmed.

Most Devils began murmuring in praise, but a few just looked at her negatively, making it clear they were the minority that didn't cheer for her during the Rating Game, and not because they felt they were forced to do so.

"Is that princess thing because Lilith's your mom?" Bennia asked.

"More like I'm related to Lucifer at all, but I guess your example is strongest here due to the fact she adopted me." Vali answered.

Kunou thought for a bit, and tugged on Vali's dress.

"What is it, Kunou?" Vali inquired.

"How does the Devil's hierarchy work exactly?" Kunou questioned.

"Ah, I never told you, did I? We have some time for that." Vali replied.

Clearing her throat, the Lucifer heiress began.

"As you know, like most beings, there are four levels we Devils rank under that range between Ultimate-Class to Low-Class. The Devils without famous surnames are the Low-Class that suffer the most hardships, the Extra Devils that make the Mid-Class, the High-Class members of the 72, and then the Maou Clans that make up the Ultimate-Class Devils." Vali explained.

"Wait, you're an Ultimate-Class Devil? I thought you were only High-Class." Issei replied in shock.

"Oh, I never mentioned that? My bad." Vali rubbed her neck in apology.

Clearing her throat again, she got back on track.

"Anyways, there are ranks for the clans that make up these four class levels. Low-Class Devils are considered either Knights/Dames, or Baronets/Baronetesses. The Mid-Class are defined as either Barons/Baronesses, Viscounts/Viscountesses, Counts/Countesses, Margrave/Margravines, or Marquises/Marquesses. For the Extra Devils that are High-Class, they're considered as Princes/Princess."

"For the 72 Pillars, the 11th-72nd Pillars are all Dukes/Duchesses, while the 2nd-10th Pillars are Archdukes. The Bael Clan's Devils are either Great Kings/Great Queens, and then for the Ultimate-Class Devils? We're just labeled as Emperors/Empresses, with my Clan's title being Sovereign." Vali finished explaining.

Issei whistled at that, impressed at the Devil hierarchy.

"Wow, the Devils have a bigger system than you'd think at first glance." Issei realized.

"I know, it really shocked me when my mom first explained it to me." Vali giggled in agreement.

The sound of whistling was heard, making the group turn to see none other than the other Maou Heiresses, alongside Nanami, Hina, and someone else that none of the group recognized. Each of the heiresses were seeing wearing their own variations of Vali's outfit.

"Oh, hey guys!" Vali greeted.

Ingvild's was a two-piece outfit, showing off her midriff, while having a blue coloration with a green sash. Aariliyn's was the very same, but the lower half was more of a wrap, had the choker part of her shirt's color, and was wearing a headdress, while having a gold coloration with a silver sash. Leelexe's was similar to Vali's, but with longer sleeves, and two ear pieces resting on each ear, having a red coloration with a sandy-colored sash.

Niruili's was shorter on her legs, and gave one the image of clothes somewhat styled after origami, the coloration being green with a white sash. Finally, Shuriliu's took all the most revealing parts of the others together, but added a slit for each side of her legs, and a large cut out that showed her cleavage, being colored purple with a pink sash.

"Good to see you, and quite the honor to finally see someone wearing the Lucifer outfit for such an event." Ingvild replied.

"Wait, Lilith's never worn it?" Issei asked in surprise.

"Nope, she always wears the one that would have been for the Satan Clan had it become a reality." Aariliyn answered, pointing at her.

Everyone looked, seeing Lilith's was the same as Vali if it were black-colored, had a red sash, and had sharp designs, like a V-neck in it. Seeing her mother wear it, Vali gave a light smile, looking back.

"Satan really was a good friend to her, wasn't he?" Vali stated.

"Yeah, bet he was." Shuriliu agreed.

At that moment, Vali looked at the other member among the group, seeing he was a fairly tall boy with shaggy black hair and red eyes. His outfit consisted of a baggy black T-shirt and baggy dark green cargo pants.

"I believe this is the first time we've met, so may I know who you are?" She asked.

"The name's Ladora Bune, and I'm one of Ingvild's Knights." He answered, giving a toothy grin while pointing towards himself.

Vali's eyes widened a bit.

"No way, you got a Devil from one of the Extinct Clans to join you?" Vali exclaimed.

Ingvild giggled a bit,

"Not just me, all of us and Sairaorg have Devils among the 72 Pillars within our teams. Facing discrimination really helps bond you together." She revealed.

"And we're not spoiling who's in our teams, especially since we all know what Lilith's planning. Though I can tell you one detail about mine." Shuriliu giggled.

"Let me guess... said detail is the fact your entire peerage is also your harem?" Vali inquired, giving a playful smile.

The Asmodeus Heiress gave one of those wide eyes smiles, and quickly turned to whistle a bit. The sight of this made everyone start giving a playful laugh at her reaction.

As that was going on, the silvery-blue haired Greek Goddess known as Artemis was seen devouring meat buns like a trash compactor. Hearing the sounds of her munching, the blonde Norse Goddess known as Freyja spotted her.

"Good evening Artemis." Freyja greeted, smiling at her fellow Goddess.

"Freyja! Uh... you always seem to notice me first in large gatherings like this, don't you?" Artemis nervously replied, still eating a meat bun.

The Norse Goddess chuckled at that.

"Well of course, you're one of the deities I like the most." Freyja smiled.

"Eh... well, you're not as bad as a certain Moon Goddess I know." Artemis shrugged.

At that very moment, said Goddess was seen running down some stairs to her horror. She had wild blue hair, huge breasts, and wore a moon themed outfit you'd expect from America... despite she was part of Japanese Myth.

"Hi, Freyja!" Tsukuyomi greeted.

Artemis wiggled her hands, fighting the urge to react to the original Goddess of the Moon.

"Ooh, is Artemis trying to tickle you?" She teased her.

Artemis screamed as she slammed her head on the food table, confusing both Goddesses watching her. It was at that moment that Vali finally noticed Artemis, and proceeded to go white in horror, hiding behind everyone.

"Eh?" Issei blinked.

"Don't let her see me, I don't want to remember it... I don't want to remember!" Vali whimpered, recalling how Artemis trained her.

Issei looked at her peerage, and Bikou answered for him.

"Because she's a Hunting Goddess, when Vali trained under Artemis, said training involved things like... dropping her in a canyon." He answered.

Everyone paled at that.

"Then putting her in flooded water filled with alligators." He continued.

Everyone went white at that.

"And something to do launching her through a field of angry Pegasi..." He winced.

Everyone instantly felt themselves shaking a bit.

"I... think we got the picture, Bikou." Leelexe replied fearfully, gulping a bit.

As that was happening, Tsukuyomi noticed the group, and felt something odd among one of their ranks. However, before she could figure it out, or notice Kunou was with them... the sound of a loud whistle was heard.

**【** **Lilith** **】**   
**Attention everyone, we're about to begin, so focus your attention to the main stage!**

At that moment, everyone turned towards it as the lights dimmed slightly.

* * *

Hearing that announcement, someone wearing a cloak bypassed all the guards in the area, and positioned himself nearby to listen closely.

"Let's hear what this fake Devil Queen has to say." He remarked with a glare.

* * *

A few minutes later, everyone saw the stage raise before spotlights revealed Lilith, all seven of the Great Devils, and some high-ranked Elders gathered on a seating podium.

"Welcome everyone! I'm Lilith Lucifer, the ruler of Hell, and the entire Devil race!"

Everyone clapped a bit in response.

"I'd like to thank everyone for coming to today's event, especially the other factions who are considering joining the Alliance against the Khaos Brigade! As such, I think it's time we announce our main event, and introduce this generation and the promising young Devils within it... the Rookie Supernovas!" Lilith cheered, looking at said guests.

A drum roll began to play, getting everyone's attention.

"These youths not only show double the promise of some the best generation in the last few years, but six of them are younger siblings to the Great Devils themselves, and here are the stars that shine brightest!" Lilith swung her arm out in reply.

More spotlights formed, shining over everyone that fit Lilith's description, all while the Devil Elders showed sour faces.

" **Vali Lucifer!** "

Vali waved both of her hands to the crowd.

" **Rias Gremory!** "

Rias winked a bit.

" **Sona Sitri!** "

Sona felt embarrassed, knowing her sister was seeing her.

" **Ingvild Leviathan!** "

Ingvild took a bow, also giving a slight curtsy.

" **Niruili Beelzebub!** "

Niruili was eating, making her laugh nervously at the bad timing.

" **Shuriliu Asmodeus!** "

Shuriliu made a sexy pose, making many boys holler excitedly.

" **Leelexe Belphegor!** "

Leelexe blinked before sweating a bit, looking towards the ceiling.

" **Seekvaira Agares!** "

Seekvaira nodded her head, adjusting her glasses.

" **Aariliyn Mammon!** "

Aariliyn flashed a bright smile, letting some of her bling sparkle from the spotlight.

" **Amalya Astaroth!** "

Amalya gave a rather bashful response, rubbing her foot against the ground.

" **Ereilie Glasya-Labolas!** "

Ereilie adjusted her dress collar, trying to keep a refined look.

" **Ravel Phenex!** "

Ravel blushed a bit, waving her hand as she turned her head.

" **Eneely Vassago!** "

Eneely rose a fist up, giving a confident look.

" **Iolava Amon!** "

He flashed a toothy grin, cracking the knuckles of his right hand in an attempt to be flashy.

" **Yumina Lucifuge!** "

Yumina waved like Vali, but only with one hand.

" **And finally, Sairaorg Bael!** "

Sairaorg gave a confident smile with closed eyes, which was all he needed.

Everyone cheered once more, giving another round of applause for the Devils mentioned, but were quickly quieted down as Lilith loudly cleared her throat. Once she got the crowd's attention, the Devil Queen stood up, raising a hand into the air.

"Now, to all the Devils I listed who have a peerage, tell us all what your dreams are! Don't be afraid, because if anyone laughs or mocks them..." Lilith requested, and right as she reached the end.

Everyone felt the Devil Queen's aura of rage flare out in warning, with most of the Devil Elders' eyes being shadowed as their blood went cold.

"You'll... be... sorry!" She stated while still smiling.

'She's so terrifying!' Many guests thought.

No one was sure who should go first, prompting Ereilie to take the stage.

"I am Ereilie Glasya-Labolas, heir to the Glasya-Labolas Clan. My dream is to succeed my Clan, and expand our influence beyond our current territory!" Ereilie boldly declared.

Considering her younger brother was Zephyrdor, her goal surprised many Devils, while making Falbium smile with pride. With her confident declaration, the others slowly followed.

"I am Rias Gremory, heiress to the Gremory Clan. My goal is to succeed my Clan, and become the new champion of the Rating Games!" Rias announced, catching the current champion's interest.

"I... I am Sona Sitri, heiress to the Sitri Clan. My goal is to create a Rating Game School for Devils of any class!" Sona shouted as loudly as possible.

The other heirs were surprised by her bold dream, and compared to the other dreams that were mentioned... most of the elders began laughing. Serafall was about to react, but Lilith stopped her.

"Not just yet, trust your sister." Lilith reassured her.

"But-" Serafall tried to reply.

Serafall wanted nothing more than to beat down the Elders for mocking her, despite what Lilith told her, however... that's when she noticed Sona didn't show any signs of wavering under the Elders' gaze.

"Seriously, that's your goal, Sona Sitri? I believe you know that we already have such a school in the Academy, so why would you make a goal like this?" One of the Elders questioned, hiding a mocking tone within his words.

"Because, not only do I want every Devil to know the joy of the Rating Games instead of a select few, or to allow every Devil to have the chance to better themselves and strive to be their best, I want... to guarantee our kind's future!" Sona answered.

This caught the Devils off guard, as her reply confused them.

"We can't stick to the past forever, or we'll end up repeating our mistakes. Lucifer's death was something no one saw coming, and if that's possible, what's stopping anything from destroying all the High-Class Devils? Or worse, leaving only the Low-Class Devils as the remains of our great race? The schools we have wouldn't be able to teach them anything, but my school would give them the means to grow stronger, survive, and keep our race living!" Sona explained, her resolve not wavering at all.

Hearing that, most of the Devils in the crowd began to murmur, wondering if Sona's idea actually had merit. The Elders growled at her, knowing they couldn't speak out without Lilith making good on her warning.

Lilith on the other hand was smiling with her eyes closed. She, and all the Great Devils were aware of the darkness within the Rating Games, making Sona's dream one of the many that went against their selfish desires.

"Sona, don't let anyone tell you to stop that dream, because I believe any Devil who doesn't is a fool for thinking so." Lilith encouraged her.

The Sitri heiress nodded with teary eyes, gaining a new respect for the Queen of all Devils.

"Sona, I'm so proud of you." Serafall said to herself as she cried happy tears.

"Let us resume where we left off now, shall we?" Sirzechs suggested.

Lilith nodded, and Diodora decided to go next.

"I am Diodora Astaroth, heir to the Astaroth Clan. My goal is to succeed my clan and create a facility in Hell that can be used by both Devils and members of the Church." Diodora revealed.

Upon hearing that goal, most of the Devils were confused, enough that Lilith, the Great Devils, Diehauser, and even the Elders all tilted their heads in confusion. Vali herself squinted her eyes oddly, feeling slight sweat form on her cheek.

'Why does Diodora's dream give me a bad feeling?' Vali thought worriedly.

"I am Sairaorg Bael, heir to the Bael Clan. My goal is to earn better rights for the Extra Devil clans, Low-Class Devils, and the extinct households of the 72 Pillars!" Sairaorg stated with pride.

The Elders gave sour looks one again, hating this dream more than Sona's.

The Devils heirs continued to share their dreams one by one, and then eventually, only two Devils had yet to reveal their goals, those two being Ingvild and Vali.

"I am Ingvild Leviathan, heiress to the Leviathan clan. My goal is to earn the right to challenge Diehauser Satan to a match without going through all the hurdles, and then with all my power... manage to beat him!" Ingvild declared.

'That kid's got guts, I'll say that much.' Diehauser thought, impressed by her determination.

After that, all eyes turned to Vali, the only Devil who hadn't spoken her dreams just yet. She had already seen the reactions to the dreams Sairaorg and Sona had revealed, and as a result... she knew her dream would automatically be the one the elders hated the most.

She felt a hand on her shoulder, looking to see Issei showing his support for her.

"I am Vali Lucifer, heiress to the Lucifer clan, and daughter of Hell's leader. My dream is..." Vali began, remembering the one event that lead to this moment.

* * *

_A 15-year old Vali looked at Lilith, before looking at the same landscape showing all of Hell in front of her._

_"Vali, are you seeing all of this?" Lilith asked._

_"I am, but I'm curious... why are you showing it to me?" Vali inquired._

_Lilith paused for a moment, soon closing her eyes as she thought of the past, then opening them with a saddened look._

_"When Lucifer, Leviathan, Belphegor, Mammon, Beelzebub, Asmodeus, and I made this land together, we had a single goal. That goal? To make a land of freedom, one that wasn't restrained by God like Heaven and Earth." Lilith answered._

_A shaking began to enter her voice, getting Vali's attention._

_"However, even before he lost his life... Lucifer and I noticed a greater threat, the problems that had slowly slipped by him perverting his dream. By the time he finally saw it, the Great War began, and just like Satan was killed before our dream was realized... they all died before our dream could be restored. Mephisto, Lucifuge, and I? The three of us tried, but we were powerless to fix it." She continued._

_Vali noticed her adoptive mother was shedding tears, and rubbed her left arm in an attempt to comfort her._

_"What happened to this place?" Vali asked._

_Lilith took a deep breath, looking at the horizon again, and creating the image of hidden filth covering it._

_"What didn't happen is the better question? The lies of the King Pieces, killing innocents to hold a facade I couldn't unveil. The deception that was blackmailing me, leaving me unable to act without risking myself being overthrown. The corruption of the Rating Games, lining the pockets of bastards through the King Pieces. Then, the racism tied to so many, including the very bloodline you're tied to." Lilith explained, looking down._

_"That's just off the top of my head, what's before me... and what I have no power to end. Long ago we exiled Rizevim because he believed the Devils were meant to be evil beings. Now, many are forced to act cruel, just to not be viewed as pariahs, or force suffering on their loved ones... the very things we feared happened anyways."_

_As Vali watched, she saw Lilith turn to her, a grim look on her face._

_"Who did this all you ask? Some of the earliest Devils who the clans began from, the ones we know today as the Devil Elders." She revealed._

_"My god... please, tell me how I can help? What can I do?" Vali asked._

**「** **Destiny: Final Cutscene Theme** **」**

_"That's the thing Vali, the only one who can stop this **is** you." Lilith revealed._

_Hearing those words, the Heiress of Lucifer's eyes widened, with Lilith kneeling at her as she gave a look of resolve towards her._

_"Vali, until I knew you existed... I had lost everything, but you've given me a reason to live again. You carry your father's legacy, and that's why only you can save Hell from this path of self-destruction." Lilith encouraged her._

_"Only... me." Vali said with surprise, pointing at herself._

_"I have a plan, in 2 years... I'm going to make a tournament, and you must win it. Do so, and your dream will become a reality, the dream to restore our homeland. Gain your Evil Pieces, choose the best retainers you can find, and become the Princess you're meant to be. Hell needs you, so you must save it! Can you promise you will achieve this?" Lilith exclaimed, giving a hopeful look towards her._

_Vali looked to the ground, soon making a determined face._

_"Tell me, what kind of dream do I need to make a reality?" Vali asked, forming her resolve._

_"That dream is..." Lilith answered her._

* * *

Closing her eyes, Vali took a deep breath before she opened them again, giving a determined look on her face... opening her mouth to reveal the fateful sentence that would change everything.

"My dream is... to restore Hell, by having it restart from zero!"

Upon hearing this, all the guests, various Devils, and even Vali's own peerage showed shock to the claim. The Elders faces were all turning so red, there was pretty much a guarantee that had, or were going to pop a blood vessel.

The main Elder, Zekram Bael, looked towards Lilith, thinking this was her doing. Unfortunately for him, the Devil Queen had managed to fake a convincing expression of shock, fooling the first Bael into thinking even she was surprised by Vali's words.

'No way, she's surprised too? Then... does that mean she didn't have any involvement in this!?' Zekram thought, looking at Vali.

Regaining her breath, Vali continued as everyone kept looking at her.

"For most of my life, I never saw the land I was born. I lived with my parents, and my abusive grandfather, the worst Devil to ever exist, and in that life... I went through a lot, and suffered, more than any child ever could. I thought I alone was the unlucky one."

She shook her head, remembering backstories like Tobio's, and what he and Sae had gone through.

"I couldn't have been more wrong, because I traveled the world, traveled the lands of Hell, and saw just how many suffered no different than I had. It's not the severity that mattered, it was the forms, the hardships, the struggles... I've seen terrible things born out there, and here in Hell, while there's more I've yet to see. Every moment makes them grow bigger, and some ignore it, letting it grow until it's too late."

"My father, the very man who created this land, wanted it to be a land of freedom, but all it is now is the very thing that he feared when Rizevim had to be exiled. No, people like my grandfather were born because of this system. Those who find it the justice, and the good in this world, when it isn't. Those who feel might makes right, and have no sense of compassion! He wanted to stop it, but... he died before he could."

Many Devils went silent, feeling Vali's words hit them.

"For that very reason, I will restore the dream my father built Hell upon! For the sake of my friends, for my fellow Maou heirs that had to bear the burden of discrimination the traitors among their own families caused, but took it all without breaking! I will rebuild things from scratch, with them, my mother, and my peerage by my side! When I'm done, I will make Hell the land of freedom it was meant to be! The discrimination, corruption, racism, deception... I will destroy every negative, no matter what it takes!"

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

Vali breathed, having nothing left to say.

For a while... nothing was said by anyone, and she didn't blame the silence. The very things she was fighting to get rid of? They were exactly what let people like the Elders take power, and put the leaders who actually cared into a position where they couldn't do anything without risk. Just when the elders believed Vali had made a fool of herself, and her support was next to if not nothing... a clap suddenly began, one made by Issei.

In response to that, rest of Vali's peerage began clapping, and from there, what seemed like would only be their cheering? The other Devils began doing the same, to the point it seemed as if almost 90-95% of them were clapping for her. By the time the Elders could make sense of things, almost _everyone_ had chosen to applaud Vali's dream, making the Hakuryuukou's eyes shine in surprise.

"Everyone is... cheering for me." Vali breathed, slowly smiling as it sunk in.

Zekram slammed his hand on the desk, his eyes widened angrily as he looked at the ground, trying to tell himself this was a bad nightmare. If it wasn't... then it was clear that Vali Lucifer was a problem they'd need to take care of.

'This is impossible, there's no way everyone could be cheering for her! They'd be willing to trust the naive words of a child!?' He growled.

Tightening his fists loud enough to crack his knuckles, he cleared his throat.

"Such a goal is still too far-sighted, there's no way you could accomplish that in such a life time." Zekram warned.

Lilith suddenly giggled at that, getting his attention.

"Oh, silly Zekram, do you really think I asked everyone to share their dreams for no reason? Why would the rest of the factions need to know what they want if it was that simple?" Lilith questioned to him.

He began to give a nervous sweat, wondering what she was implying.

"And with what I just said, that us to the final announcement I have! I think we should see how willing this generation is to fight for their dreams! So, I hereby announce that for the first time in all of Hell's history... we'll be having a Rating Game _Tournament_!" She announced.

All the Devil Youths gave their own reactions to the revelation.

"Tournament?" Venelene repeated.

"No way." Sona replied in surprise.

"But what for?" Rias wondered aloud.

Lilith giggled, regaining everyone's focus as she made it clear she wasn't finished.

"Best of all? The Great Devils and I have all come to a unanimous decision. This tournament isn't without a reward, and that prize is, without even my authority able to stop or oppose it..." Lilith continued, about to reveal the last twist.

Everyone waited with baited breath.

"That the winner of the Championship will become the Rating Game Youth Champion, and have their dream will become a reality!" She revealed.

With that, everyone in the room silently stared at the Devil Queen.

* * *

**That's right, you heard Lilith right, the one who wins the tournament has their dream made a reality, with not even her authority able to stand against... or the Elders! She's crossing all the red tape she can, just to bet on Vali managing to win the entire tournament. Because of that, the Devil Elders, including Zekram Bael himself, are going to be major villains alongside the Khaos Brigade.**

**Vali's words also have their own chain reaction to them. Because of what the Elders heard, the story's versions of the events in Volumes 7-12 will soon follow. Not to mention, even though Vali's friends know her dream is a good one, they'll still have to fight against her, because their dreams are on the line, even if her dream will let theirs happen should she win.**

**Now, I'll mention this since I did it with Tsukuyomi, but I may swap a deity's gender sometimes depending on if there's a reasoning behind it, or if I just feel like it. Tsukuyomi is a case of the former, as making her a girl avoids a lot of the problems that came from Tsukuyomi being Amaterasu's husband. This version of her is more mischievous being a girl, fitting the scary things that appear when the Moon is up.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

* * *

** Ingvild's Peerage ** **:**

**King - Ingvild Leviathan**   
**Queen - Nanami Kanzaki**   
**Bishops - Shirai Miyuki, Lilitifa Vepar**   
**Knights - Irufea Valefor (x2)**   
**Rooks - Ladora Bune, Arufieil Nahemah**   
**Pawns - Aarushi Fahari (x8)**

** Additional Notes ** **:  
~ Irufea has a Sacred Gear, though it isn't her Knight weapon  
~ Shirai is a Yuki-Onna  
~ Aarushi is a Human/Daeva hybrid  
~ Ladora is much younger than his canon self, and much healthier looking**

** Special Note ** **:  
~ Ladora was added to Ingvild's peerage because a Leviathan can sometimes be a Dragon, and another reason that I can't reveal due to spoilers**

* * *

**Aariliyn's Peerage** :

**King - Aariliyn Mammon**   
**Queen - Hina Mitsuya**   
**Bishops - Seireinne Alocer (x2)**   
**Knights - Beruka Furcas, Bafeel Furcas**   
**Rooks - Terfinnes Adramelech, Geirdriful**   
**Pawns - Elysui Orobas (x7), Nicolae Manthar**

** Additional Notes ** **:  
~ Bafeel is Seekvaira's Knight in canon, and rides the Red Horse, which she named Kanebriss  
~ Nicolae is a Vampire/Fallen Angel hybrid  
~ Elysui has a Sacred Gear  
~ Seireinne has a Sacred Gear, and is Hell's most popular female idol  
~ Geirdriful is a Valkyrie**

** Special Note ** **:  
~ Beruka and Bafeel were added to Aariliyn's peerage because in this story, the four Apocalypse Horses are the sole member of their kind, rather than a species like in canon, making them valuable retainers**

* * *

** Bust Size of New Female Characters ** **:**

**Artemis - 102 cm**

**Freyja - 105 cm**

**Tsukuyomi - 107 cm**

* * *

** Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter ** **:**

**【** **Devil Elders** **】** **  
A group of extremely old Devils lead by Zekram Bael, around the time before the Great War, they began altering Hell for their own interests, and left unopposed due to the deaths of the Maou. Lilith and the Great Devils' goal is to get them removed without risking them turning the people against them.**

* * *

** Pairings List ** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating  
Ddraig/Albion - Married  
Tiamat/Fafnir - Married  
Ophis/Great Red - Married  
Saji/Sona - Saji is serious about making Sona's dream a reality, while Sona realizes she might have fallen for Saji  
Gasper/Valerie - Sorta Dating  
Kiba/Tosca - Friends  
Hina/Nanami - Dating**


	25. Chapter 25

**Hey everyone, before we start things up, I have talk about something, because... this will be affecting my ability to write the story for some time. I don't know when I'll officially get this chapter up, so I'll just explain the vital information here before I forget it. *takes a deep breath* On May 24th, there was a call from a nursing home, where my grandmother had been for the last year or two, and... my family just found out she passed away.**

**I wasn't exactly close to her, but... it still really hurts, especially as her passing had been inevitable for a while. Now, the reason why it might be harder for me to write this story isn't her death itself, but the fact that I had to go to a church for her funeral. While I'm actually agnostic, the problem here is due to DxD mainly revolving around the concepts of a church through its main cast, the series' themes keep making me think about her death.**

**Not sure how long it'll take before I can clear up my mind, so while I'll still be writing for this story, it may be difficult for a while, meaning updates will probably slow down, and my focus on this story will be less than usual for the foreseeable future. I kindly ask that no asks me what how she died, as I don't actually know what finally claimed her life, just that she was clearly on her last legs.**

**OK, with that all said... *breathes* let's begin today's start notes.**

**Last chapter, we had Lilith reveal the Rating Game Tournament, and the fact that whoever wins the Championship Match in the Finals will gain a most wonderful prize: their dreams being made true without even her authority being allowed to stop it. Ever since she learned Vali existed, she's been planning this tournament as her last chance to save Hell, by making a gamble that her daughter will win.**

**Vali's the only Devil with Lucifer's blood that has a good heart, she's the only one who has the authority to make her wish a reality. In other words, she's the last chance Lilith has to save Hell before the Elders take complete control of it, and considering how much they manipulated in canon when it came to the King Piece scandal, and Cleria's death... well, you get the picture I'm trying to make.**

**This chapter is also where we'll be having Amaterasu finally show up, as in the last arc, I mentioned she'd be having a prominent role starting around this point. You might be surprised with what she does, and maybe with the personality I give her, if only because of Tsukuyomi being a girl with a more mischievous side. The only one among those three who's the same is Susanoo, for obvious reasons.**

**Right now, we'll be at a stage where everyone gets ready to qualify since there are hundreds of Devils, and I can't show a fight for all of them, much less a full fight. As such, the first actual Rating Game won't happen immediately, but I think most of you already have a good idea for most of the Devils that will qualify due to the previous chapter. Luckily, there's a few surprise faces you might not expect.**

**Best part of the tournament? Guest announcers will be present, including some of the very Gods that are visiting right now. I've already got the first person that'll be hosting alongside Naud planned, and it's someone that's perfect for the role. This overall story line with the Tournament will be connecting to a lot of events until its end, so all I can say is... let the games begin!**

**Now, without further ado, time to start this chapter!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

 **[]** \- Ddraig Talking

 **«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

 **「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

 **【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

 **⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

** The Devil Elders **

**A particularly nasty group of Devils living in Hell, with an authority that's third only to the Great Devils and Lilith herself. Most of these Devils are the original 72 Pillar Devils, who had eventually left Hell after leaving things to further generations or passing away. However, it was around the centuries before the Great War that the 20 who remained in their homeland would begin their dark legacy.**

**The progenitor of the Bael Clan, the one known as Zekram Bael, lead the others into improving their lifestyles at the cost of other Devils, something Lucifer didn't notice until near the time of the Great War, where he finally noticed one problem they caused, and then many more that had slipped under his nose. While Lucifer could have easily stopped it, he was unable to as a result of him and the other Maou dying in the Great War.**

**With only Lilith, Lucifuge, Mephisto Pheles, and the unknown member left among Hell's 12 founders, the Devil Elders continued making a mess unopposed, and when the Devil Queen thought she could finally stop them... they used the King Pieces as blackmail, threatening to turn her own people against her. With that, it seemed they had become truly untouchable, and Lilith was now their puppet.**

**However, to their horror, they soon realized there were not as invincible as they had believed. The very disowned son that Lilith had compared them to had ended up creating the one thing that could ruin all they worked for in Vali Lucifer, who renewed Lilith's will to live, and helped her form the plans for the Rating Game Tournament without them knowing what she had been doing.**

**Now, with the fact the winner of the Championship will let their dream come true, Vali's wish to remake Hell will destroy everything they've worked towards if she manages to win it. As such, with such a huge gamble, and despite being limited in their actions to avoid being exposed as the monsters Lilith knows them to be, they will do all they can to make sure Vali does not succeed in her goal.**

**The Devil Elders can also kill off those who interfere with them, but not if Lilith reveals their secrets to their targets, as it would make them look suspicious.**

* * *

**_ Season 3, Diodora Arc: Chapter 2 - Rise of the Devil Youths _ **

Everyone was still shocked by the announcement Lilith had just made, with most of Hell's citizens looking at each other, murmuring their thoughts to one another.

"Any kind of wish? Even one that could destroy Hell?"

"No way, the wish would need to be realistic, something like the Princess' dream."

"But this is a good opportunity, isn't it?"

Zekram slammed his hands down on his seating area, turning towards Lilith.

"What is the meaning of this nonsense!?" Zekram demanded.

"Let me answer with my own question. What is the meaning behind all of the Khaos Brigade's nonsense?" Lilith inquired.

"Wait... what?" Zekram replied awkwardly.

Lilith sighed, wagging her finger at him, making a vein form on his head from the mockery she just gave him.

"Zekram, I thought you of all Devils would have realized this, considering the current situation we're in. Among these Devils here, we've already had my daughter and her peerage, Rias and her peerage, Sona and her peerage, the Maou Clan heirs, Sairaorg's younger sister, the Regulus Nemea wielder, as well as the wielders of the Innovate Clear, and Telos Karma forced into battles that they shouldn't have had to deal with."

"That was bad luck, and you know it-" Zekram retorted.

"Bad luck my ass! If it happened to them, then what's stopping every other young Devil from being dragged into a battle? Worse, what if it's a battle they're not ready for, and they die because of that fact?" Lilith countered.

Upon the many Devils that were parents hearing that, they all began to murmur.

"I agree, what's preventing that!?"

"Yeah, I don't want my child to be killed because they were caught in that kind of mess!"

Lilith nodded her head, soon addressing them.

"Exactly, which is why we decided to hold this Rating Game Tournament. If we can't prevent the future of Hell from being dragged onto the battlefield, then we must do our best to make sure they'll make it back alive. So, let our young Devils face each other with such a grand prize, and let their determination to win that prize teach them the determination to survive, and how to make the right decisions that guarantee it!" Lilith answered.

Hearing that, the very parents who showed worries over this began to shout in approval, making Zekram grit his teeth.

"Fine." He quietly growled.

The original Bael was more than just annoyed right now. For years, they had kept Lilith under their thumb, but her daughter... Vali alone had given her a way to simply walk around the defenses they spent so long building.

"Zekram, what do we do?" One of the Elders whispered.

"As long as that Vali brat doesn't win, any of those with an idealistic dream can just be twisted to our wills. Lilith's plans mean nothing." Zekram replied, closing his eyes.

Briefly hearing that, Lilith hoped that soon enough, he'd see everything within his corrupted hold crumble to nothing.

"So, I take it that all you Young Devils have been motivated?" Lilith asked.

"Yeah!" They all shouted.

Lilith was surprised how in sync their reply was, making he shrug slightly.

"Good, most of the Devils, and the other Faction leaders in the Alliance had a good feeling you'd find your inner spark through this. Now, it's time I explain how this tournament works." Lilith responded.

Looking at Ajuka, he used his Kankara Formula to show a magical screen with all the data, encompassing most of the area above the stage.

"For our guests who don't know, the number of Youths we have would easily go over 200, and we don't have the time for a full tournament if we rounded it out to the 256 that could compete. We just don't have enough stadiums, and the Mammon Clan won't be able to make that many fast enough to amend that issue. As such, we shall hold a qualifier to help decide the 16 Devil Heirs that will officially participate in the actual Tournament." Lilith explained.

Many instantly sweated as they heard that, already knowing how small their changes to actually compete really were.

'Just 16 participants... that means to decide who competes, they'll be having qualifiers to give a mass elimination all at one. Will it be a Battle Royale, or something else?' Vali wondered as she looked at all the info being shown.

Lilith took a deep breath, and then looked at Diehauser, who stood up.

"Now, with all of that out of the way, I'd like our current champion of the Rating Games to give a small speech." Lilith announced, motioning to him.

"Throughout my time in the Rating Games, I've faced many strong opponents, and seen many strategies, including those who made the weakest powers into some of the strongest. Every one of you has an equal shot to win, but you cannot win if you believe you'll lose, so no matter what, believe as if you will win, and the possibility of doing so exists!" He encouraged everyone.

All of the Young Devils clapped at that, prompting Diehauser to sit back down.

"Alright, since I'm sure that most of you have been wondering how we'll decide the 16 that'll be in the actual tournament? Time for me to explain that.

She held out her hand, revealing a massive obstacle course on the Kankara Formula's screen.

"To give everyone the experience of fighting on a real battlefield, but avoid having to fight a new opponent every two seconds to get it, the method is quite simple." Lilith explained, motioning to an excited looking Serafall.

"You'll be racing each other through an obstacle course that simulates a real battlefield!" She shouted with enthusiasm.

This surprised many, prompting Alanira to stand up.

"We chose this because during the Civil War between the Anti-Maou Faction and the Old Maou Faction, all of us Great Devils not only had to fight through swarms of enemies... we had to conquer enemy territory meant to impede or even counter us, with nothing but our own efforts and abilities to aid us. In battle, your threats are not just your enemies, but the very place you could be fighting them at, both of which you may not have control over." Alanira explained.

"I get it, this obstacle course is based on what you experienced during that final charge." Eneely realized.

"And if we have to cross with all our peerages, then that means both our teamwork and individual skills will be needed to make it through! The 16 who qualify must be the first 16 peerages that can get all their members through it before everyone else!" Iolava agreed, pointing his fingers at his fiancé.

Hearing their responses, Alanira confirmed their guesses with a nod.

"You were able to figure out the answer on your own. Just through that, you've only proven the potential we've seen from the current generation of Devils." Lilith smiled.

Swiping the screen, Ajuka brought up another screen showing the rules.

"Now, we won't show you what you're dealing with until you actually enter the qualifier course, but for now? I'll cover some ground rules. The first, since not every reincarnated Devil can fly yet if at all, combined with the fact this needs to be a challenge, any flight that's not from a Sacred Gear is forbidden. You must either rely on alternatives like gliding, high jumps, steeds, or creating some kind of platforms to walk across."

"You can't attack others directly, but using attacks near them as a distraction is alright unless there are signs placed saying otherwise. You are allowed to help your peerage, but no others. Finally, you're allowed to bring any weapons, or external items that you've created yourself. For those who are worried, the retirement has been applied to certain checkpoints we've set, so no worries about something bad happening." Lilith finished explaining.

Many sighed in relief, with only the lack of flight being a concern for a few who were heavily used to it.

"Alright, with all of that said, enjoy the rest of today's events! We'll let you all know when the qualifier is ready soon enough." Lilith smiled as she clapped her hands together.

With that, the lights came back on, and everyone went back to do what they had been prior.

* * *

Hearing the announcement, the spy that had been sneaking around tapped his chin in thought.

"Hmm..." He thought.

Quickly leaving the area without being caught, he hid in the bushes of the nearest forest, and then formed a magic circle to contact someone.

"Zentiika, that false Devil Queen just gave us a perfect opportunity." He replied.

"Go on, I'm listening." A tired female voice answered.

* * *

As everyone was getting back into the places they were in, Vali let out a sigh of relief.

"Wow, I felt like I was holding up the sky when I shared my dream." The Lucifer Heiress admitted, looking at her boyfriend.

"It was a big dream, although I'm a bit confused over why your mom made the prize of the winner's dream becoming a reality. Well... at the level of politics that is." Issei admitted.

Vali blinked before giggling a bit, remembering what subject Issei wasn't very good at.

"Arthur, mind helping Issei out?" Vali requested.

The Knight of Lucifer nodded, looking towards the Sekiryuutei, who turned to face him.

"We only briefly learned of it during Vali's time in Hell, but the Devil Elders? They're even worse than the dirty politicians you'd find in the human world, using savage influence that limits Lilith's attempt them, while endlessly gaining money and power for no reason other than having it." Arthur explained.

Issei's eyes widened, remember what Vali had said during the Rating Game against Riser.

"No way, are you saying..." Issei asked with a horrified look.

"That's right Issei, and that's the real reason dreams like Sona's and Sairaorg's enrage them. Because they're all selfish bastards who turned against the ideals my father created. They're truly ungrateful when he was the reason they even exist, and he died before they could stop them... but I can, and that's why this tournament even exists in the first place." Vali confirmed.

"Of course! If you win the tournament, then your dream tears down all their corruption, while you have the authority to do just that because you're a Lucifer!" Issei realized.

Vali nodded her head, pointing smiling a bit.

"You hit the nail right on the head. The main challenge is that we have to qualify, and then win not one, not twice, but four times. Despite that, I know that we can win this tournament." She replied, pulling him closer.

"And you don't even have to ask what our answer to helping you is." Issei smiled back.

The two soon kissed each other, making a few spectators "Aww" over it.

"Yuck!" Kunou replied, still too young to understand romance.

"Call it that all you want, but it won't stay that way forever." Kuroka replied.

"E-eh...?" Kunou stuttered, sweating a bit.

Right at that moment, a familiar giggle was heard, getting the attention of both Youkai as they turned around to see who made it.

It was a woman with long, red-colored hair in such a bright shade of red, it was like seeing a red sun. Just like Tsukuyomi, she was wearing clothes you'd see from America, despite it was clear she was a Goddess of Japanese myth.

"Lady Amaterasu!" Kuroka gasped.

Most of Vali's peerage looked at her as she giggled, waving with her fingers, and then suddenly kneeled on the ground. A confusion Issei looked at Vali, who realized he didn't know.

"Issei, have I told you any of the Top 10 beings when ignoring those who've been sealed or died?" Vali asked to be sure.

"No, why would... wait, don't tell me." Issei replied before his eyes widened.

"The person before us right now is the 7th Strongest Being in the world, and the wall that locked me as the 8th Strongest Being." Tiamat revealed.

Issei's eyes widened as he heard that, turning to see Amaterasu nod her head.

"The leader of the Shinto Pantheon is that powerful!?" Issei exclaimed in shock.

"Oh no, my mom and dad are the leaders. I just act as their public face." Amaterasu corrected him.

"Wait, your mom? But doesn't mythology say... oh, that's right." Issei sweat dropped as he recalled how some of the supernatural wasn't like how Humanity knew it.

Tiamat nodded her head, with Kunou smiling from the feeling of Amaterasu petting her head.

"Izanami is her mother, because unlike the legends, Izanagi didn't abandon her in Yomi... which was actually a living realm of sorts, despite her appearance. However, he wasn't able to rescue her on his first attempt, though before he left, she gave him most of her power in a permanent manner and then advised him to wash his face. After he did so, his energy along with the energy she gave him, took a physical shape that linked to the Sun, Moon, and the Troposphere." Tiamat explained.

"Let me guess, Izanagi tried to save her again with Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Susanoo's aid? Not only that, but they're the first deities associated to those three things?" Issei assumed.

"There's also our older brother Kagutsuchi, who was never killed after what happened with his birth, though you nailed the rest of it. We got her out and she gained her own association, letting her and my dad take the shared spot of the 5th Strongest Beings." Amaterasu confirmed.

Right as she said that, Tsukuyomi slid into view, dragging both of her brothers behind her.

"Someone talking about us?" Tsukuyomi smiled.

"That was me." The Sun Goddess giggled.

Kagutsuchi straightened himself out after his the younger of his little sisters dropped him. He had shoulder length black hair that shined like the basalt rocks often formed from volcanoes. He was wearing a black hakaba with red details across it, including white blacksmith symbols on each side of his hakaba. He was also wearing modern day Samurai sandals.

Looking at Susanoo, the Sekiryuutei found himself struggling not to laugh at his appearance. He was incredibly tall, but also massively fat in the sense of having a bulky, rotund shape, and his skin was cooked red like he had a permanent sunburn... which he did. He had white hair like a lion's mane, with a large beard that was mixed into it, and wore an open white happi, white pants with a necklace of jade magatama around it.

"I know what you're thinking, so go ahead and laugh!" Susanoo stated before laughing.

And... then he suddenly fell asleep, while still standing no less. Everyone aside from his siblings' face faulted at the sight.

"You'd think Lord Susanoo wouldn't do that when he knows Orochi's come back." Kagutsuchi sighed in embarrassment.

"Hmm?" Tsukuyomi blinked.

The Japanese Moon Goddess finally noticed the same feeling she had felt from before when glancing in Issei's direction, which focused itself in both his left hand, and where he kept Ascalon's sheath.

"Hey, kid? What's with this weird energy you're emitting?" She questioned, looking at him with squinted eyes.

"Uh... what?" Issei wondered.

Amaterasu looked towards Issei, and focused trying to see his energy, widening her eyes slightly as she saw it.

"Ah, I see. You're the wielder of the Red Dragon Emperor's power, which means..." Amaterasu realized.

Touching his left hand, she surprised everyone as she drew Ascalon from it.

"W-what the... h-how did you..." Issei stammered.

"Tell me, do you know the secret of this sword?" Amaterasu inquired.

"Secret?" Issei repeated.

Amaterasu giggled, taking that as a no, but soon turned it to look over it.

"When it was given to Saint George, he needed it to defeat the Malevolent Arms Dragon: Amaru, who is the Dragon from his story. However, what most don't know is he needed more strength than the sword's Dragon Slayer nature to beat him, and he never realized this because the Sekiryuutei of that time had bonded with Ascalon without being aware of what its previous wielder had done." She explained.

"OK, following you so far." He replied.

"There was another sword that I allowed to be temporarily bonded to it for the sake of a power up, but they could never return it before they died. This caused the sword to get trapped within Ascalon when the one Sekiryuutei who bonded it to the Boosted Gear met his unfortunate end. This is that very sword." Amaterasu revealed.

Everyone watched the Shinto Goddess of the sun hold her hand over Ascalon, which made it glow before everyone saw her pull some holy energy out of it. The energy soon morphed into a different blade, surprising everyone as they saw a regal sword that looked like it had traits matching the Shinto trio, made from the finest methods all of Japan had to offer, but had a history that in myths that contradicted such a fact... if you only knew the first bit of the story.

"No way, that sword is... the Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi!" Kunou gasped.

"First, don't you mean the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi? And second... what!?" Saji said in response.

"Oh no, they're not the same sword, but a recreation of it made at a level that mortals could wield it. Because it, the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, and the Totsuka-no-Tsurugi all look similar, most Humans make that error." The Sun Goddess clarified.

She gave Issei the Murakumo, and he looked as he felt the power it had compared to Ascalon, which looked a bit damaged since it had been taken out. He was so busy noticing that he didn't notice Tiamat giving an odd look towards him, and then Amaterasu.

"Wow, uh... thank you." Issei said in gratitude.

"Don't mention it, that sword's chosen you as its partner, so use it well. I'll have Kagutsuchi see if he can fix the Ascalon in the meantime." Amaterasu replied with a smile.

Looking at Kunou, she pet her head once more.

"And don't worry, we'll find your mom, I can at least tell whoever kidnapped her needs her alive and well, so she's unharmed." She promised.

"Thank you, Lady Amaterasu." Kunou replied, tearing up a bit.

Smiling one last time, she walked off with her sister, with both of them dragging their sleeping brother away. Once they were far enough away, she stopped in place, looking to see Tiamat behind her.

"Yes?" She asked.

"Why did you say that to him? The Murakumo doesn't work as you told him, only Gods, Demigods, Buddha, and Half-Gods can safely wield it. Just how do you know Issei can safely wield that blade?" Tiamat questioned.

"I get you're just concerned about the partner of your brother, but don't worry. As for the truth? If you want to know, ask Issei's parents once they return, because I'm not allowed to tell you myself." Amaterasu answered.

The blue dragoness showed surprise at that, wondering what she meant.

'I know Lilith told me they know of the supernatural, but... just what are they hiding?' Tiamat wondered as she watched her walk away once more.

As the Sun Goddess did, she formed a magic circle by her ear.

"I've given him the sword your bloodline was meant to inherit. When you tell the truth is either up to you, or when he it seeks him itself." She alerted Issei's parents.

* * *

Irina was seen getting some good, thinking over what she just saw.

"The Murakumo... to think it was hiding inside of Ascalon all that time, it's quite the surprise." She thought aloud.

"Excuse me."

Irina looked behind her, seeing none other than Artemis behind her.

"Artemis?" Irina replied in surprise.

"Wait, you already know who I... ah, that's right, you serve under Vali." Artemis realized.

Clearing her throat, she held out her hand to the Lucifer Knight.

"Anyways, I'd like you to come with me, I've been told by Lilith that it has something to do with the seven fragments of Excalibur." Artemis requested.

Irina remembered that request of Lilith's.

"Uh... OK then, lead the way." Irina replied.

Artemis lead Irina towards a certain hall area, and then opened a door into another room, one with a pair of Goddesses inside of it.

"Huh?" Irina blinked as she saw them.

"Good luck." Artemis replied.

She quickly closed the door, making Irina's eyes go white as she looked behind her.

'What the heck!?' Irina thought.

"Ah, so this is the Angel that Lilith wants us to help."

Irina turned at the two, seeing a busty pink-haired Goddess standing near a Hearth, and a bald God with dark skin by a blacksmith table.

The Goddess wore a semi-translucent Toga with a reddish tint near the end, and a leaf crown with an Amaryllis placed on each of her ears. While the God had an eye path over his left eye, with wrappings over his right eye and left leg, and a nasty scar running diagonally across his chest between them.

"Are you Hestia and Hephaestus?" Irina realized.

"Yep, that's us!" Hestia winked.

Realizing what they were associated with, and how she brought the seven fragments with her, she finally realized why the Devil Queen asked her to do so in the first place.

"Of course, you're here because Lilith thinks you can merge the Excaliburs back into a single blade!" She smiled.

Hestia snickered at that, while Hephaestus readied his hammer.

"God did make the Holy Swords in the past through secrets he learned by Dwarves earliest ancestors, and a few of them were made with other deities. I'm pretty sure we can fill in enough gaps if you help us out." He replied.

"Wait, you mean it was Dwarven methods that made the Holy Swords?" Irina questioned.

"That's right, and it's the only reason this has any chance of being possible. Only problem is we can't do it without the Holy Light of an Angel to replace the gaps we're trying to fill." Hestia verified.

Irina blinked, but knowing she had little knowledge on how her grandfather made the legendary blade, she had little room to argue.

"Alright, if you think it might work." Irina decided as she took all seven out.

Looking at the seven different blades before her, Hephaestus tapped his cheek in thought, right as Hestia set up the hearth's fire.

"No doubt about it, this won't be easy... but it is doable. Think you'll be able to channel enough power as we do this?" Hephaestus remarked, soon looking at her.

"I'll do what I can." Irina promised.

"We're all set over here!" Hestia alerted her.

Right as she said that, the Greek God of Blacksmithing started to do his work.

"Alright, let's do this!" Hephaestus replied.

Swinging his hammer done, a loud echo sounded seven times, marking a magic symbol on each of the blades for the first step. This caused all of their cores to rose out, and let Hestia collect them all before she grabbed the blades, and melted them into their best materials.

Irina watched as the Goddess of Hearth looked at what they were made of, tapping her tongue on the molten metal for a brief moment.

"Hmm... needs some Mithril and refined ore alloy." She stated.

"Got it." Hephaestus replied.

Taking out said metals, he added it into the mixture, causing them to melt down with the rest of the material already inside of it. Sweating a bit, Hestia carefully mixed it with her hands, making the Angel Knight pale a bit at how easily she was able to touch the burning substance. Eventually, she used her magic to lift it all out, put it into a mold that she soon shaped into the proper form.

"Alright, here goes." The Blacksmith God stated.

Using his hands to solidify the shape into a more semi-solid state, he slammed down his Hammer, but this time with the lightning that Zeus had charged his hammer with, creating sparks as it struck the heated mold. Everything began to bind into a set form, soon leaving a few spots that were empty.

"Now we need some light." He stated.

"OK, here goes." Irina nodded, walking to the blade.

Holding her hand out, she poured all the holy light she could into Excalibur's nearly finished form, which filled those empty gaps with her light. The material's heated form changed into a pale gold color, prompting Hephaestus to strike it one again.

After another few minutes passed, the blade's semi-solid state became fully solid, and he took it over to a barrel of water to let it cool off. Irina coughed at the resulting steam that formed, waving her hand to push it away, before she heard the sound of the new blade being put down.

"Now, time to give it life. Hestia?" The Blacksmith God said.

Hestia nodded her head as she formed a blue flame on her finger tip, running it across the steel of the blade's surface in an instant. The moment she finished tracing it, the sword's initially ash-colored form suddenly flashed before it broke apart, being replaced by a mixture of gold and platinum.

Looking at it, Irina noticed it was like the Fused Excalibur Valper had made, but this one seemed more genuine, more complete due to the missing three swords being included in the fusion, and most of all? This actually looked like a divine sword that could have been made by God, meaning this had to be the genuine article she was looking at... a sight that made her eyes sparkle.

"Is that..." Irina asked, almost breathless with her reply.

"You've got it, this is the True Excalibur." Hephaestus answered.

Irina picked it up, looking at the restored blade.

"Amazing... I didn't think it was possible, but you actually restored Excalibur!" She smiled.

The Knight of Lucifer bowed to the two deities.

"Thank you both, I don't think you can ever repay you for this." Irina bowed to them both.

"Just promise to make your King's dream a reality, because I get the feeling those older Devils sitting with them are people that need to go." Hephaestus requested.

Irina smiled, nodding her head.

"I'll give my all for Vali, for Issei, and for my team! That's a promise!" Irina agreed.

The golden-orange haired Angel soon left the room, heading out to find the rest of her peerage. Hestia smiles and looked at Hephaestus.

"You know, I get the feeling people like her are gonna be just what this world needs in the coming days." Hestia remarked.

"I agree. The times are changing, and we have to change with them... or we'll suffer for our refusal to accept the future we've begun to strive for." Hephaestus agreed.

* * *

Soon enough, the gathering came to an end, with everyone returning home as the sun set in both Hell and the Human World. The residents of the Hyoudou Mansion were all seen relaxing in the living room, especially Lilith.

"Finally, so good to be back home again!" She exclaimed as she slumped down.

"You're starting to sound like an old woman, Lady Lilith." Bennia giggled.

"Technically I already am one. Remember, despite how young my body looks, I'm not that much younger than our two Heavenly Dragons here." Lilith giggled.

Albion and Ddraig laughed alongside her at that.

 **["She ain't wrong!"]** Ddraig agreed.

"Exactly old is that?" Issei wondered.

Lilith blinked, shrugging her arms as she realized she didn't even remember.

"After you live as long as I have, you honestly forget the number. " Lilith admitted.

"I know my mom always mentions she lost count after the five-digit area, so it's at least more than 8000 years prior to the Great War." Yuuma mentioned.

"What Yuuma said, more than 10,000 at least." Lilith agreed.

Fafnir walked in, handing everyone some tea.

"Thank you, Fafnir." Vali smiled.

"Sure thing, now for my nap time." Fafnir replied.

The Gold Dragon curled behind the couch, while Vali looked at everyone.

"So, who do you think will end up in the main tournament?" Vali inquired.

"I'm definitely seeing myself, Rias, Seekvaira, and Sairaorg qualifying, as we were the Rookies 4 that helped begin the generation Lilith named the Rookie Supernovas." Sona answered.

"Wouldn't be surprised if any of the Maou heirs make it in, so that's already 10 spots filled if nothing unexpected happens." Rias replied.

Issei gulped down his tea, and then looked at the two.

"Say, what makes Sairaorg so powerful? You guys mentioned that he's considered the strongest of the Devil Youths, even though Vali and Rias are the only two among you to have been in a Rating Game." He wondered.

"Well, aside from the fact that he has Regulus as seven of his Pawns, and being the Heir to the Bael Clan? There's his sister Venelene you have to consider, as is the Queen no one knows the identity of. However, the biggest reason is he had a similar situation to the Maou Heirs... only it was because he wasn't born with the Power of Destruction." Yumina answered.

Issei's eyes widened.

"That can happen?" He asked.

"It can, and due to what happened with my ex-son, the Elders used that to degrade any pureblooded Devils who never got their Clan Ability at birth. This is why Sairaorg's peerage has strong strength, synergy from being from extinct clans or outcasts, even if not for lacking their Clan Ability, and possibly a few just wanted to join him because they respected him." Lilith explained.

"Damn..." Issei remarked.

Yumina nodded her head, but soon smirked a bit.

"Luckily for him, he managed to shut up most of those people by getting so high up without anything but his pure brute strength, and reclaimed his status as the Bael Heir by nothing aside from his own effort. It was one of the major factors that made the Rookie Supernovas." She snickered.

"Not to mention that Venelene only just joined him, and no one knows he's the Devil that Regulus serves under, so people know him mostly for his other seven peerage members. The fact he's got a full set should only be recent knowledge due to the qualifiers." Lilith replied.

Kuroka nodded her head.

"And don't forget the advantage his Queen has by hiding their identity." The Black Nekoshou added.

The Mother of all Devils went quiet, closing her eyes.

"Wait, do you know who his Queen is, mom?" Vali asked.

"I do, and since I can't just say who it is, I can tell you this much. They're the younger sibling of one of the Rating Game's Top 10, and... a few years back, Kuisha they attacked their sibling over some argument, one only I know the true reason behind, and can't share out of respect. Such an action made a sign of respect turn into one of mockery, as their older sibling made them seem jealous of their achievements after it was done." She explained.

Vali's eyes widened at that, knowing that meant they had to be related to one of the Kings ranked 2nd to 6th, as she at least knew one was a clear jerk, that one being Bedeze Abaddon.

Either way, from what her mother just said? It was clear what happened.

"Let me guess... a situation where they forced Sairaorg's Queen to attack them?" The Lucifer Heiress assumed.

"I can confirm that much, and in the end? They worked it to their favor." Lilith verified.

Sona gave a look of anger similar to her sister, making some of the others freak out.

"What's happening to Sona?" Kunou asked, shaking a bit.

"She takes the Rating Games very seriously, and hearing this kind of thing is something she can't forgive." Rugal answered, sweating a bit.

"It's almost as bad as the time Serafall told her about the _other_ huge problem with the top Rating Game players." Tsubaki recalled.

This caught Issei's attention, though he didn't pry when Lilith put a hand on his shoulder.

"I'll tell you about that some other time. Right now, you need to focus on making sure your team qualifies." Lilith whispered to him.

Right as she said that, a magic circle appeared in the room, which quickly revealed... the Astaroth Crest.

"Oh, come on! Really!?" Issei shouted.

"And I think it's obvious which Astaroth is visiting." Vali replied as she glared at it.

Literally speaking of the Devil, the one who came out of the magic circle was none other than Diodora Astaroth.

"Salutations everyone, how lovely to see you all." Diodora greeted.

Despite his attempt to be friendly, Vali kept her annoyed glare present as she shifted her position, crossing her legs. Lilith cleared her throat, walking to the side as she watched from the sidelines with Tiamat.

"Think this is gonna go well?" The Blue Dragoness whispered.

"Nope." Lilith shook her head.

After a few moments, the Lucifer Heiress sighed before finally replying to the Astaroth Devil.

"So, what do you want?" Vali asked.

Sitting beside her, Asia could be seen shaking a bit, prompting Issei to comfort her by grabbing her hand... leading him to miss the brief look Diodora's eyes shot towards him, being one of the rare occasions he had them opened.

"Shall we proceed to business? I'd like to offer you a Bishop trade." Diodora requested, closing his eyes again.

It didn't take any effort from the entire room to know what he was trying to accomplish. Vali kept the same expression, soon uncrossing her legs as she focused her glare on him more.

"You want to trade for Asia, don't you?" Vali stated bluntly, clearly stating it as a fact, and not a question.

"Am I really that transparent?" Diodora chuckled.

"You sent her three dozen letters, calling yourself transparent is an understatement." Vali replied in a tone telling him he had nothing to laugh over.

Lilith's eyes widened at that, with Tiamat nodding.

Diodora formed two magic circles, showing a girl with long blue hair, and one with blonde hair that had a bow in it. Both of them were wearing the same outfits as well. Strangely enough, when Vali saw them, she noticed they seemed familiar.

"I assure you it's a fair exchange, both are-" Diodora offered.

"Denied." Vali replied instantly.

Asia smiled at that response, especially how quickly she had made it.

"She isn't a retainer to me, because I see her as the little sister I never had, so don't even bother trying to make this offer again, because my answer won't change, is that understood?" Vali warned, closing her eyes.

Everyone soon noticed a familiar aura leaving her body, making it clear what lines Diodora was crossing. The Astaroth Devil didn't seem to react, but then again, Lilith never saw Ajuka show an external reaction when she did it near him.

'Oh yeah, she's pissed off.' Issei thought nervously.

"In fact, trying to use a roster trade as a way to get the girl who turned down your marriage proposal not only proves how little you understand her, but you refuse to respect what she wants. If that's all you have to talk about, then get out of here... now." Vali demanded.

Diodora looked at her with opened eyes and a smirk, closing them as he dispelled his magic circle.

"How very disappointing, but very well. I'll respect your refusal to trade her. However, I won't let that dissuade my efforts." Diodora answered, soon standing up.

He walked to Asia and took her hand to her discomfort.

"Our meeting and reunion were both predestined, I'll never give up. I love you Asia." He declared.

"Diodora, back off from her right now, or-" Vali warned, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Suddenly to everyone's surprise, Diodora swatted Vali's hand off him, and opened his eyes before looking at her, showing actual anger for once. His opened eyes even acted like his own warning.

"Know your place, half-breed. I can't stand being touched by a filthy Dragon like yourself." Diodora said in disgust, covering his mouth after the contact.

Everyone was angry, with Vali's eyes shining with slight tears from the insult, though more shock was present on her face than sadness. Everyone wanted to react, but she held a hand out to stop them.

"Diodora, you shut your mouth right now!" Vali ordered.

"How revolting it must be for Lord Lucifer and Lady Lilith to have such an insult as their child." Diodora ignored, insulting her once again.

Lilith's eyes shrunk slightly as she heard that.

"You little shit! How dare-" Lilith screamed.

She never finished her reaction, being surprised as Vali suddenly struck Diodora in the gut with her fist, smashing him through the wall. That's when everyone could _physically_ see her aura of rage.

It was clear he touched a nerve no one should ever touched.

'Nice one Vali!' Lilith thought victoriously.

Everyone was frozen in fear as they saw Vali walk towards Diodora, grabbed him by his jacket, and then gave him a glare that could cut through his soul if it were a blade.

'Whoa, she's not just angry... she's furious!' Kunou thought, shaking in fear.

"Listen here... if you insult that I'm part Human, I can ignore it. If you insult that I'm the wielder of a Dragon, I'll ignore that as well. I've faced those insults enough times to avoid being set off by them. However, if you insult my family through insulting me? Then that's when you cross the line! So, I'm warning you now, pull that crap again, and I will kill you without hesitation!" Vali screamed.

She stomped the ground for emphasis, making Kunou fall on her butt.

"Is that understood... _Diarrhea_ Astaroth?" Vali questioned.

Everyone gasped, their eyes going white as they heard Vali actually use his name as an insult.

She dropped the Astaroth Devil, who quickly got up and brushed himself off.

"My apologies. I clearly took that last comment too far." Diodora apologized, though it was clearly fake.

Soon she pointed a finger at Vali.

"This isn't over, Hakuryuukou of the Lucifer Clan. We'll pick where we left off in the Rating Game Tournament, and once I defeat you, I hope you'll accept my love... my darling Asia." Diodora declared.

"Oh, there's no way you're beating us!" Issei retorted with an angry look.

With that, Diodora disappeared in a magic circle, and once he had... Vali finally ended up crying. Issei hugged her close, rubbing her back.

"Hey, are you OK?" Issei asked, knowing how bad Diodora's words had really hurt her.

"No, I'm not... Rizevim always called me a half-breed, so hearing that felt like being stabbed by a knife!" Vali cried into his shoulder.

Lilith's aura was seen flaring up, clearly showing how much she wanted to murder the Astaroth Devil right now. Tiamat even swore she saw some of the furniture shaking like wind-up toys.

"Oh, I am so going to let Ajuka know about this!" Lilith mumbled darkly.

"I haven't seen her this angry since she knocked Lord Hades into the River Styx..." Bennia remarked, sweating a bit.

Thinking of a way to try and distract Tiamat, she saw something leave the Mother of all Devils' pocket, and picked it up. Showing some surprise at the sight, she held it front of Lilith, who immediately dispelled her aura upon seeing it.

"Hey Issei, maybe you should to your room with Vali and call it a night. She needs you right now." Lilith suggested.

He nodded his head, and picked Vali up before carrying her to his room.

"OK, they're gone now, so listen up." Lilith stated.

"Why?" Bikou asked, noticing the sudden change in the Devil Queen's mood.

"Anyone know what tomorrow is?" She asked.

Everyone was confused, until a loud gasp escaped Irina's mouth, realizing exactly what Lilith was talking about before she whispered it to everyone. Their eyes all widened once they heard what it was.

That night, neither Issei or Vali would know what awaited them in the morning.

* * *

**Hmm... looks like something's being set up for tomorrow, but the question is what? More than that, just how can it relate to both Issei and Vali in the first place? Either way, the Tournament's qualifiers have been revealed, and it won't be long until we see the 16 peerages that qualify. I chose an obstacle course because it seemed like the best way for around 256 peerages to properly qualify for the tournament.**

**Quite the surprise I pulled with Ascalon having the Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi inside of it for all this time, and Amaterasu being connected to Issei in some manner through his parents, much less being good friends with them based on how easily she was able to contact them. Doesn't seem like any of her siblings know anything, or at the very least... if they do, they seem to be missing something.**

**Now that this has come up? It's time I confirm the Shinto Pantheon will be very important in this story, and the Hindu Pantheon is no different (though they'll need a little longer since they haven't joined the Alliance just yet), since I really like some of the Gods in Japanese mythology. In fact, Tsukuyomi and Susanoo share the spot of 11th Strongest Being, while Kagutsuchi is the 15th.**

**Oh, here's something I should bring up, as some of you might ask due to how often she's been unable to help Issei out in the last few arcs. Will Tiamat and Fafnir be excluded from the tournament because of how strong they? Unfortunately, the answer is yes, as they're just too powerful. That being said, when Diodora brings the Khaos Brigade into Hell, you'll finally see them both join the battle, and they'll be at full strength :)**

**Irina's also been given the True Excalibur, taking the role from Xenovia, who I have a different plan for. What I can say is she's not getting Ascalon as her second sword, as I have a different person in mind to inherit it, one that I can't reveal without giving away something that will be revealed in the Season 3 finale. Either way, Kagutsuchi still needs to find and repair the damage it took from Murakumo's separation.**

**Diodora also put his foot into his mouth, I mean... really? To insult the Queen of all Devils not just to her adoptive daughter, but to her while said Devil Queen is literally only feet away? That was as smart as taunting Issei in canon, which is why I wrote this scene in. Unfortunately, despite her attempts to appear as such, his words still left a huge blow on Vali because of how cruel he made them sound.**

**Anyways, the next chapter is... a complete secret! *giggles* Sorry, but I can't tell you what it is at all, or I'll give away what I'm trying to do with it. You'll just have to wait for it to happen, though when you see it come out, you'll release exactly why I did. That being said, there is a single clue from previous chapters for what I'm planning, so you might be able to figure it out if you've been paying enough attention.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

**A/N: The Murakumo looks like Ex-Durandal, but with the blue areas being red. The Kusanagi and Totsuka (when they appear) will look the same, having those same areas be blue and white respectively.**

**A/N 2: Just as a reminder (due to what Lilith said about her age), like the Dragons of DxD, all the supernatural races don't die until they get killed, so age is truly just a number to them.**

* * *

** Shuriliu's Peerage ** **:**

**King - Shuriliu Asmodeus**   
**Queen - Lureshi Asmoday**   
**Bishops - Coriana Andrealphus (x2)**   
**Knights - Liban Crocell, Kiryuu Agrat**   
**Rooks - Resilix Cimerius, Yemini Seere**   
**Pawns - Tifrixan Shax (x4), Jeevuni Decarabia (x4)**

** Additional Notes ** **:  
~ Lureshi has a Sacred Gear  
~ Yemini is a Demon/Devil hybrid  
~ Resilix has a Sacred Gear  
~ Shuriliu's entire peerage is her harem, and she plans to marry all of them in the future, with Coriana the one she's chosen to be her first/main wife**

** Special Note ** **:  
~ Coriana was added to Shuriliu's peerage because of her Rating Game battle with Issei in canon, while Liban was added to it because his Sacred Gear requires the use of his eyes, just like the "Perfect Vision" ability**

* * *

** Leelexe's Peerage ** **:**

**King - Leelexe Belphegor**   
**Queen - Illini Bifrons (Mutation Piece: x2 Multiplier)**   
**Bishops - Suzuki Slipps (x2)**   
**Knights - Hyria Halphas, Myria Malphas**   
**Rooks - Gandoma Balam (x2)**   
**Pawns - Zelarei Alastor (x8)**

** Additional Notes ** **:  
~ Illini has a Sacred Gear  
~ Suzuki is a Lamia**

** Special Note ** **:  
~ Gandoma was added to Leelexe's peerage because he's slow and doesn't talk much, but is very strong and has great durability, which somewhat fits with the sin of Sloth**

* * *

** Bust Size of New Female Characters ** **:**

**Amaterasu - 107 cm**

**Hestia - 101 cm**

* * *

** Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter ** **:**

**【** **Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi** **】** **  
Often called the Murakumo for short, and a powerful Holy Sword that's known as the "Japanese Excalibur", being forged from Adamantium that was refined to its peak condition. The power of this sword is so intense that only those who are Gods, Demigods, Buddha, or Half-Gods can safely wield its power. It was created by God as an exchange for some of Amaterasu's flames, which he used to create his Blazing Dawn ability.**

**This sword's origins have it and the Kusanagi mistaken as the same blade, when the latter is just the equivalent made from materials in Orochi's tail, making a version of the blade that mortals could safely handle. For the sword's actual abilities, further proof to its title as the "Japanese Excalibur" is that it also has seven powers in one sword, just like Excalibur does.**

**The first is that it's both a Dragon Slayer _and_ a God Slayer, the second is that it can cancel/cut through/negate any of the three primordial energies, the third is power over weather, the fourth is self-empowerment, the fifth is it can split until multiple blades similar to Orochi, the sixth is the power to manipulate steel, and the seventh is to take force of any kind and use it to heal its wielder.**

* * *

** Pairings List ** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating  
Ddraig/Albion - Married  
Tiamat/Fafnir - Married  
Ophis/Great Red - Married  
Saji/Sona - Saji is serious about making Sona's dream a reality, while Sona realizes she might have fallen for Saji  
Gasper/Valerie - Sorta Dating  
Kiba/Tosca - Friends  
Hina/Nanami - Dating  
Shuriliu/Coriana - Dating, and is Shuriliu's main love interest  
Shuriliu/Peerage - Dating**


	26. Chapter 26

**Hey everyone, I apologize again over how my updates have been off ever since my Grandma's death. Good news is that nothing church related is giving me the shudders anymore, so I've regained my DxD mojo! Best of all, the fact I got it back at the perfect time! *smiles* Why you might ask? Well... today, or June 1st to anyone who reads this chapter after the day passes... is my birthday! *blows a noise maker***

**Before anything else, no one bother asking me how old I am, because you never ask a girl her age. All I'll say is I'm my early teen years, or is it early-mid teen years now? *shrugs* Meh, who cares about those details when it's reading this new chapter that matters to all of you. Anyways, it's my birthday and that's got me in the perfect position to type a chapter due to my sugar rush!**

**In fact, today being my birthday is exactly why I couldn't tell you what this chapter would be about, because... it's also Issei and Vali's birthday in-story! Back in Chapter 11, you found out they had been born on the same day, and since Issei's canon birthday would be right near the start of the story (April 16th), he and Vali were born on the latter's canon birthday. (June 6th)**

**To sum it up? This entire chapter is basically a breather before the qualifiers, and is almost entirely focused on Issei and Vali spending the day together. Although, you will see a few other romances get some development, since I want to take advantage of this being a breather chapter, and I have no idea when I'll get myself in a position for another one. Either way, today's chapter celebrates both my real birthday and their in-story birthday!**

**Now, without further ado... *hits a gong* let's get this chapter started!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

 **[]** \- Ddraig Talking

 **«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

 **「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

 **【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

 **⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

** Blazing Dawn **

**God's counterpart to Lucifer's Primal Abyss, being the true power within the Holy Light and the source of his strength, but evolved by powerful and ethereal flames. Where the Ethereal Twilight was formed by merging Holy Light with Sacred Darkness, the Blazing Dawn was created when he merged the Holy Light with the flames of Amaterasu, which he gained in exchange for making her the Murakumo.**

**Altering its structure to give it a holy nature, he made something beyond mere flames or light that rivaled the Ethereal Twilight in power, and the moment it was created? Things truly became tense between Heaven and Hell, which many believe was the starting point of the Great War, due to how he tried to fight with Lucifer at nearly every opportunity he was presented.**

**Like the Primal Abyss, it's a mixture of various powers in one, and has the same destructive force behind it. However, the primary advantage it has over its counterpart is the ability to create objects made of light, being an extension on the ability to form light weapons. It can also cleanse people of impurities or illnesses, with mastery over this power said to have the potential to heal disabilities, or destroy an incurable disease.**

**In the present, the ability has somehow been inherited by Issei Hyoudou, to the complete shock and confusion of nearly everyone, especially the Angels, since the death of Jesus meant there was no one with God's heritage to receive. If there's any people who do it, the Shinto trio and Issei's parents may hold the answer. If not, then how Issei has this power may hint to something even bigger.**

**Regardless of why Issei even has it, wielding it alongside Vali's Ethereal Twilight means these two powers are no longer enemies, but allies.**

* * *

**_ Season 3, Diodora Arc: Chapter 3 - Dragon Birthday Bash _ **

A familiar alarm could be heard going off as Issei tried to reach for it, groaning as he did. Eventually turning it off, he opened his eyes to look at Vali, who did the same at the same time.

"Good morning." He smiled.

"Same to you." She smiled back.

Both of them soon got out of bed, and headed to their respective gender's bathrooms. However, they noticed while light was coming in from outside, they couldn't turn the lights on, yet they clearly had power and running water.

"Hmm?" Issei scratched his head while brushing his teeth.

"That's weird..." Vali remarked, walking into the shower.

After both took care of everything in the bathrooms, they met in the hallway with a confused look on their faces.

"The power's definitely still working, but I can't turn the lights on." Issei mentioned.

"Me either, did something happen to the lighting wires?" Vali replied, looking confused.

Right at that moment, they both got texts.

**_From Asia:_ **   
**_"Meet us downstairs, the lights should be back on at any moment."_ **

Issei raised an eye at that.

"Do you feel like something's off right now?" He asked his girlfriend.

"I have no idea." She replied.

Not having anything better to do, the duo headed downstairs, and once they reached the end of the stairs...

*POP*

*POP*

The lights suddenly flashed on, and the two briefly closed their eyes from the unexpected exposure their eyes received. When they finally opened them, they got a surprise.

"SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Everyone shouted.

"Birthday... hey, wait a second!" Issei gasped, grabbing his phone.

Looking at the date, he saw it was June 6th, the very day both he and Vali had been born on! He showed the Hakuryuukou, making her gasp as she noticed.

"We were so busy yesterday, I forgot it had been the 5th! You guys turned the lights off on purpose to surprise us... didn't you?" Vali exclaimed.

Asia giggled a bit.

"Did we surprise you?" Lilith asked, smiling with closed eyes.

"Yeah, we didn't suspect a thing." Vali giggled, feeling stupid.

Right at that moment, everyone noticed Issei's voice whimpering a bit, right as he revealed he was crying a bit.

"Hey, are you OK?" Kelsey asked, looking worried.

"I'm fine, it's just... I've never celebrated my birthday with anyone other than Irina, Vali, and/or my parents. Thank you everyone!" Issei sniffled, rubbing his eyes.

"Come on everyone, let's make sure Issei experiences a birthday with friends!" Irina smiled.

Vali smiled at that before looking at the Sekiryuutei.

'I keep forgetting, you didn't just save me... good thing I already have a good idea for a birthday present.' The Lucifer Heiress thought.

* * *

Ingvild was seen screaming as she ran through Kuoh Town, trying to figure out where the Hyoudou Mansion was, with the other Maou Heirs struggling to keep up with her.

"Come on you guys, we are not missing Vali's birthday!" She shouted, looking at them.

"Will you calm down? Lilith said they only just woke up!" Leelexe panted, feeling the summer heat pouring down on her skin.

Shuriliu looked around with her eyes, and then stopped as she caught it.

"Left turn, this way!" She shouted.

Ingvild backtracked, grabbing onto Leelexe before the others followed.

"Never thought I'd see anyone so serious about making it to a birthday party that isn't their own." Aariliyn chuckled.

"I'm serious about having some Cake, have you tasted Lilith's chocolate pandemonium surprise?" Niruili replied, blushing at the thought of having some.

The Mammon Heiress rolled her eyes playfully, and the five Heiresses soon arrived by the door, with Ingvild ringing the doorbell like crazy.

"Door's open!" Lilith answered.

Opening the door, the five came in, right as they saw Issei and Vali blow out their candles. The Lucifer Heiress soon noticed her fellow Maou Heirs in the house.

"Hey, you guys actually made it!" Vali waved.

"I'm betting Niruili's only here for the cake." Yumina joked.

The Beelzebub Heiress puffed her cheeks at that, making the Lucifuge Heiress chuckle a bit.

"Relax Niruili, you can have the second slice." Vali promised.

She smiled at that.

"So, how's it feel to be 17 now?" Aariliyn asked.

"I dunno, haven't really compared it yet. Though to be fair, considering how your sweet 16 went, who can?" She replied with a chuckle.

"Yeah, not sure how you can beat having a party on a yacht." The Devil Queen agreed.

Aariliyn blushed as everyone suddenly looked at her, and quickly turned away to give the "suspicious denial" whistle.

"You know, here's something I just considered." Issei realized.

"What's that?" Vali asked.

"This is kind of embarrassing, but... how many dates have we had since we got together?" He asked.

Silence suddenly filled the room, with Vali's eyes freezing up.

"We... haven't gone on even one." The Lucifer Heiress realized to her horror.

"That's a pretty big goof to make." Leelexe remarked.

"Mhmm." Niruili nodded, unable to speak due to eating her slice of cake.

Lilith giggled a bit.

"Well, if you haven't been on a date, then why not do that today? You've got the perfect excuse to go on one after all." She suggested.

"Huh... yeah, that's not a bad idea. Guess that'll be my birthday gift." Issei smiled.

Vali blinked, followed by a small laugh.

"We technically didn't buy each other a gift because we forgot what yesterday's date was, so I guess that's good enough for me." She replied, agreeing to the date.

Standing up, Issei headed to his room.

"Meet me by the gates to Akeno's shrine!" He shouted, preparing to get dressed.

"OK!" She replied.

She quickly looked at Niruili, a bunch of sweat on her face.

"Quick, help me pick a good date outfit!" She begged.

"Eh?" Shuriliu blinked in confusion.

* * *

Issei was seen waiting by the gates to the shrine that Akeno used to live at, His current attire consisting of a gray shirt, a red jacket, and blue jeans with a black belt holding them up. He checked his phone for the time, wondering when Vali would arrive.

"Wonder why she's taking so long?" He wondered aloud.

 **[Has to be the outfit. If there's one thing Albion's told me that she learned from all her hosts, it's that they always focus on their clothes because their figures make all the difference.]** Ddraig replied.

"She ever been that way?" Issei asked.

Ddraig chuckled as he was asked that, recalling the first time his wife tried to be seductive in their first attempt to have a child.

 **[I'll tell you later so Albion doesn't hear me by accident.]** He promised.

Issei's cheeks swelled, already expecting a fun story from how Ddraig responded.

"Sorry for the wait!"

Hearing his girlfriend's voice, Issei turned to see Vali as she walked into view, and he soon found himself unable to project his voice.

Vali was wearing a light blue dress shirt with a few black star designs on the sides, with enlarged stars on the chest area. There were black shorts under the dress with a single vertical white stripe on each side, a pair of black boots on her feet, a string necklace with a white crystal charm hanging from it, and a light blue cap on her head.

"Whoa..." Issei whispered.

 **[10 out of 10!]** Ddraig exclaimed, rating her outfit.

Vali blushed a bit, feeling bashful now that Issei was seeing her wear her outfit, and worried that he might not like it.

"Is my outfit OK?" She asked nervously.

"Of course, you look awesome! No, sexy! No, really cute! No... aw man, I don't even know the right word to describe how unbelievable you look in it!" Issei answered.

The silver-haired Devil blushed before she briefly turned away, though Issei saw the warm smile she made from his compliment, making him happy.

'She looks so beautiful with that smile.' Issei thought.

"You ready to go have some fun?" He asked.

Vali soon took Issei's hand.

"Yeah, I just hope I do this right." She replied, blushing a bit.

* * *

To start off their date, Issei took Vali to Kuoh Park, and the two enjoyed a nice walk through the lush greenery. As they continued their stroll, a Butterfly ended up flying by them, soon settling itself on Vali's nose.

"Oh my." Vali blushed.

"Here, hold still for a moment." Issei whispered.

Vali blushed more as Issei slowly moved his finger to her nose, letting the Butterfly walk onto it.

"Here, hold out your hands." Issei requested.

"OK." Vali agreed.

She held out her open palms and Issei lowered his finger, causing the butterfly to walk onto them.

Vali looked at it closely, and the butterfly looked back, feeling a strange feeling as she saw it. A minute after holding it, the butterfly flew off into the sky, leaving the Lucifer Heiress to give a happy smile towards the small creature.

"You know what I like about butterflies?" Issei suddenly asked.

"Hmm?" Vali looked at him.

"They start off as caterpillars, creatures that are weak, defenseless, and possibly ugly to the eyes of certain beholders. Yet eventually, they form a cocoon or chrysalis to transform themselves into something beautiful. I guess what I'm saying is... they remind me of you." Issei replied, blushing as he admitted the last part.

Vali let out a small gasp, blushing brightly at what he said.

She kept blushing as she smiled, taking Issei's hand in her own, and making him blush the same way.

"Thank you." She whispered, happy tears in her eye.

From a distance, the sight of Gasper and Valerie could be seen, both of them getting misty eyed at the heartwarming sight between them.

"Every time I see those two show their love, I can tell how perfect they are for one another." Valerie sniffled.

"Issei's a real man, and Vali's a real woman!" Gasper agreed, blowing his nose on a leaf.

Right at that moment, the two felt an awkward silence form between them, and suddenly blushed towards one another.

"Uh, you know... we've confessed, but... where do we stand right now?" Gasper asked.

Valerie blushed a bit, and immediately grabbed his hand, making the male Dhampir blush even more than he already was.

"How about... we make it official, and go get some ice cream?" She suggested.

"Uh... y-yeah, OK." Gasper replied, blushing a bit more.

Valerie soon dragged him off, leaving the twin Dragons unaware of the new Dhampir couple had been watching them in the first place.

* * *

In a different area of Kuoh Town, the sight of Saji and Sona walking around could be seen.

'I'm actually alone with Sona, holy shit! Why is now that I can't find any words to say!?' Saji thought, sweating nervously as he tried looking at the Sitri Heiress.

"Look at that, isn't it wonderful?" She smiled, looking at a certain place.

Suddenly pausing from his mental panic, the host of Vritra turned his gaze to where she was looking, seeing a Kindergarten Class from Kuoh Academy on a field trip, with their teacher all showing them something.

"Uh... help me out." Saji admitted, not understanding what she was seeing.

The Heiress of Sitri giggled at that, looking at her Pawn.

"Most people often think that a field trip is just a break from school while still attending it. However, that's not the case in my eyes." Sona explained.

"Really? Then what do you think it is?" Saji asked.

"To learn things you can't learn in a school, or to view it at another angle, learning from a perspective that isn't within a certain area."

"Eh... I still don't think I'm getting it." Vritra's host admitted, an apologetic tone to his voice.

Sona giggled a bit, looking at him.

"Then maybe I should share how I got this view in the first place. It all started back when I was 5, and woke up with a cold while my parents were out on business, forcing my sister to take the day off." She replied.

Closing her eyes, recalled the old memory.

* * *

_A young Sona was seen resting in her bed, her hair lacking its twin tails and a wet cloth on her forehead. Opening the door, Serafall came in, carrying a bowl of mashed apples with some chewable medicine._

_"Open wide." Serafall said, taking a spoonful of the apples._

_"Ah." Sona complied._

_Putting the spoon in her mouth, she ate the spoonful she was given, unaware the medicine was slipped into it._

_"Let's see..." Serafall whispered, moving the cloth for a moment._

_Feeling her sister's forehead, she noticed her previous fever wasn't was bad as it used to be._

_"I think you just need to keep resting until tomorrow, and you should be as good as new." She smiled._

_"Aww... but it's so boring in here, and there's nothing to do." Sona pouted._

_The Great Devil holding the Asmodeus name tried to think of something, and took a moment to think... then snapped her fingers as she got an idea._

_"Come on, time for piggyback." Serafall said, motioning herself for one._

_"Huh?" Sona blinked._

_"As long as you hold on to me, there'll be nothing for you to worry about." She smiled, patting her side._

_Unsure of what her sister was doing, but knowing her unique habits well, she climbed onto Serafall's back. Right at that moment, the Great Devil sprouted her wings, and immediately flew outside._

_"W-wait, big sis!?" Sona shouted, panicked tears leaving her eyes._

_She quickly screamed as they went high into the skies, making a few Devils stare as they flew overhead. Two of which were Shuriliu and Kiryuu._

_"Was that Lady Serafall?" Shuriliu asked._

_"Yeah, but why is she screaming?" Kiryuu wondered, failing to notice Sona on her back._

_After flying for a bit, the Great Devil stopped by a certain location._

_"OK, you can look now." Serafall reassured her sister._

_Sona slowly opened her eyes, and gasped as she saw the location of Agreas, which made her eyes widen. However, what made the sight so grand was the fact she was seeing it from a distance into the sky, letting her see everything at once._

_"Whoa..." She breathed._

_"Tell me something Sona, when you're at school, do you ever hear a place like Agreas described the way you're seeing it right now." Serafall asked._

_"No, this isn't anything like that." Sona admitted._

_"And that's because there are some things you just can't teach in a school. Probably the best reason field trips exist. You can examine a bug, though only outside can you see how a bug lives, just like how you can learn from anything, if you want to that is." Serafall smiled._

_The Sitri Heiress looked confused._

_"Let me ask you this Sona, do you think the Low-Class Devils are truly worth so little that we shouldn't consider what they could be? Are those who say they won't ever have the strength or dark power to help our kind truly right about it?" Serafall asked hypothetically._

_Sona was surprised by that question, and wondered why she was asked that... until she really got herself thinking._

_Why did they not get a chance? It seemed like only Ultimate and High-Class Devils were allowed to do anything, with Mid-Class Devils possibly getting it depending on certain circumstances._

_Lucifer's primary reason for making Hell was to make a land of freedom... so why did many get restricted by birth alone?_

_"I think you've noticed it?" Serafall realized._

_"Yeah, it doesn't make sense. Why are we limiting so many? That's not what Lucifer wants, and... the Rating Games are supposed to be a form of entertainment, yet we only let certain people have peerages that limit how many Devils we reincarnate?" Sona confirmed._

_"There's a lot about the Rating Game you don't know, but... I can't tell you that myself. That's something I have to bring you to Lady Lilith for. Despite that, now that you know about this, what will you do?" She asked._

_After a moment, Sona decided just that._

* * *

Hearing the full extent of the story's weight hit on his mind, Saji took a deep breath before he finally continued.

"Wow... I think I finally understand what you mean." He replied.

"And that's why it's my dream to make a school for those lower classed Devils. I know the Elders hate my dream, and they'll try to stop it with all their might, but... I refuse to let them stop them. Even if I fail, there's still Vali, and everyone else to stand in their way." Sona replied.

Saji smiled at that, nodding his head.

"Yeah, we'll show those bastards they picked on the wrong Devils." Saji agreed.

Sona giggled before looking at him.

"Tell me, would you be willing to teach at my school?" She asked.

"Why not?" Saji agreed.

"I bet you just want to teach girls' gym though." Sona teased.

He blushed at that, making her laugh a bit.

"I... I do not!" He blushed, looking away.

"Relax, I'm just teasing you." She replied, smiling a bit.

The Pawn of Sitri sighed at that, shaking his head with a slightly chuckle... right before he felt Sona turn his face towards her.

"More than anything... I want you by my side through it all." She whispered, soon closing her eyes.

Before Saji could properly react... he felt her kiss him.

 **«I did _not_ see that coming...»** Vritra replied, showing genuine shock at what just happened.

"Y-you just... k-k-k..." Saji stuttered, his face going red.

"Back in Alfheim, those words you said... I don't think I'll ever forget them. When you said that, I remembered why I formed that dream, and finally stopped running away. As such, you're the one I want to trust my heart to." Sona admitted, blushing a bit.

Looking at him for a bit, she soon noticed he wasn't responding... or moving.

"Uh... Saji, are you OK?" She asked.

Waving her hands over her eyes, she looked towards his hands.

 **«"It looks like my host passed out."»** Vritra realized, a sweat drop on his face.

"Oh my..." Sona chuckled awkwardly.

Making sure no one was looking, she sprayed water on his face, making him gasp as he came back to reality.

"Sorry, maybe that was too out of left field." The Sitri Heiress apologized.

"N-no, it's OK! I just... it was such a shock that I thought that I might be dreaming, because... how could I react when my dream girl basically all but said she's in love with me?" He replied, waving his hands as he blushed.

Sona's cheeks went rosy at that, looking away for a moment.

"You... really mean that?" She asked, struggling to make eye contact with Vritra's host.

"I do, that's something I can say without a doubt." Saji smiled.

Still blushing, her mouth moved into a smile as she took his hand in hers, making him blush as well.

"Although, there is something I think you need to consider... which is how Ruruko and Momo feel about you." The Sitri Heiress replied, looking at him.

He briefly blinked.

"Wait, they like me?" Saji asked.

Sona paused for a moment, blinking as she took a minute to register that her Pawn, and now her new boyfriend, had no idea that either of the two had romantic feelings for him.

"Is this what they mean by ignorance is bliss, or how the first to fall in love always loses?" She asked aloud.

"Uh..." Saji replied awkwardly.

Vritra groaned as his partner's reaction, and would have face palmed if he had any arms or claws to do so.

"Well, even if I did... I'm dating you now, right?" He questioned.

"And I'm permitting you to allow more than one girl, as long as I stay your number one." Sona replied, granting her permission.

"But... you're set to be the next Sitri Heiress, right? Is that even allowed?" He asked.

"Rias' father has a harem." Sona answered.

Hearing that, Saji's eyes widened in disbelief, with Heiress of Sitri nodding her head.

"His wife is the one that even manages it. Look, I'm not saying you have to, but... consider their feelings at the very least. I think they felt they had to give up because of me, and unlike Irina was with Issei... they're likely hiding it the fact." She explained.

Saji took a moment to think, and then...

"Alright, I'll consider it... if you give me another kiss." Saji replied.

"Greedy little Dragon." Sona teased.

The two hugged each other as they shared a kiss, with Rias looking from a distance as she tightened her fist.

"No more doubting myself, I'm going to tell her." She decided.

And with that, the Gremory Heiress went to find a certain member of her peerage. She went to find her Queen... Akeno Himejima.

* * *

Vali looked in awe at all the fish she saw inside an aquarium.

"I was worried that a trip to the aquarium might be too simple after everything we've seen, so I'm glad that you're enjoying this." Issei remarked.

"It might sound cheesy, but... sometimes the simplest of things can be the best gifts of all, in fact, you could say everything starts from it." Vali smiled.

As she turned back to the glass, the sight of a Great White Shark appeared before her, making the Lucifer Heiress scream as she grabbed her boyfriend's arm. Issei blushed as her massive bosom pressed into him, continuing to do so until the predatory fish left their view.

"You've seen Dragons, Golems, and even a Stray Devil's monstrous form... and yet a shark of all things manages to scare you?" Issei joked.

"How can anyone be brave when something like that jumps out at you without warning!?" Vali replied, genuinely terrified.

Recalling the kind of things that Rizevim likely did to her, Issei's eyes suddenly widened as he realized the problem. It wasn't the shark... it was the fact it had come while she was completely unguarded.

Now feeling bad about his reply, he shifted her arm grab into a close hug, making her blush as Issei's body tightly held her.

"Don't worry, if anything else tries to scare you, then it has to deal with me." He promised her.

Feeling a sense of safety and comfort in his embrace, the Hakuryuukou relaxed into the Sekiryuutei's arms, closing her eyes as she gave a comforting smile. The same shark soon showed up again, making Issei turn at it with a fierce glare.

' **Back off... now!** ' His eyes warned.

The Shark began to sweat at the fierce gaze Issei emitted via Ddraig's power, and quickly swam away to the surprise of other guests, leaving the Queen of Lucifer to flash a toothy grin.

* * *

In another part of town, the sight of Kiba and Tosca walking together was seen, right as the latter noticed the arcade building.

"Kiba, is this one of those arcade places?" She asked.

"That's right, you've never actually been to one, have you?" Kiba realized.

With sparkling eyes, she looked at the Knight of Gremory, making him give an awkward chuckle as he realized what she was silently asking him for. The moment he pulled out his wallet, she smiled.

"Yes!" She cheered.

The Gremory Archer ran inside, making him sigh a bit as he kept smiling.

'Looks like she's about to kill my wallet funds.' Kiba thought.

Upon going inside, Tosca started with a driving game... only to constantly crash and lose.

"Stupid drivers, read an owner's manual!" She shouted.

"You realize you haven't learned to drive or gotten a license yourself, right?" Kiba inquired.

Tosca immediately went silent, looking around until she found a dancing game.

"Oh, what's that anything but this driving game over there? Sure I'll play you!" Tosca replied, completely evading his question.

Shaking his head, he walked over to see Tosca immediately start killing the dancing game, eventually claiming the high score.

Following that, she noticed a fighting game.

"Say, what game is that?" Tosca asked, pointing at it.

"That's the original Hyper Road Fighter, a game that I've seen Shirone play on occasion. You basically pick a fictional character to fight another fictional character someone else picks, and then see who can-" Kiba explained.

"I challenge you to virtual combat!" Tosca declared.

Hearing that, Kiba blinked a few times before he found himself forced to play... and get thoroughly decimated.

"Wow, you're really bad at this!" Tosca playfully laughed.

"This isn't exactly something I do often." He admitted.

After the fighting game, Tosca pulled him into a photo booth for a few selfies, which he surprisingly went along with.

"Is there anything else in here?" Tosca wondered, looking around.

Looking around, she suddenly gasped at the sight of a balloon game in the one corner, and immediately rushed for this. The stand person noticed their excited customer and chuckled.

"Hey there, you interested in playing?" He asked.

"Yes!" She exclaimed.

"Alright then, you get three shots, and the number of balloons you pop determines the shelf of prizes you can choose from." The stand person explained.

Kiba soon paid, finally emptying his wallet out as Tosca readied the darts in her hand.

"Hmm? Is that really how you're gonna toss them?" He asked.

"Is it not allowed?" Tosca replied.

"No, just making sure that your sure about it." The stand person replied.

Moving to the side, Tosca readied herself before hitting her hand, launching the three darts to hit three balloons simultaneously.

"Whoa! That's three, so pick anything you'd like." The stand person chuckled, surprised by her aim.

Tosca picked her prized, and then held it to Kiba.

"Here, for being so willing to shave your wallet clean." She smiled.

"He smiled at that, taking it.

* * *

Akeno was seen the bath area of the Hyoudou Mansion, soaking in the waters as she gave a relaxing smile. Her eyes opened as she heard a knock on the door.

"It's me, I'm coming in." Rias announced.

"Go ahead." Akeno replied.

Walking inside with her hair tied up, Rias had a towel wrapped around her before she took it off and joined her Queen, happily sighing at the feeling of the warm water against her skin.

"I don't think we've done this since we were young." Akeno giggled, remembering old times.

Rias did the same, though quickly stopped.

"Hmm? Rias, is something bothering you?" Akeno asked, looking slightly worried at her best friend's brief laughter.

"Akeno, can I ask you something?" Rias asked, looking to the side.

"What is it?" The Gremory Queen inquired.

Taking a deep breath, the Gremory Heiress looked at her, deciding it was now or never for her to do this. She would finally tell Akeno how she truly felt about her.

"Have you... ever felt like you found the one?" She asked.

"You mean like your soulmate? Well, to be honest... I'm not sure how to answer that." Akeno confessed, trying to hide a blush.

She actually _did_ know how that felt, but to answer that would be... wait. Akeno briefly froze as she noticed only Rias and herself were in the room, and with how Rias acted earlier, the sudden timing of the question suddenly made a possibly wonderful thought enter her mind.

Could Rias actually be implying what she thought she was?

"I think that's something I've felt, but until now... I've never had the courage to tell them how I felt. However, after seeing Vali find love with Issei, and just seeing Sona start a relationship with Saji before I came back..." Rias replied.

'Wait, so she actually began dating Saji!?' Akeno thought in slight surprise.

"Seeing that, I feel that I need to say how I feel now, or risk losing the chance forever and regretting that I never took it." Rias stated, turning towards her.

At that moment, Akeno turned around... right as Rias moved forward, and captured her lips with her own. Akeno's eyes slightly focused on this, feeling Rias refusing to stop there, and already force a make out session with her.

Feeling the blush on her face, she immediately felt happiness warm her up before she started returning the redheaded Devil's kisses, getting Rias to open her eyes as she noticed.

'She's... actually kissing me back!' Rias realized, unable to belief her eyes as she felt the chocolate taste that Akeno's kisses seemed to have.

Eventually, the two needed to breathe again, and they separated from one another. Rias stared as Akeno gave her a sexy looking smile, pointing on her nose in a way that just seemed to leave her powerless, the very thing that had made her fall for the daughter of Baraqiel.

It seemed that this time, Rias was getting a marriage contract that she'd actually want, though she wondered how everyone would react once she told them.

* * *

The scene returned to Issei and Vali, where the former brought the latter some ice cream, soon seating himself on the bench she was sitting on. The Hakuryuukou's cone was a vanilla and chocolate swirl, while he enjoyed strawberry as his sole flavor.

Before long, the sun began to set on the day, and their date, with the two sitting by the park fountain.

"You know, it seems a bit interesting that chose to end the date here. Is there some hidden meaning to it?" Vali asked.

Issei chuckled.

"The mean's definitely not a hidden one. If anything, it's a look to that fateful day and now." Issei answered.

"Wait, you don't mean..." Vali gasped as she realized it.

Issei chuckled.

"Yep, I do." He answered.

The day he went on a date with Yuuma, got killed by Raynare, and was then reincarnated as Vali's Queen. The very things that all came together to form his introduction into the Supernatural World.

As he finished thinking back on that day, he chuckled a bit, soon turning to Vali.

"Sometimes I wonder... if that didn't happen, what would have changed? Would we still have become a couple? Could I have ever awakened Ddraig's power?" He wondered aloud.

Vali smiled a bit, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"I guess no one ever knows what could have been, and that's why it's important that we keep moving forward." Vali answered.

"Yeah, and that's why I'm going to make this vow to you." Issei replied.

Vali looked as Issei put a hand over hers, and tightened it close as he took a deep breath.

"Vali... no matter what happens, I will make sure your dream becomes a reality. We _will_ win the finals, and we _will_ change Hell for the better, no matter if the Elders or anyone else that wants your dreams to die stands against us." He promised.

"Issei..." Vali breathed, blushing brightly.

She closed her eyes, shedding happy tears as she gave a warm smile, prompting Issei to relax his position to match her own.

"Can we stay like this, just a little longer?" Vali asked.

"Yeah, of course we can." Issei replied.

* * *

Back with Kiba and Tosca, the duo was walking around, enjoying some Popsicle as they did.

"I was worried how these might taste since they were free, but they're good! The guy must have been worried they might melt too fast because of today's heat." Tosca remarked.

"This is considered hot by a Japanese Summer's average, so that could be possible." Kiba replied.

Tosca soon gobbled the last of hers whole, though she accidentally swallowed the stick, making her face go purple as she began choking. Noticing this, Kiba immediately reacted.

"Hold on, I've got you!" Kiba promised, readying a Heimlich.

Squeezing her tight, the stick flew out, firing right into a garbage can. Feeling her throat, Tosca let out a sigh of relief, glad she could breathe again.

"Note to self, don't try eating the end of a Popsicle or you might choke." She chuckled nervously.

"You alright?" Kiba asked in concern.

"No worries, my throat is the same as before." Tosca replied.

She immediately whistled to show it.

"That's good to hear." He sighed in relief, putting a hand over his heart.

Tosca gave a smile at that, and soon took his hand in hers, getting Kiba's attention as she looked towards the sunset.

"I had a lot of fun with you, so thanks for spending the day with me." She thanked him.

"Uh... you're welcome." Kiba replied, feeling a bit bashful.

Looking from a distance, the sight of the Church Trio watching could be seen, all of them wearing some very obvious disguises (Xenovia simply had a pink shirt and a medical mask, Irina was wearing a green dress shirt with glasses without lenses, while Jeanne had a dark trench coat and hat combo with sunglasses) as they watched.

"Come on Tosca, confess already!" Jeanne loudly whispered.

"Uh... this might be a bad time to mention it, but are you sure these disguises even work?" Irina asked.

"No, we do not." Xenovia replied.

Irina gave a nervous expression in reply to that, her mouth opening a bit as she mustered all her while not to give themselves away with an equally nervous chuckle.

Tosca had a slight sweat drop as her eyes looked behind her.

'They don't even know that I've been aware of them following us for the last few minutes.' She thought, giving a mental chuckle.

Right after that, she motioned her head onto Kiba's shoulder.

"Hey, Kiba?" She started.

"Yeah?" He replied.

"I have something that I need to tell you." Tosca answered.

The Church Trio gasped as they looked closer, with sparkling eyes as they silently chanted for her to do it. However, rather than words as they expected... Tosca instead got on her tip toes to kiss him on the cheek.

"T-Tosca?" Kiba blushed in surprise.

"Kiba, I just want you to know... that I love you." She confessed, blushing with a warm smile.

"YES!" Jeanne screamed in excitement.

She suddenly slapped her hands over her mouth, right as Irina pulled Xenovia away from the scene, leaving her fellow Holy Sword Project survivors to look at her.

"Uh... ignore me being here, and start officially dating?" Jeanne begged, sweating a bit.

The two looked at her, making her chuckle nervously as no reply was made by either, making her sweat get worse.

* * *

As early night rolled by, the sight of Issei and Vali sitting together in the mixed bathing area of a hot springs. Issei blushed with a warm smile as Vali sat by his side, her hair tied up in a way that synchronized her beauty to the warm stream around them.

"I love how you're bold enough to do something like this." Vali smiled, having a slight blush on her cheeks.

"You already know how I feel, so why should I be afraid of something like this?" Issei replied, moving his hand onto hers without doubt or hesitation.

Feeling her hand intertwine with his, she snuggled her head into his neck, reading it against his shoulder. The feeling of her nuzzling made the Sekiryuutei blush a bit before he relaxed and let their heads rest against one another's.

"Issei, as confident as I might seem... I admit it. This is the most terrifying thing that I've ever experienced. I have to bear the weight of saving Hell on my shoulders, and that's something I have to drag you, Asia, Le Fay, Irina, Arthur, Bikou, Kuroka, Yuuma, and Kelsey into." Vali said worriedly.

She took a deep breath, changing the intertwining of their hands into holding Issei's.

"All of you will fight for me with all you have, and I know that, but... the thought itself still scares me. Just one wrong move and all of us could end on the chopping block." The silvery-white haired Devil nervously continued.

"Don't worry, I get it. Even though I've been in a competition before, and felt my nerves get me... compared to this tournament? What I've been through is nothing, and I've never experienced the pressure of fighting people you can't directly defy. However, we still chose to walk this path with you, so that means your fortitude is our own. That's what will let us win, because no matter how much they try to make us crack, we will not be broken." Issei reassured her, flashing a confident smile.

Vali smiled at him, tears of joy in her eyes.

"You're such a Romeo sometimes... my Red Dragon Emperor." Vali replied, resting against his chest.

"Because you're a beautiful Juliet... my White Dragon Empress." Issei whispered into her ear, wrapping his left arm around her.

The two stayed that way for as long as the moment let them, ready to fight for the dream they'd achieve together the very next day, and they'd fight for it together. Though for today? The Heiress of Lucifer had another idea about how they'd share their strength, and them alone.

* * *

Eventually, the sight of everyone returning home filled the Hyoudou Mansion, with Lilith looking to see everyone.

"Welcome back everyone, how was the day?" The Devil Queen greeted.

"Hold up, I'd like to try guessing before anyone answers." Shuriliu requested.

Looking at them as she sniffed the air, she gave an interesting look towards a few certain pairs, giving a playful smirk as she pointed towards them.

"Looks like we've got a romantic union between Rias and Akeno, Kiba and Tosca, Sona and Saji, while Valerie and Gasper made it official. Looks like Issei and Vali's date spread the love through the air." She smiled.

The new couples all blushed at that.

"How'd she-" Kunou asked, feeling confused and surprise.

"Devils of the Asmodeus Clan possess the ability to smell pheromones, which includes blossoming romances." Lilith explained.

"You mean like bugs do!?" The Kyuubi exclaimed.

The Mother of all Devils didn't do anything for a moment, then nodded towards Issei and Vali, making the Youkai Princess realize she completely ignored her question.

"Hey Issei, your parents have some free time, so they'd like to wish you a Happy Birthday while they can." Lilith mentioned.

"Really?" The Queen of Lucifer replied.

Lilith pointed at the TV, making a bit of magic fly around before it made contact, and then revealed the sight of Issei's parents in a lit-up city.

"Happy Birthday you two!" They greeted in unison.

"Hey mom, hey dad. Looks like you're enjoying..." Issei replied, squinting a bit.

"Looks like New York to me." Bikou remarked.

Seiji chuckled at that, moving the camera to confirm they were indeed in the Big Apple of the USA.

"We've got a few more stops, with Hawaii being our last, and then we'll be back home." Hana stated.

"Sorry we couldn't be there." Seiji apologized.

"It's alright, this was a fun birthday, so no need to feel guilty that you missed it. Just enjoy your trip at your own pace." Issei reassured them.

They both smiled at him, both knowing when they did... they'd have to tell him the truth.

"Alright, good luck Issei!" Hana smiled, waving at him.

With that, Kunou suddenly let out a loud yawn, making her ears drop a bit.

"Looks like someone's tied. Considering what tomorrow is, I think we'll take that as our cue to call it a night." Lilith remarked.

"See you tomorrow then, and make sure you qualify." Aariliyn stated.

"That's a promise I'll definitely keep." Vali replied, smiling without a shred of doubt in her words.

All of the Maou Heirs smiled before they left through a magic circle, with only Ingvild stopping for a moment as she turned to the Lucifer Heiress one last time.

"Here's my own promise to that... and it's that no matter what it takes, I'll meet you in the Finals." She promised.

Vali's eyes widened at that declaration before Ingvild finally left, with Lilith giggling at the bold promise the Leviathan Heiress just made.

"Looks like she's not gonna hold any punches." She remarked.

"Guess not." Issei agreed.

* * *

After a bit, everyone was back in their usual rooms, with Issei sitting on his bed as he looked towards the window.

'Today was a great Birthday, though part of me wishes it wasn't over just yet... too bad the Moon and the Sky have other plans.' He thought, chuckling near the end.

"Hey, Issei?" Vali softly said.

Issei turned his head as he heard his girlfriend come in, only to suddenly stop in the middle of room.

"Vali?" He blinked, confused by her sudden action.

For a few moments, nothing happened... until Vali gave a bright and noticeable blush, followed by her starting to take off her signature nightie. Issei suddenly gasped, blushing the same crimson shade as his hair as his eyes looked at the sexy black lingerie she had hidden underneath.

"V-Vali, what are you doing!?" He asked, feeling his mind go into overload.

"Issei, you still haven't received my birthday present yet." Vali replied, her expression resembling the one she had on the day before Summer Break started.

"H-huh?" Issei stuttered.

Climbing on top of him, the Hakuryuukou pushed her Queen onto his back, putting them in a similar position to the one they had been in after his strange dream. At that moment, the Sekiryuutei gasped as he realized it.

"Vali, you aren't saying that..." Issei asked.

"I am Issei, this is exactly what you think it is." Vali confirmed, nodding her head.

Hearing this, Issei gulped a bit as he pressed himself into the bed more.

"This is... are you sure we should-" He replied, feeling nervous.

"Do you not want to?" Vali asked, looking a bit saddened at his response.

He shook his head.

"No, that isn't it. I do... it's just that... do we even have the right? I mean, what will your mom say, and what if you-" Issei replied, sharing his worries.

Putting a finger to his lip, Vali shushed him instantly.

"My mom gave us her blessing the day you first met her, as I found out a while afterwards... to my slight embarrassment. As for me getting pregnant? Don't worry, supernatural beings can actually control that, so my higher chance of it means nothing if I don't intend for it." She reassured him.

Getting closer, Issei could see her eyes shining, and it became clear this was no sudden decision of hers.

"You're completely sure about this?" He asked.

"I am... you've given me my first kiss, and every other first that matters. That's why I want you to have the only remaining first that you haven't already taken." Vali verified, showing no doubt or worry on her face.

She tightened her fists on the bed sheets.

"When I was still under my grandfather's thumb... he tried to make me a weapon, but I knew well enough how self-indulgent he was. I may have not just been a weapon to him, but... I may have even been a means for him to make weapons, possibly like my grandmother had been." Vali continued.

Issei's eyes widened at that, his mind purposely shutting off any means of his brain imagining what she just said.

"My god, you really think he might have tried to..." Issei gasped.

"Lavinia and I were born from the same mother, and both of us were born with a Longinus, so... I don't think it's impossible. Even if I can't confirm or deny it, that's a scary thought, and when it came to me? I... I realized this is what I wanted, because you've already pushed away everything else about his influence, genuine or hypothetical." Vali responded.

With those words spoken, Issei finally shred what remained of his hesitation, and tightly grabbed Vali's shoulders. The Heiress of Lucifer's eyes widened as she was suddenly rolled over, taking her Queen's place before he began to kiss her.

The kisses soon evolved into a full blown make out session, with Vali kissing him back with passion equal to his own.

"Vali... you're my other half. When you and I are together, you don't even realize how perfect you are for me, so I'll make this vow to you. I'll make sure you feel the same happiness you give my heart everyday of our eternal lives." Issei promised.

Hearing that, Vali gave a teary smile, blushing warmly as her boyfriend restarted their make out session, and she pulled his hands onto her enormous breasts. Feeling all their burdens melt the sway, the two Dragons Emperors began crying tears of joy.

Before anymore could be seen, the door suddenly closed, revealing Lilith had done the deed as she walked by.

"I hope no one was expecting anything." Lilith giggled, looking in a certain direction.

She headed to her room, leaving everything else that happened within Issei and Vali's room a mystery to all, other than their hearts formed the ultimate union as they finally consummated their love for one another.

* * *

The following morning, everyone was gathered downstairs, using all the time they had to calm their nerves. However, it didn't take long for everyone to notice the main duo of Vali's peerage were still absent.

"Where's Issei and Vali?" Yumina asked.

"They looked so peaceful, and since we have plenty of hours to spare, that I let them sleep in. They'll come down when they want to wake up." Lilith reassured her.

Right on cue, the two finally walked into view, both with their clothes lazily thrown on.

"Hey guys." Issei yawned, his face stuck in a smile.

Vali gave a happy giggle like she was dreaming, with everyone noticing a swaying in her steps. Taking a few moments to look at them... Kuroka's eyes widened as she gave a silent gasp.

"Uh... sis, why are you trying to catch flies?" Kuroka asked.

At that moment, Lilith failed to contain herself any longer, and immediately began laughing enough that she fell out of her chair, nearly choking as she found herself unable to stop. Looking at her, everyone turned to the Lucifer Rook.

"To answer this without making Kunou hear something we don't want her to... Issei is finally a man." She answered.

It didn't take long before everyone slowly gave looks of shock, including even the normally stoic Arthur, and turned their heads to the duo as their eyes widened. Issei chuckled as he bashfully rubbed his head, while Vali kept smiling as she gave a light nod.

"Let's just say I gave him a... really special birthday present." She confessed.

"Huh?" Kunou blinked, completely lost.

The White Nekoshou of the Gremory Team looked at her, waving her hands back and forth as she shook her head, leaving the Kyuubi even more confused.

"No one tell Motohama or Matsuda, those two would flip." Issei begged.

Everyone made a silent vow of agreement at that very moment, with the Sekiryuutei sighing in relief as he realized it. At the same time, Vali started to put on her Rating Game uniform, looking at everyone with a smile.

"Alright everyone, today's finally the day, so let's give this our all and qualify by shouted our new team name together!" Vali shouted with confidence, holding her fists up.

"Yeah!" Her entire peerage cheered, holding their fists out as well.

One by one, all ten members of Vali's peerage gathered in place, where they stacked their hands over one another.

"We are... Team White Dragon Empress of the Morning Star!" They exclaimed together.

And with that, they all threw their hands up.

Lilith smiled as she came into the room, with Tiamat right behind her. It wasn't long before Rias and Sona's peerages changed into their team outfits, revealing the latter's team uniform had a black and blue color scheme with a few stars on it.

"Alright, is everyone ready?" Lilith asked, though she already knew the answer.

"We are, so let's go!" Vali replied with a nod.

"Good luck to you all." Lilith smiled.

Forming a magic circle, all of them walked through, transporting them to Hell.

* * *

**Now _that_ was a chapter! Especially with what Issei and Vali did near the end, which I'll say right now is all you ever get to see for it. There's even some actual importance to it that'll show itself at some point during this arc. *clears throat* Moving along, we've now got all the couples I've revealed promoted to having their relationships being official, with Saji having a set up for a harem, and a new couple in Rias and Akeno of all people.**

**You might be asking why I paired Rias with Akeno in the end? I've put a lot of thought into it, while there was a scene (can't remember where in the novels it was) where she nearly did something to Rias that she claimed she wants Issei to do first, and due to having no idea for any other options that would make any real sense by how I prefer to pair up two characters.**

**Saji having a harem is also a thing because I can't bring myself to break Momo or Ruruko's hearts, and this is a DxD story. I figure you have to at least mention one in the story, even if it's not the focus, and Saji felt like the best character to do this with. As a bonus? This also means at one point, you might just see Kiba date Tosca... and Tsubaki, so fans of the latter pairing? You may finally have some hope for it showing in this story :)**

**Also, since today's Concept Talk was about the ability, I should probably explain why you haven't seen Issei use it much since unlocking it. The simple explanation is that he barely knows how to use it. Vali herself initially didn't know how to use her Ethereal Twilight beyond just blasting it until she met Lilith, and Issei's in a similar situation, only there's no one to teach him.**

**For the date with Issei and Vali, I feel it went pretty well, I'm most proud about the scene with the butterfly since it felt fitting for Vali since her birth mother was the one light she had during her dark days under Rizevim's care. Consider it Vali's birth mom having come to tell her that she's proud of her daughter finally escaping the hold he had on her for all those years.**

**With the tournament qualifiers having finally begun, the peerages can now give themselves official team names, with a lot of them being canon team names from the Azazel Cup, not counting Rias and Sona's because theirs were... kind of lazy. I'll reveal the other team names when next chapter shows the 16 Heirs who qualify for the actual tournament.**

**The obstacle course that decides which peerages will be participating won't be easy, and it's not just the obstacles they'll be facing at the get-go... it's the fact that counting the average number of retainers in a peerage, this qualifier has well over 2500+ Devils in it, and only around 160 of those Devils will be left after it's over. That's a big hurdle to cross, and... Vali has one member of her peerage she needs to worry about.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

* * *

** Niruili's Peerage ** **:**

**King - Niruili Beelzebub**   
**Queen - Terhaka Leraje**   
**Bishops - Misteeta Sabnock (x2)**   
**Knights - Velenia Ronove (x2)**   
**Rooks - Axatros Eligos (x2)**   
**Pawns - Reimei Marchosias (x3), Shatara Marax (x2), Esuzui Eisheth (x3)**

** Additional Notes ** **:  
~ Reimei has slight heritage from a Werewolf and a Hero, with more of the former  
~ Terhaka has a Sacred Gear  
~ Velenia is part Magician, and has a Sacred Gear**

** Special Note ** **:  
~ Misteeta was added to Niruili's peerage because she can use her healing powers to increase his stamina for his Trick Vanish's effect.**

* * *

** Sairaorg's Peerage ** **:**

**King - Sairaorg Bael  
Queen - Kuisha Abaddon  
Bishops - Veves Furfur, Rulun Uvall**   
**Knights - Gessagora Gaap, Hesoria Botis**   
**Rooks - Sectaas Barbatos, Iwator Purson**   
**Pawns - Regulus (x7), Venelene Vapula (Mutation Piece: x8 Multiplier)**

** Additional Notes ** **:  
~ Rulun has a Sacred Gear  
~ Hesoria has a Sacred Gear**

* * *

** Bust Size of New Female Characters ** **:**

**None**

* * *

** Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter ** **:**

**None**

* * *

** Pairings List ** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating  
Ddraig/Albion - Married  
Tiamat/Fafnir - Married  
Ophis/Great Red - Married  
Saji/Sona - Dating, and is Saji's main love interest  
Saji/Momo - Momo likes him, and Saji's considering a harem that includes her  
Saji/Ruruko - Ruruko likes him, and Saji's considering a harem that includes her  
Gasper/Valerie - Dating  
Kiba/Tosca - Dating  
Hina/Nanami - Dating  
Shuriliu/Coriana - Dating, and is Shuriliu's main love interest  
Shuriliu/Her Peerage - Dating  
Rias/Akeno - Engaged**


	27. Chapter 27

**Hey everyone, I apologize again over how my updates have been off ever since my Grandma's death. The good news is that nothing church related is giving me the shudders anymore, so I've fully regained my DxD mojo! I find this was a fitting time since for the obstacle course, all that mojo would be needed to fully highlight everything that happens in the chapter.**

**This chapter is also important for another reason. Remember how a while back in the story, I mentioned that there'd be a certain point when I'd explain where the number of wings applies for the four races of the Christian Pantheon? *smiles* Well, this is the chapter where I finally do it! I don't have much else for today's start notes, making it a good place to share such info.**

**Overall wings are as shown below:**

**Devils:  
~ 12 Wings: The Lucifer Bloodline  
~ 10 Wings: Lilith and the Unknown Founder  
~ 8 Wings: The Maou Clans  
~ 6 Wings: The High-Ranked Extra Devil Clans  
~ 4 Wings: Mephisto Pheles  
~ 2 Wings: Common Devils**

**Angels:  
~ 12 Wings: Great Seraphs  
~ 10 Wings: Seraphim  
~ 8 Wings: Ophanim  
~ 6 Wings: Cherubim  
~ 4 Wings: Archangels  
~ 2 Wings: Common Angels**

**Demons:  
~ 12 Wings: Cassiel, Haniel, and Camael's Bloodlines  
~ 10 Wings: Demon Lords  
~ 8 Wings: Elder Demons  
~ 6 Wings: High Demons  
~ 4 Wings: Archdemons  
~ 2 Wings: Common Demons**

**For the lists above, the Devils were mostly influenced by how Rizevim had 12 wings, while Ingvild sets the standard for the other Maou Clans having 8 wings. The rest were all my decision for various reasons I can't tell due to possible spoilers. As I said back then, while wings do show the potential of one's heritage, everything else about them is purely cosmetic.**

**Anyways, let the race... begin!**

**P.S: I just realized I never described what Ereilie and Amalya look like, so with how they were dressed for the gathering, this will count as officially revealing them because their casual appearances will finally present themselves.**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

 **[]** \- Ddraig Talking

 **«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

 **「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

 **【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

 **⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

** Longinus Smasher **

**A powerful technique exclusive to the Sacred Gears that earn the name of Longinus, doubling as their mark to legitimize them as such. In order to use the Longinus Smasher, the user of a Longinus must gather all the power they can through one of its respective abilities, then unleashing that stored strength as one massive beam. This makes it the only true offensive technique for the Telos Karma, Sephiroth Graal, and Dimension Lost.**

**The Longinus Smasher was originally a special power hidden within St. Longinus, but when he used its power to end the life of Jesus Christ, he unknowingly transferred the power into Heaven's System through the True Longinus, which supposedly created the very bug that gave birth to the Longinus, and gave them the power that lets them slay gods.**

**When a Sacred Gear achieves the conditions to gain the Longinus Smasher, and evolve into a Longinus, it's signified by a bright flash of energy that creates a rainbow pillar in the sky, visible only to those aware of the Supernatural World. As is the case for all Longinus, a Sacred Gear can only achieve this if it has a Consciousness, a result of the bug being formed between two beings with consciousness.**

**There are no signs to a Sacred Gear achieving and activating this effect, but it's theorized that the stronger a Sacred Gear is, the more likely this result can happen. So far, there are three Sacred Gears that are believed may eventually inherit the Longinus Smasher and evolve: the "Forbidden Balor View", the "Venusian Feather", and the "Vritra Pandemonium."**

**Despite being the source behind making Sacred Gears become a Longinus, it's not required to slay a God, and is more often than not either a final attack, or a last resort.**

* * *

**_ Season 3, Diodora Arc: Chapter 4 - The Race to Qualify _ **

"Alright, is everyone ready?" Lilith asked, though she already knew the answer.

"We are, so let's go!" Vali replied with a nod.

"Good luck to you all." Lilith smiled.

Forming a magic circle, all of them walked through, transporting them to Hell. In moments, they all saw themselves in a gigantic arena made especially for the Rating Game Tournament, surprising all three groups.

"Holy macaroni!" Irina gasped.

"This thing is huge!" Gasper exclaimed shakily.

"The Mammon Clan had this made especially for the Tournament, and because we're keeping the obstacle course in case the future needs it." Lilith explained.

"Aariliyn's family never goes small, but I can't blame them when Aariliyn's father had the 7th Best Rating Game player in his peerage." Vali giggled.

Walking into the arena itself, they were met with a gigantic surprise... the sight of what was around 2500 Devils, both pureblood and reincarnated! It was an overwhelming sight for most of the retainers in every peerage, who had never seen so many reincarnated Devils in one place, though a few of the peerage Kings were a bit nervous at the massive sight as well.

"There's so many... I bet there's an average of 10 members per peerage in this crowd." Arthur remarked, a slight trickle of sweat going down his face.

Lilith nodded, confirming his estimation.

"Now, if you'll excuse me? I need to go to the announcer stand. I'll be with Naud and the other VIPs for this." Lilith waved before walking through a Primal Abyss gate.

"OK, wish us luck, mom!" Vali waved back.

Lilith gave a thumb's up before the gate closed, leaving Vali and her peerage to take everything in. Rias and Sona's group went their own ways, deciding to wait in their own spots among the huge crowd of Devils.

"Well, I guess we wait until they announce something?" Issei assumed.

At that moment, a loud dinging sound was heard, catching the attention of every Devil present. Following that, a familiar voice took the stand as a giant screen revealed none other than Naud Gamigin.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
To all Devils, Angels, Demons, Fallen Angels, Gods, and everything else in between... welcome to the Rating Game Tournament! For those of you unaware of who I am, my name's Naud Gamigin, a major staff of Hell's media department and the official announcer of the Rating Games!**

The crowd of Devils began to cheer, prompting everyone else to do the same.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
It isn't just me either, because for this obstacle course, I have with me the four major leaders of the Christian Pantheon! So, give it up for our guest announcers... Lilith Lucifer, Gabriel Shidou, Azazel Amano, and Cassiel Akumaji!**

The screen showed all four of them, with Cassiel waving as the entire crowd cheered once again.

"Somehow, I expected they'd be the first ones judging with him." Yuuma chuckled.

"Well, at least my mom's not calling out my name." Kelsey replied, shaking worriedly she might.

Spinning around a bit, Naud pointed to the side as an extension of the screen, showing the entirety of the obstacle course on it. This got everyone's attention as they looked at it.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
This obstacle course has three paths, and three obstacle areas connecting in a circle. You'll all gather around one side of the entrance, and make your way around it. Also, the best part about these three areas? Each one is based off a certain Evil Piece! The first will an area where the Rooks will do the best, the second will be the same for Bishops, while the Knights shine best in the last one!**

**【** **Lilith** **】** **  
Oh yeah, for all of you Pawns who think you can promote into Queens to get around this problem? Sorry, but since the secondary point of this tournament is to get you ready for possible battles against the Khaos Brigade... I've had Ajuka set the entire area so you Pawns aren't considered in enemy territory, meaning promoting is impossible.**

Many of the Pawns go into a panic, while others go white in horror, which was around 1/4 of everyone on the field.

"Damn, that means every Pawn needs to make it by using their own skills alone, a perfect example of adapting to a war zone." Kelsey realized.

"Well, at least for the both of us, we're already used to that." Yuuma sighed in relief.

**【** **Azazel** **】** **  
Now, for the last big reveal before we start this game? Among every peerage here, the first 3 to have one of their members reach the finish line get something special! The first will automatically count the nine members of their team that are furthest behind as having cross the finish line! Since the peerage average is 10 members, that's an automatic qualification for most of you.**

Everyone gasped at that, making peerages who were worried about their chances feel more confident.

**【** **Gabriel** **】** **  
For the second, they'll be allowed to have five members of their team have the same result. As for the third, the same applies, but it will be just the three members of their team.**

**【** **Cassiel** **】**   
**In any battle, the initiative is often rewarded, so try to make it there before anyone else. After three different peerages get a single member through, the rest will have to get all their members across.**

Listening to this, the sight of a female Devil with long hair the same shade as Ajuka's, but the same golden eyes as Diodora could be noticed. Her facial expression even matched that of the former's if it looked a bit more emotive.

She was the Heiress to the Astaroth Clan, better known as Amalya Astaroth.

"Hmm... ah, I see it. They're representing the Evil Piece totals for the Queen, Rook, and either the Knight or Bishop pieces. Using that as a basis, then this entire obstacle course's war theme is represented through them." Amalya analyzed.

Naud spun as the screen pulled back in.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Also, if you're one of the few Heirs that hasn't used all of their Evil Pieces just yet? No worries there! If you qualify, then any new additions will be automatically allowed to register, so don't feel you're stuck with your initial set as a special tournament rule. After all, reinforcements are an important part of battle.**

**【** **Lilith** **】** **  
Now, for the Devil who will give our tournament pledge?**

A stand rose from the ground as the Lucifuge heiress walked into view, soon clearing her throat as everyone watched.

"Welcome all, my fellow Devils. My name is Yumina Lucifuge, the Heiress to the Lucifuge Clan, and oldest child to the Great Devil: Sirzechs Lucifer. As a Devil not participating due to numerous factors, I wish everyone the best of luck. Know this though... the road to your wish will require you to give it your all, and do it in a fair manner, so show all of Hell you deserve your wish without any doubts!" Yumina stated.

Everyone cheered once more, clapping heavily as she bowed, and left the soon sinking stand.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Alright, with all of that said... everyone, get ready to start this race!**

Hearing that, everyone quickly focused at the one entrance that had a giant wall form, showing a sign to indicate the right side was where everyone needed to enter from. Naud soon smiled, taking a deep breath.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
On your marks, get set... GO!**

Right as everyone prepared to run...

" **Accel Jet!** "

Before anyone could react, a huge cloud of dust blinded them for a moment. The culprit was revealed to be a Devil with long lavender hair and brown eyes, who was one of the rare few with pointed ears, just like Zephyrdor.

She was Ereilie Glasya-Labolas, the Glasya-Labolas Heiress, and she rushed ahead at sonic speed.

"With this, I've already avoided the first obstacle." She stated.

And she was proven right as everyone began rushing through the doorway, which was clearly going to become crowded in a few minutes.

" **Perfect Vision!** "

Shuriliu quickly ran across the wall, avoiding the crowded area. A mere few seconds after she did, a notable portion of the racers were already ahead of the pack, though it was Ereilie who took the lead due to her clan ability.

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**That's the power of the Glasya-Labolas Clan for you, they can rush through anything at sonic speeds! Ereilie's managed to gain a noticeable lead!**

Shortly after saying that, a majority of the peerages suddenly flew out, being attacked by Yubelluna's explosions. They were instantly retired back into the stadium, all brief dazed because of a 10 second stun affect added into this particular use of the retirement system.

**【** **Lilith** **】** **  
Oh yeah, we should have mentioned if you get retired, we've made it so you'll lose precious time, even if it was just something like a fatal fall. This represents how in a war, you must never allow yourself to become a casualty.**

Looking back, Bikou saw how many got hit in Yubelluna's explosion.

"Damn, glad none of us were in that!" Bikou shouted.

"And since it was inside the entrance, she wasn't directly aiming at anyone, meaning that was a legal strategy." Arthur added.

Ereilie turned around she kept her lead.

"Glad that I took the lead when I did, looks like I'm-" Ereilie remarked.

Before she even realized it, a large claw slashed at her, making her eyes widen as she released a loud gasp... then instantly retired back to the stadium.

Everyone in the front of the pack gasped as they saw what did it... some kind of monstrous creation. It wasn't just a single monster either, machines, creatures made from various substances, and chimeric like monsters were all present.

They had reached the first obstacle field, the Rook Barrier Zone.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Ooh! How unfortunate, but this is our first obstacle zone! We've created a bunch of monsters that will impede your path! Take too big a blow, and you'll be sent back to the stadium! Make it through, and the first checkpoint is yours, meaning these beasts won't bother you anymore, and any further retirements you receive will send you to that checkpoint.**

Everyone panicked as they saw the small and giant creatures alike, but Ingvild walked ahead without any fear.

"Compared to fighting Jequn and her forces three years ago, this is something that I have no fear standing up to. " She remarked, forming a sheet of ice under her feet.

**「** **Sonic Forces: Death Egg Robot - Phase 3** **」**

Everyone watched an icy gale blew from her body, followed by her swinging her arms forward, and once she did...

" **Absolute Zero!** "

A huge wave of ice shot across the area, instantly freezing the big monsters up in front, and even holding them up in the air. Many of the Devils gasped as they saw the sight before them.

"Holy freaking crap!" Mira exclaimed.

"She froze them all like it was nothing, which means... we can get through past them ourselves!" Saji realized after looking closely.

Ingvild ran forward, but turned around to her competitors.

"You sure about that?" She asked.

As the others followed her, she whistled to the side, which is when Ladora rushed past her.

"Any requests?" He asked.

"None in particular." Ingvild replied.

After all of Ingvild's peerage got through, the Rook of Leviathan shouted as he threw his fist out.

" **Draconic Force!** "

Ladora's voice unleashed the roar of a Dragon from it, pouring draconic energy into his strike... which caused the frozen monsters to suddenly be sent flying towards everyone else! They all briefly froze as the incoming ice sculptures about to fall on them.

"Oh crap!" Ruruko screamed.

She was instantly hit by one, making her retire back to the stadium alongside what seemed to be hundreds of other racers. Everyone else tried to evade them best they could as they threatened the racing field in an unexpected sense.

**【** **Lilith** **】** **  
Ooh! It looks like the Leviathan Heiress just shook things up by making the monsters a completely different threat! That'll throw everyone off not just now, but when the monsters thaw out to stop them in the way we actually designed them too!**

Aariliyn noticed one falling towards her, and smiled.

"Nice try Ingvild, but that won't work on me." The Mammon Heiress remarked.

" **Drill Dash!** "

She spun around as the ground softened underneath her, evading the frozen monster by digging through the ground.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
And a stunning move by the Heiress of the Mammon Clan, using her own powers to dig underneath the danger! Let's see how else people can deal with the threat of these frozen fiends that isn't dodging!**

Iolava's hand held out, and began spinning like a mechanical limb before swelling in size.

" **Metallic Mayhem!** "

The end result gave him a metal arm that he thrust forward, making it form spikes as it shattered the monster entirely. He gave a smirk as it reverted to metal.

"How's that for heavy metal!?" He shouted.

"OK, I'll admit that was impressive." Ingvild replied in surprise.

" **Jungle Spirit!** "

Reimei's puppy jumped into her body, which briefly glowed before she dashed with the speed of a four-legged beast, and the climbing skills of a wolf. This let her go over one of the flying ice sculptures and boost herself.

"That's right! Who says we have to fight or dodge them? We can just go over!" Issei shouted, flying across the field using the Boosted Gear's wing form.

*ROAR*

One of the monsters goes after Issei, only for Vali to appear by his side.

" **Midnight Tempest!** "

A powerful gale blew the monster back, and it slammed into the ground, right as Ereilie ripped right through it.

"You aren't getting me this time!" She shouted, picking up speed.

As the Glasya-Labolas Heiress rushed through, the sight of Seekvaira's Queen turning to everyone was seen.

"How about we call a truce until we pass this spot?" Alivian offered.

It took a moment, but everyone agreed as they began attacking the unfrozen monsters still in the way.

Niruili lunged forward, actually eating some of the monsters she ran past. Right behind her, Seireinne unleashed her voice, making many of the machines spark from the frequency she chose.

" **Cosmic Render!** "

Eneely slapped her hands together, making a distortion rip apart the monsters in front of her, and letting her run through them.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Whoa! Looks like our competitors are putting their differences aside to be able to make it through this obstacle course! Looks like the war theme is really sinking is as they're choosing where to draw the lines between friends and foes.**

**【** **Gabriel** **】** **  
They're aware of the overwhelming numbers before them, and their own teammates are among them. To not aid each other means risking a chance to qualify.**

Niruili began jogging in place, chewing what she ate in an odd way before finally...

" **Dynamic Spitfire!** "

Many watched the Beelzebub Heiress as she spit magical shots at the bigger enemies... which exploded the moment they made contact!

"She just weaponized a spitball!" Jeevuni exclaimed.

"I did." She smiled, giving a playful tongue and wink.

Looking behind him, Issei saw some of the things the many peerages could do as a few bolts of lightning, razor threads, and even a wave of acid mowed down the monsters of the first obstacle zone.

"Looks like our competition won't be that easy, will it?" Issei realized.

 **["The Devil Heirs among us are strong, but a lot of these retainers are also a major threat. Wouldn't be impossible for any of these peerages to qualify at this rate."]** Ddraig agreed.

Nodding his head, Issei continued through the secondary path, using Murakumo to slice apart a wave of stones falling overhead of him.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

'Then it's up to me to try and claim first place!' He thought.

* * *

After a long trek, the next obstacle course ended up appearing before the front runners, and this one made the very rule against flying turn into a full nightmare. The Bishop Barrier Zone was none other than...

A bottomless pit, with only various platforms with ropes connecting them, and various creatures holding orbs of lightning that stood near various mins floating around. The same things under the platform area were also on the sky, meaning only the ground level was safe.

"You've got to be kidding me..." Illini sighed as she saw it.

Gandoma grunted in reply, showing similar stress at the sight of it due to the weight of his rocky body.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
And this is the second obstacle zone! If you remember the no flying rule, and don't have one of the few means to fly over this? Then better think of how to cross through this area, because if you're not gonna walk across the ropes we've set up... you better have a plan to avoid those little sneakers' grips, because if they or the mines hit you, it's an automatic retirement!**

Shirone yawned at the sight before her, right as everyone saw her jump right across the rope area, and reaching the platform ahead.

"Guess that's one way to cross." Hina remarked.

"It isn't the only way either... this is just as good!" Seekvaira suddenly exclaimed.

**「** **Sonic Colors: Terminal Velocity - Act Select** **」**

Everyone looked as she took out a cube, making a pair of gauntlets with grappling hooks appear. Jumping ahead, she fell into the pit, making some of the electric critters fly towards her.

" **Chrono Break!** "

Time stopped around Seekvaira, causing everyone to see her shoot forward at sonic speeds, catching the critters off guard as she swung through them and every mine without any problems, and ending with a back flip to dismount on the other side.

In one moment, the Agares heiress was now in the lead.

"Wow, guess those claims about her being a Mecha otaku were true, because that was definitely a high-tech strategy." Nicolae remarked.

As the twin Dragons arrived at the area, Vali put a hand in front of Issei.

"Before you try flying through this, let's see how your training in using the Blazing Dawn is going." She suggested.

"Like... trying to bungee myself over with it?" He asked.

"If you can do that? Then yes." Vali replied.

With that response, the Queen of Lucifer gave a nervous look at the creatures between the start and end, which made him sweat a little.

"Great, absolutely no pressure here." Issei sarcastically groaned.

Putting out his hand forward, causing the ethereal light of God to form as he aimed at the other side.

" **Blazing Dawn!** "

He launched the power forward, though felt himself struggling to stay balanced as it zig-zagged towards the other side before locking onto the ground. Smiling as he did it... neither him or Vali noticed that it had been tied around their feet until the pull set in.

"Uh oh..." Vali realized.

"Hold on!" Issei screamed.

The two screamed as they were launched across the whole obstacle zone, with every creature that tried to jump them simply exploding on themselves without any penalty to them.

Launching his Holy Light forward, he used it to shape it into a hand, which instantly launched him forward across the whole obstacle zone.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

Everyone watching winced as they landed in a pile, but were otherwise unharmed.

**【** **Cassiel** **】** **  
Well... that was a thing, but I guess it worked out in the end!**

As the rest of their team reaches the area... Asia paled a bit.

"Oh no, this could be a problem." She whimpered, knowing she'd have to use the rope.

"Nothing says a teammate can't carry you across." Nanami remarked.

Asia looked towards her, right as Irufea rushed into view.

"Nanami, do it now!" She shouted.

"Right!" She shouted back.

Jumping into the air, the Knight of Leviathan leaped ahead, letting her fellow Queen stand on her shoulder.

" **Flame Shake!** "

At that moment, the sight of two orange-colored bracelets with the appearance of a gauntlet's lower end could be seen. Friction merged with Nanami's manipulation of luck as they slid across in a few seconds.

"Whoa!" Asia breathed in amazement.

"Not only was it impressive, they gave me an idea." Kuroka said, right as she walked next to her.

Grabbing Asia with her pair of tails, the Black Nekoshou mimicked her sister's way of crossing, helping the Lucifer Bishop get across without any issues. As more teams got across, heading to the final zone area, Gabriel smiled at their efforts.

**【** **Gabriel** **】** **  
They're doing rather well for themselves, even with these unexpected obstacles before them. The quick thinking most of the racers have used is also worthy of praise.**

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
You may say that for now, but wait until they all reached the final leg of this race.**

As Seekvaira was blasting through the area on jet powered boots, she laughed a bit until she neared the last obstacle area, which seemed fairly barren... only some kind of creature with a fuse on its head jumped out, causing an explosion that sent her flying back.

* * *

Issei gasped as he saw Seekvaira hit the ground, retiring to the last checkpoint once she did.

Right before him, he saw the Knight Barrier Zone had a bunch of dark spots, said spots briefly popped out, showing some kind of living explosives occasionally rising out of them. The one that blew up Seekvaira formed back, giving a taunting laugh at him and the Lucifer Heiress.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
And we've finally come to the last obstacle! This is the living minefield where any wrong step will either set you off, or draw those little living bombs towards you for a kamikaze burst that's been set to make you fly backwards, and possibly retire you!**

"Who's creating these things!?" Issei screamed.

From the sidelines, Ajuka suddenly sneezed in response to this, making him blink in confusion.

"Oh boy, this is a problem." Issei said worriedly.

"Especially since we don't know how high they can jump if we try to fly over it." Vali added.

Leelexe soon ran into the area, forming a bunch of orbs around her to take the hit in place of herself.

"Nice try little fuses, but you can't hit me!" She exclaimed.

"Though I can!" Riser shouted.

A fireball shot at her orb shield, making her suddenly pale as they all burned away, allowing one to detonate on her. She screamed as she was retired, and Riser blasted out flames to propel himself across the field.

"First place belongs to my team!" Riser declared.

Right while he was distracted, one of the living bombs jumped up, causing Riser's flames to make its explosion twice as bad. The Phenex Devil screamed as he suddenly shot into Seekvaira, who had just arrived back in the area.

"This... is... stupid." Seekvaira grunted, soon retiring again.

As the rest of the teams began rushing in, they all attempted to cross through... but the living bombs just kept coming, regenerating faster than people could try forcing the field clear of them.

It seemed even outrunning them was no good, as shown when Ereilie tried to rush through, only to be sent back to the start after slowing down too much.

**「** **Dragon Ball Super: Ka Ka Kachi Daze** **」**

'Damn it, how do we get through this?' Issei thought.

Right at that moment, the Heiress of Lucifer gasped as she got an idea, and snapped her fingers.

"Issei, remember what your Blazing Dawn did when we bungee jumped across the second obstacle zone?" She asked.

"Uh... they all got destroyed like they couldn't even touch us?" Issei recalled.

Taking a moment, Issei's eyes suddenly widened as he saw his girlfriend nodding her head.

"Try throwing me across the field while coating me with it!" She suggested.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"You have faith in me, right? Because I've always had faith in you." Vali answered, smiling brightly.

Hearing that, he nodded his head as she grabbed her arm tightly.

"Alright then... here we go!" Issei exclaimed.

He began to spin in place, making everyone watch in confusion as he increased his rotation.

 **["BOOST!"]** **["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"]**

**【** **Azazel** **】** **  
Hmm? Look at Issei, he's apparently doing something with Vali, but I can't tell what he's up to.**

**【** **Lilith** **】** **  
I can, but I'll keep it a secret.**

Everyone looked at her, making her giggle at their clueless expressions.

Right as this was going on, the sight of Sairaorg and Regulus could be seen reaching this zone, where the Bael Heir quickly realized there was only one thing to do.

"Regulus, the time for you to reveal yourself have come!" He shouted.

Most of the crowd was confused by that, but Regulus simply smirked as he removed his mask, and assumed his true form.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
I don't believe it! The fabled Regulus Nemea that had been known to be allied to the Devils, but with no information on which peerage it was connected to, has revealed to an actual Pawn of Sairaorg's team!**

The crowd exploded in cheers, especially those who were fans of Sairaorg's.

"Lord Sairaorg, I won't let you down!" Regulus promised.

Sitting on his back, the Pawn of Bael rushed across the field, and the creatures that tried to jump on him failed as Regulus' ability against projectiles flung them away.

**【** **Cassiel** **】** **  
Woo! Just like the rumors say, Regulus is a Longinus with the power to render all projectile and/or long-ranged attacks useless! All Sairaorg needs is to sit on his back and he's already cleared this last challenge! The only remaining question is if he'll earn the spot of first to the end, or will someone surprise us all!?**

At the same time this was happening, the sight of Ingvild rushing into the area was seen.

"Here goes... I can do this!" She encouraged herself.

Forming an ice slide, she slid on it before making it spiral like certain roller coasters that moved in a corkscrew shape, and slid across the field. As some of the creatures neared her, and everyone from the crowd watched.

" **Maelstrom Wave!** "

A huge surge of water escaped her free head, splashing around her in a way that knocked every creature away.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
And with a powerful combination of moves, Ingvild has made a clear path towards the end! She's catching up with Sairaorg as the slid ups her speed!**

Seeing this, the Lucifer Heiress motioned her eyes at her Queen.

"Issei, throw me now!" Vali exclaimed.

Using all the power he gathered into his arm, Issei finally threw Vali across the field at high speed.

"Albion!" Vali screamed.

**("Vanishing Dragon: Balance Breaker!")**

She formed her Scale Mail, the Lucifer Heiress rushed through, with the creatures preparing to hit her.

**["TRANSFER!"]**

Merging all his power into his Blazing Dawn, the aura of his power surrounded Vali, causing all the creatures that hit to explode without doing a thing to her. The way she flew by caused Sairaorg and Ingvild to nearly tumble as she passed them.

Realizing the spot for first was about to be claimed, the two Heirs sped up to try and match Vali, who's scale mail dispelled at that moment.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
This is it! The first three spots are about to be claimed, but now the question is who will get which one!?**

Running as fast as they could, everyone watched Vali, Ingvild, and Sairaorg all dash to try and take the spot of first place, all matching each other with their speed and acceleration.

And then... they all crossed, with a photo finish being taken to get their results.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

"Did she... do it?" Issei asked, sweating as he watched from where he was.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
According to the photo finish, our results are...**

Everyone looked at the screen, seeing Vali, Sairaorg, and Ingvild's name all appear in that order.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Vali takes first place, followed by Sairaorg taking second, and Ingvild claiming third! According to the photo finish, our results are...**

The crowd exploded in cheers as 16 squares appeared, with Vali taking the first of them.

Following this, every member of her peerage was teleported over to the stadium, where she immediately turned as they all gave her a group hug.

"We did it Vali, your plan worked!" Issei exclaimed.

"And it's all thanks to you Issei." Vali replied with a smile, hugging him even tighter.

Right at that moment, the sight of Venelene, Barbatos, Veves, Rulun, and Iwator being teleported to the stadium was seen, being pulled over because of Sairaorg earning the second peerage placement prize. For Ingvild's peerage, it was Lilitifa, Shirai, and Ladora that got sent over.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
And it looks like some other groups are finally starting to get through, because here comes another three racers!**

The three in question all stumbled through the finish, showing it was Leelexe, Riser, and Seekvaira... all of which were looking ruffed up from their respective explosion fiascos. The referee waved the flag to signal they made it, right as the Agares Heiress collapsed on her face.

"I better... get to go home... after this." Seekvaira replied in a muffled tone.

Following this, more of the other teams' members began crossing through, and one by one, the other squares on the board had their pictures replaced. Eventually, it all came down to one square, with 10 different Devils rushing towards the goal.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
We're down to the wire, who will be the last team to make it to the Tournament!?**

From within the stadium, Eneely began biting her nails as she saw Iolava wasn't in view, or looked like he had any chance of catching up in time to claim the last spot.

"Come on, please let a miracle happen... let Iolava make it." She begged.

The Devils kept rushing to the finish, and just when it seemed like it could be any of them... a loud scream was heard, followed by a series of explosions. Within the smoke, the sight of a spinning wheel of steel, showing Iolava in his iron skinned form.

"Iolava!" Eneely exclaimed happily.

The Devils in front of him all turned in surprise... right before Iolava smashed through them, making them fly like bowling pins, and earning himself a strike! After a tumble near the end, Iolava slid past the finish line, making the referee swing the flag.

"That's it, Iolava Amon is the last Devil to qualify!" The referee announced.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
That's it! After a long race, all 16 of our tournament participants have been decided! To everyone who didn't make it... sorry, better luck next time!**

For those still on the course, all of them slumping and groaned as they heard they had been knocked out of the running.

"Eneely, I have one thing to say about how I feel right now." Iolava mentioned as he panted.

"Yes?" Eneely asked.

"I need you... to possibly restart my heart." Iolava answered.

He collapsed on the ground, his face frozen in place as Eneely stared in horror, forcing the referee to rush over.

"Quick, someone get a medic!" She screamed in a panic.

* * *

After the medic found out Iolava was fine and just had to get him out of shock, all sixteen of their peerages gathered at the stands as the others all stood before them, cheering loudly.

"It is my pleasure to announce the 16 participants for the first ever Rating Game Tournament, and their peerages! So, here are the 16 teams who'll be running for the title of Devil Youth Champion!" Lilith announced.

Motioning her hand to the screen, it listed each name the heirs gave their teams, in the order they qualified in.

 **01\. Vali** \- Team White Dragon Empress of the Morning Star

 **02\. Sairaorg** \- Team Imperial Lion of the Purpure King

 **03\. Ingvild** \- Team Blizzard of the Ocean Serpent

 **04\. Rias** \- Team Extinguished Star of Gremory

 **05\. Aariliyn** \- Team Gilded Glory of the Gold

 **06\. Ereilie** \- Team Accelerating Jets of the Night Sky

 **07\. Shuriliu** \- Team Lustful Eyes of the Succubus

 **08\. Seekvaira** \- Team Eternal Mecha of Time

 **09\. Eneely** \- Team Dimensional Song of Vassago

 **10\. Amalya** \- Team Akashic Records of Astaroth

 **11\. Niruili** \- Team Endless Feast of Nature

 **12\. Leelexe** \- Team Dreamers of the Lazy

 **13\. Sona** \- Team Magic Blue Waves of Sitri

 **14\. Riser** \- Team Rising Phoenix

 **15\. Diodora** \- Team Holy Shadows

 **16\. Iolava** \- Team Iron Warriors

Everyone cheered once again, with everyone who didn't make it also clapping to congratulate their fellow Devils.

"Now, you all might be wondering this... how are we deciding who faces who in this tournament? Well, I have Yumina Lucifuge to help me there, so come back up!" Lilith announced.

"I'm here!" Yumina replied.

She dropped out of a magic circle, and soon held sixteen orbs in hand, all of which were covered by a magic layer.

"We'll be having everyone grab one of these orbs. Each of them is colored red or blue, and numbered between one and eight. Those who grab a red orb are on the left side of a match bracket, and the right is blue, with the match up being between those of the same number." Lilith explained.

"All of the orbs are disguised in a way so even the Asmodeus Clan won't be able to see what they'll find until they grab it. Now, with all of that said..." Yumina added.

She threw the spheres up into the air, causing a bright flash to go off before they began flying around the Heirs.

"Grab them!" Lilith exclaimed, giving them the signal.

In response to that, everyone reached out for the nearest sphere they could grab until all sixteen were no longer flying around.

"And now, reveal the number on your sphere." Lilith asked.

Vali was the first to share, holding a red sphere.

"5." She revealed.

"2." Sairaorg revealed a red sphere.

"7." Ingvild revealed a red sphere.

"1." Rias revealed a red sphere.

"8." Aariliyn revealed a red sphere.

"7." Ereilie revealed a blue sphere.

"6." Shuriliu revealed a red sphere.

"4." Seekvaira revealed a blue sphere.

"8." Eneely revealed a blue sphere.

"3." Amalya revealed a blue sphere.

"3." Niruili revealed a red sphere.

"4." Leelexe revealed a red sphere.

"1." Sona revealed a blue sphere.

"5." Diodora revealed a blue sphere.

"6." Riser revealed a blue sphere.

"2." Iolava revealed a blue sphere.

The screen quickly folded every picture as the spheres glowed, and then disappeared. Following their disappearance, the tournament brackets formed, showing everyone in their positions. Vali released a sigh at who her first opponent was.

"Diodora..." She seethed, looking at him.

He looked at her in response, with one of his eyes open as if to challenge her. However, the biggest surprise came from Rias and Sona, who realized who their opponents would be... each other.

"I can't believe it'll be Rias and Sona from the get go." Issei said in shock.

The two looked at each other, realizing that from their first match, one of them was already going to be eliminated. After taking a moment, Rias looked at Sona.

"Sona, we might be good friends, but I have no intention of losing to you." She declared.

They both shook hand, smiling at each other with determined looks on their face, causing everyone to cheer at the sign of good sportsmanship. Lilith smiled at that, while the Devil Elders glared at the sight.

"Alright! Tomorrow, we'll start the first four matches of the Tournament, but for today? Thanks for coming out!" Lilith announced.

Everyone cheered once more, ready for the big day tomorrow.

* * *

Back at the Hyoudou Mansion, all three peerages held their drinks out in celebration.

"Here's to all of us, for making it into the tournament! Cheers!" Issei announced.

"Cheers!" Everyone repeated.

They tapped their drinks together, and enjoyed their chosen beverages. Right as that happened, Issei got an alert on his phone, seeing his parents were face timing him.

"Ah, my parents are calling. Let's all say hi." Issei said as he showed the call alert.

Issei answered, and tapped to show it on the TV screen, showing they were calling from the Hawaiian Islands.

"Aloha you two, how's Hawaii treating you?" Issei greeted.

"It's as great as Vali told us it would be, we even saw a group of Dolphins following us on a boat ride." Hana smiled.

Issei blinked before looking at Vali in surprise.

"You went to Hawaii before?" He asked.

"Not me, Tobio and Sae went and then they told me about it, so I had some secondhand information to share with them." Vali clarified.

"Oh good, I don't have to be jealous." Issei sighed in relief.

Vali gave an awkward chuckle in reply to that, rubbing her head.

"Yeah, we've got plenty of time to make it back. Until then, good luck to you all." Seiji answered.

"We'll need it, we've got quite the challenges ahead." Irina replied, giggling as she hid a reference to the RG Tournament.

"See you both soon." Issei waved.

The call soon ended, making Issei smile as Lilith watched the scene happily.

"Sona, tomorrow you'll have your first Rating Game. You think you'll be ready against Rias, who was able to give Riser his first real challenge in ages?" Lilith inquired.

"Yeah, I know I can do it. Even then, if we lose, I can put my faith in the person I know who'll give it their all to make their dream a reality, and allow dreams like mine to happen." Sona answered, looking to Vali.

The Lucifer Heiress blushed a bit, rubbing her head slightly.

"Team Magic Blue Waves of Sitri? Be ready, because tomorrow, we're gonna show the Rating Game world what we can do!" Sona announced.

Her entire peerage cheered, with Sona looking up with a confident smile.

* * *

Soon enough, tomorrow had arrived and everyone went back to Hell, watching from the crowds of the new tournament arena for the first match of the tournament. Within part of the stands for VIPs, Lilith and the entirety of Vali's peerage were sitting, ready to watch their friends face off.

"Can't believe we've got this VIP area to watch the game, it's really cool." Kunou smiled.

"Wait until you see the actual Rating Game." Issei smiled.

"What is a real one like, in the general sense?" Kunou inquired.

"Think of a mix of Chess, a battle royal, and an RPG without a turn system." Vali explained.

Soon the announcer microphone went off, getting everyone's attention.

"Get ready, we're about to begin." Lilith said excitedly.

The group went silent, right as a certain Rating Game announcer picked up his microphone.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Welcome, one and all! Naud Gamigin here, ready to begin the announcing for the Rating Game Tournament! Yesterday, you all saw our lucky 16 who earned the right to compete, but now all of them are gonna whittle each other down, beginning with the match between Rias Gremory, and Sona Sitri!**

The crowd cheered in response, and once they settled down...

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Now, it's time for us to introduce our first guest judge! He's the King of the Demons, and was one known as the first man... I give you, Adam Akumaji!**

**【** **Adam** **】** **  
Hey everyone, glad to be here as the first of the guest announcers!**

All of the Demons in the crowd began cheering loudly, drowning out the cheers of almost everyone else in the stadium. Clearing his throat, Naud soon got everyone to calm down.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Now, let us individually introduce each of this match's rivaling Devils! To start us off, she's the little sister of Sirzechs Lucifer, who most of you saw her push Riser to his knees at nearly unfavorable odds, and she's like a mother to everyone in her peerage! I give you... Rias Gremory!**

From the west gate of the arena, Rias walked into view.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
She's the daughter of Baraqiel and a Shrine Maiden of the Himejima Clan, while also being the sexy and seductive BSDM loving Devil we all know as the "Priestess of Thunder!" I give you, Rias' Queen... Akeno Himejima!**

Akeno soon followed Rias onto the field, giving a sexy wink to the crowd, making many boys faint.

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**He's a hikikomori and a timid, yet cute-looking cross dresser, but you wouldn't believe he's got the time stopping power of Balor sealed within him! I give you, Rias' First Bishop... Gasper Vladi!**

Gasper didn't come out, forcing Valerie to push him into view, where he began shivering.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
She's the best friend of Gasper, and as of recently his girlfriend! Even more than that, she holds the power to bend life and death through the Sephiroth Graal! I give you, Rias' Second Bishop... Valerie Tepes!**

Valerie joined Gasper's side, taking his hand to help him feel more comfortable.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
He was a survivor of the horrible Holy Sword Project, but he fights for the justice of the friends he lost that day, swearing on his oath as a Knight of Gremory! I give you, Rias' First Knight... Kiba Yuuto!**

Kiba waved into view, making most of the girls squeal at the sight of him alone.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
She's also a Holy Sword Project survivor while also being Kiba's older twin, and the current incarnation of the Maiden of Orleans herself! I give you, Rias' Second Knight... Jeanne d'Arc Yuuto!**

Jeanne walked into view, waving her hands before twirling around to draw Hauteclere, making many in the crowd clap.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
This little kitty was one set to be hunted, but she's still got all of her nine lives, and no one has reason to fear this White Nekoshou anymore! I give you, Rias' First Rook... Shirone Toujou!**

Shirone walked into view, her eyes and both tails in full view, with the latter appendages waving around. She looked towards the crowd, and then...

"Meow." She said cutely, moving her hand like a paw.

Everyone gushed over her, cheering loudly at the cuteness of her action.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Compared to the others she's fairly new to the team, yet this powerful Half-God was the former bodyguard to Lord Odin himself, as well as the granddaughter of the infamous Valkyrie: Gondul, and the daughter of Sigurd and the legendary Valkyrie leader: Brynhildr! I give you, Rias' Second Rook... Rossweisse Brynhildr!**

Rossweisse waved to the crowd, shooting a brief glare to Odin in the crowd, which made the old god sweat.

"She's gonna kill me, isn't she?" Odin asked worried.

"That's fairly accurate, right Vidar?" Thor agreed.

When the strongest Norse God didn't hear anything, he raised an eyebrow before turning, which is when he noticed his blushing expression towards the Valkyrie on the field.

"She's beautiful." Vidar whispered, still blushing.

Thor's eyes widened at what he just heard, turning his head to focus on the field once more.

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**She's a hotheaded powerhouse, while being a gullible church raised swords woman that possesses the incredible power of Durandal! I give you, Rias' First Pawn... Xenovia Quarta!**

Xenovia walked into view, holding Durandal over her shoulder as she did.

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**Then last, but definitely not least, another Holy Sword Project Survivor, holding a powerful defense that almost none can break, and mastery of the bow and arrow! I give you, Rias' Second Pawn and her final retainer... Tosca Shirayumi!**

Smiling brightly, Tosca waved to the crowd, an excited look on her face.

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**Let's hear it for Team Extinguished Star of Gremory!**

The crowd all applauds for her Rias' team. As that was going on, from within the east gate, Sona was seen taking a deep breath as her team waited for Naud's individual introductions of them.

"Sona, you doing OK?" Saji asked.

"Truth be told, standing here right now? My nerves won't stop. I doubt any Devil wouldn't be nervous on their first game, but... I won't let that stop us from winning." Sona answered.

She looked forward, clasping her hands together as she blushed.

'Win or lose, I'll fight with everything I've got!' Sona promised herself.

* * *

In some other location, Zephyrdor suddenly found himself tied up, one of his eyes closed as blood ran over it. He looked up at the one who captured her, glaring at the woman with hate, who looked back without a care.

"What your planning... won't ever be realized! I swear, my brother will stop you, and then he'll come for me!" Zephyrdor shouted.

"Come for you? Oh, how cute." She replied.

She rose a hand, causing some kind of shadow to form, followed by the sound of sharpening blades. Zephyrdor's uninjured eye widened, looking at the sight before him in horror.

"You actually think we need you alive." She glared, motioning her hand forward.

Zephyrdor tried using his power to break away from his chains, but more of them suddenly forced to grab him, making him whimper as the weapons aimed at him, all ready to deal the finishing blow.

"Ereilie! Falbium! Please, help me!" Zephyrdor begged.

The girl swung her hand forward, making the weapons fly before she chose to leave the room, which was soon drowned by Zephyrdor's final screams. As she opened the door to exit, the dead Devil's arm slumped to the ground.

"His sheer arrogance, claiming to be related to the Devil King... still, he gave us what we needed." The woman replied, soon giving a slight smirk.

* * *

**That's right, you just saw me kill off Zephyrdor without any hints to it. Let that be a warning to the fact that things just got real in this arc. Canon mentions that he was a replacement heir after the original died at Shalba's hands, so to try shaking things up, I had that reversed in my story, which is why Ereilie was made to be that the nameless Heir that was his brother or sister.**

**Anyways, we finally have our 16 teams for the tournament, and know their team names. The first match is already a shock as Rias and Sona will be fighting first, and Sairaorg's gonna be fighting in the match after theirs. We've already seen some of the peerage members spread across the Maou Heirs in this match, and we have no idea who the others have.**

**I may have said this before, though in case I didn't? A majority if not all of those in the other Heirs' peerages may not even get names, or shown much beyond their games, as they'll be among those eliminated before the Quarterfinals are even reached. Managing that many will be hard, so only a certain few can really shine, which is probably why Ishibumi couldn't show every battle in the novels.**

**So, who do you think will win the match between Rias and Sona? Will it be like canon, with Rias' victory? Or, will I surprise you by having Sona win? Also, what happened to Zephyrdor to get him captured, who was the one who took his life? Most of all, what did they manage to learn from him? Guess we won't know for a while, but I think we already know who helped make capturing him possible.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

* * *

** Seekvaira's Peerage ** **:**

**King - Seekvaira Agares**   
**Queen - Alivian**   
**Bishops - Eleanor, Emily**   
**Knights - Skyla, Petros**   
**Rooks - Johnny, Guina [Mutation Piece: x4 Multiplier]**   
**Pawns - Aria (x2), Kaze (x6)**

**Additional Notes:  
~ Eleanor is the Strategist of Seekvaira's peerage  
~ Sora and Petros both have Sacred Gears  
~ Johnny is a Werewolf  
~ Guina has a Sacred Gear, and is a descendant of Guinevere  
~ Aria is a Siren**

* * *

** Ereilie's Peerage ** **:**

**King - Ereilie Glasya-Labolas**   
**Queen - Midnight**   
**Bishops - Kaleidoscope (x2)**   
**Knights - Arcana Woodman, Kirin**   
**Rooks - Renee, Axel**   
**Pawns - Lotus (x8)**

**Additional Notes:  
~ Midnight is a Human/Angel/Devil hybrid, and has a Sacred Gear  
~ Kaleidoscope has a Sacred Gear  
~ Arcana Woodman is a Magician, and is a descendant of William Robert Woodman  
~ Renee is a Harpy  
~ Axel has a Sacred Gear  
~ Lotus has a Sacred Gear**

* * *

** Bust Size of New Female Characters ** **:**

**Amalya Astaroth - 97 cm**

**Ereilie Glasya-Labolas - 97 cm**

**Eneely Vassago - 101 cm**

**Jeevuni Decarabia - 88 cm**

**Illini Bifrons - 92 cm**

**Seekvaira Agares - 99 cm**

**Irufea Valefor - 98 cm**

* * *

** Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter ** **:**

**【** **Accel Jet** **】** **  
The signature ability of the Glasya-Labolas Clan. It allows the user to move at supersonic speeds, while coating them in an aura that if made contact with, feels like being run into a speeding train. After building up enough speed, the user can create something similar to a weak sonic boom.**

**【** **Jungle Spirit** **】** **  
The signature ability of the Marchosias Clan. It allows the user to bond with an animal, and gain all of their powers, with experienced users being able to merge the power of two animals together. The downside is certain animals also give a weakness, like becoming cold-blooded.**

**【** **Cosmic Render** **】** **  
The signature ability of the Vassago Clan, and the counterpart ability to the Agares Clan's Chrono Break. The user can distort a certain area of space, somewhat bending physics in that area, or causing massive damage to it. The user can also distort space around themselves, without taking any damage.**

**【** **Chrono Break** **】** **  
The signature ability of the Agares Clan, and the counterpart ability to the Vassago Clan's Cosmic Render. It allows the user to manipulate time, allowing them to slow it down, or speed it up.**

**【** **Metallic Mayhem** **】** **  
The signature ability of the Amon Clan. It allows the user to coat their body in an iron shell, giving them the boons and banes of iron. However, if the user can find another metal to touch, provided it isn't poisonous to them (like Arsenic), they can take its properties instead.**

**【** **Akashic Calculative** **】** **  
The signature ability of the Astaroth Clan. It allows the user to create magical screens that can gather information related to tactics, plans, strategies, and is basically a magical version of an internet search engines. The only limit to this power is it can't search information that no one has, making it useless to get answers about the unknown.**

**【** **Phoenix Heart** **】** **  
The signature ability of the Phenex Clan. Those with this ability gain an immortal body and high affinity for the elements of fire, wind, and light. The user's regeneration can even heal the loss of the head and/or heart, but only if the user has enough magic, and it does nothing against mental attacks.**

* * *

** Pairings List ** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating  
Ddraig/Albion - Married  
Tiamat/Fafnir - Married  
Ophis/Great Red - Married  
Saji/Sona - Dating, and is Saji's main love interest  
Saji/Momo - Momo likes him, and Saji's considering a harem that includes her  
Saji/Ruruko - Ruruko likes him, and Saji's considering a harem that includes her  
Gasper/Valerie - Dating  
Kiba/Tosca - Dating  
Hina/Nanami - Dating  
Shuriliu/Coriana - Dating, and is Shuriliu's main love interest  
Shuriliu/Her Peerage - Dating  
Rias/Akeno - Engaged  
Rossweisse/Vidar - Rossweisse hasn't met Vidar, while Vidar may have experienced love at first sight**


	28. Chapter 28

**Welcome back everyone!** **The time has come for the Rating Game between Rias and Sona, and there's quite a lot that will happen in this chapter, including introducing something new that while insignificant for the time being, will echo into later seasons. Either way, this is where we truly start the Rating Game Tournament, because we've finally got an actual Rating Game!**

**Not only that, but this match between Rias and Sona will showcase one of the new match types created for the Rating Game Tournament. For what kind of match it is? Well, you might be surprised by it, so I can't say anymore due to spoilers. Either way, this Rating Game will have a certain focus on a member of Sona's peerage, and it's none other than Tomoe.**

**Right now, you might be asking, why Tomoe of all characters? Well, notice how her Sacred Gear has always been sheathed, and the one time she tried to take the blade out, Sona stopped her? You're finally going to get an answer to that mystery behind why Sona won't let her draw the sword within it. The other reason is because this chapter, the focus is going to most of our sword wielders, so pay attention to Kiba, Jeanne, and Xenovia.**

**Alright, with that out of the way, let's get started!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

 **[]** \- Ddraig Talking

 **«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

 **「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

 **【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

 **⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

**Tartarus**

**The realm of the dead, and while currently linked to Greek Mythology because of Hades being its current ruler, it's really a land below the Earth like Hell and the Underworld; only existing long before them, and being in a completely different location. Just like how those who are good go to Heaven when they die, anyone who is the exact opposite is taken here, living as they deserve for their evil actions.**

**While no one knows how the region came into existence, Lilith can verify that this wasn't where she was imprisoned, though it may have been connected to it, or was possibly made after Hell was founded. Either way, at a certain point of time, the Half-God race known as the Grim Reapers were born and came to call Tartarus as their home, while Hades began ruling the region.**

**As shown by Bennia, despite the conditions in Tartarus being considered horrible to live in, and a place few would actually want to visit by most species, the Grim Reapers find it the exact opposite, like their own Garden of Eden due to how different they are. The key example being that most people other than some like the Greek Goddess Persephone find their food strange, with Bennia not understanding why.**

**Lilith visited the realm once, having had enough of Hades' attitude towards the Devils, Demons, and Fallen Angels. The end result of this meeting caused Hades to have his skin melted off by the River Styx, leaving him in the state he is today, and too afraid of crossing Lilith... although, Bennia is fairly sure this will change if Hades can become stronger.**

**Other names for the realm exist, the name of Tartarus is considered the official one via the Grim Reapers' constant use of it.**

* * *

**_Season 3, Diodora Arc: Chapter 5 - Gremory-Sitri Showdown!_ **

The crowd keeps cheering as Naud turned to introduce Sona's.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
And now, for our second team! She's the little sister of Serafall Leviathan, being a genius girl who was once strict, but has recently loosened up to have some fun, and at the best possible time! I give you... Sona Sitri!**

From the east gate of the arena, Sona finally came into view.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
She came from the Shinra Clan, and has a one of a kind Sacred Gear born from a hidden power that transformed after becoming a Devil! I give you, Sona's Queen... Tsubaki Shinra!**

Tsubaki soon followed, adjusting her glasses slightly.

 **【** **Naud** **】**  
 **Her Sacred Gear's barriers are strong, sturdy, and stylish, while also being a master of the magic spell: Reverse! I give you, Sona's First Bishop... Momo Hanakai!**

Momo walked onto the field, keeping a composed look.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
She's calm under pressure and always keeps focused on the task at hand, but keeps a nice smile through it all when it's needed! I give you, Sona's Second Bishop... Reya Kusaka!**

Reya waved towards the crowd, showing that very smile.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
This girl's a swordsman with a sheathed blade her King won't allow her to draw, but a still leaves a fierce cut without using its blade! I give you, Sona's First Knight... Tomoe Meguri!**

Tomoe raised a hand into the air, making everyone cheer.

 **【** **Naud** **】**  
 **She's a Grim Reaper who ran from home, but this Half-God's tenacity is probably more terrifying than the skull mask she wears! I give you, Sona's Second Knight... Bennia Orcus!**

Bennia flew in on her scythe, hanging upside as she wore the mask, scaring everyone before she took it off.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
The woman with the charm of a man, and a powerful yo-yo shield that smashes through any obstacle like a portable wrecking ball! I give you, Sona's First Rook... Tsubasa!**

Tsubasa walked into the field, with many men instantly blushing at her charms.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
He's a magician, here's a werewolf, he's a college student, and most of all, his bark is just as bad as his bite! I give you, Sona's Second Rook... Loup Garou, or as he likes to be called, Rugal!**

Rugal had his eyes closed as he walked onto the field, both his hands in his pockets.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
If you think you can outrun this girl, then you've got a 99% chance of being horribly wrong about it, especially she proves it by kicking you with even just one of her two feet! I give you, Sona's First Pawn... Ruruko Nimura!**

Ruruko ran onto the field, back flipping a few times before she gave a curtsy, making everyone applaud her entrance.

 **【** **Naud** **】**  
 **He holds the power of the strongest Evil Dragon, one of the Five Dragon Kings, and recently fused the four Vritra Gears into one! I give you, Sona's Second Pawn, and final retainer... Saji Genshirou!**

Saji gave a thumb's up to the crowd.

 **【** **Adam** **】**  
 **Everyone, we give to you... Team Magic Blue Waves of Sitri!**

Two crowds all applauded for Sona's team.

With that, both sides met near the middle of the arena, both showing expressions saying they'd be the ones walking away with the win.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
Alright, for this match, our chosen field will be... the Dragon Mountains!**

 **【** **Adam** **】**  
 **Now, time for us to reveal the type of battle we've chosen for today's game!**

The screen extension revealed the image of a person image with a floating crown, with an arrow showing that crown moving to hover over the images of multiple people on the other part of the screen, with a question mark on the left and right sides of said crown.

 **【** **Naud** **】**  
 **It's one of our new match types! Everyone, say hello to... the Hidden King game!**

Everyone showed confusion on that, prompting Naud to chuckle.

 **【** **Adam** **】**  
 **The name sounds exactly like it does, because in this Rating Game, we've had the retirement system set to randomly choose one of each team's members to be the King in place of the King! In other words, any opponent on the opposing team that's beaten... could result in an instant loss!**

Both teams gasped at that, realizing any one of them being defeated meant it was game over for them.

"Oh no, that means my strategy won't work anymore." Sona realized.

"Then we'll just have to improvise." Saji decided.

Rias looked at the members of her team, hoping they could handle such an unexpected change.

"Everyone still holding onto their confidence?" She asked.

"Yeah, I think we're good." Jeanne answered.

"I do wonder, which one of us did the system choose as the King?" Tosca questioned.

As they thought about it, the arena suddenly released a green energy field, transporting them to a copy of the Dragon Mountains. Both sides got ready as they realized the match was about to start.

 **【** **Naud** **】**  
 **Now, let the Rating Game... Begin!**

At the sound of the signal team, the crowd went wild.

Both teams looked at each other, nodding their heads before they split up across the area, readying themselves to face anything that might come their way.

The first on the Sitri Team to make a move was Ruruko, who dashed at high speeds to sneak near the area that a certain Valkyrie was flying in. Once she was close enough, she stopped running, keeping her eye on Rossweisse's position.

'OK, think Ruruko, what did Sona best define Rossweisse as?' She thought.

After tapping her chin a bit, she remembered.

'Ah, that's right, a flying canon! Her magic's on a level beyond Rias and Sona's, making her Rook a good choice by giving her more strength and defense. I'll need to rely on attacking her before she notices, and quick enough to get through her defenses. Though before I do that...' Ruruko decided.

Ruruko resumed running, and quickly reached her intended destination, the Gremory Team's base.

" **Promotion, to Queen.** " Ruruko whispered as she felt her Pawn piece transform.

Turning around, she smirked as she noticed Rossweisse's position had stayed on her predicted path, and got into running position once more.

 **「** **High School DxD: Tennis, Tanoshimimasu** **」**

"Alright, I've got my promotion! Now it's time to take her down!" Ruruko declared.

Ruruko soon used her further enhanced speed to zoom to the top of one mountain peak, quickly using her legs to kick off towards another mountain's peak, as she began to near it, and by extension, near Rossweisse's location in the sky...

"Rossweisse, behind you!" She exclaimed.

"Huh?" Rossweisse turned around in response.

But when she did, the Sitri Pawn had already vanished because of her speed. Using her opening, Ruruko flipped her legs so she would land on the mountain, and then used the force to ricochet towards her with her right foot out.

" **Ricochet Rocket!** "

Rossweisse saw how fast her speed was, and barely managed to throw her hand out to form a shield, right as Ruruko's foot smashed into it.

The Valkyrie soon gasped, feeling her body being pushed back, with her shield cracking as they shot to the ground. As the crowd watched, they all gasped as Rossweisse's feet skidded across the dirt, forming a large dust cloud, with Ruruko's kick still keeping its power going.

 **【** **Adam** **】**  
 **Holy smokes! If I know my facts right, Valkyries are a Half-God race, so to have a Devil's kick do that damage to a shield? That's a huge achievement!**

Eventually, Rossweisse shifted her foot, and a burst of dust went off.

 **「** **Insert Song End** **」**

Ruruko used her left foot to keep her balance, panting as the power of her kick finally came to an end, and faded away.

 **【** **Naud** **】**  
 **Looks like the dust is clearing. Alright then, let's see what the aftermath of Ruruko's attack was!**

The smoke finally cleared, and what Ruruko saw was...

 **「** **Fairy Tail: Three Dragon Slayers** **」**

Rossweisse perfectly fine, her shield cracked, but still full intact despite the crushing force it just had to endure. Ruruko's eyes shook in disbelief, unable to believe Rossweisse's shield had been _that_ strong to handle her attack, especially since she had promoted into Queen.

 **【** **Naud** **】**  
 **Oh, my god... Rossweisse, she's perfectly fine! She completely absorbed the shock of the attack!**

The entire crowd cheered at this, while Ruruko shook in fear.

"How? How could you have defended against that!?" Ruruko questioned as she panicked, jumping back a bit.

"Simple, one of the basics of a shield is they're meant to cover a whole area of an attack, however..." Rossweisse explained, holding her shield forward.

Ruruko looked, soon noticing it slowly vanish until only the center area of the shield remained, making her eyes widen as she saw it was completely intact. No matter how close she looked, there wasn't any trace of damage.

"No way... you sacrificed the shield's area to focus on the singular spot my kick would hit!" Ruruko realized it.

The crowd gave screams of complete surprise, with even Naud's eye twitching at what the Gremory Rook had just pulled off.

 **【** **Adam** **】**  
 **Of course, she converted the excess mass into a single area, limiting the shield's range in exchange for amplifying the its durability. They say Shiva has a similar technique where he focuses all his power into his finger, which he once did to shatter what was believed to be an unbreakable shield.**

 **【** **Naud** **】**  
 **You just heard it from Adam! Rossweisse took a gamble, and it paid off in her favor! Now Ruruko's wide open and her element of surprise is no more!**

Ruruko sweated nervously, realizing the pickle she was in.

'That's not the kind of gamble you can normally risk, and it wasn't random luck either... she was able to tell exactly where my kick would land before I could fully aim it! Is this what kind of prodigy let her be chosen as Odin's bodyguard despite we're the same age!?' Ruruko thought.

Moving her hands, the Rook of Gremory focused shield back to its previous appearance before it shattered.

"Now, it's time for me to retaliate against your attack!" Rossweisse declared.

 **「** **Insert Song End** **」**

The Valkyrie swiped her hands forward, making the shattered fragments become two rings of six magic circles aimed at the Sitri Pawn. Rossweisse summoned her lance, and quickly thrust it forward, causing every circle to fire magical beams.

" **Balance Breaker: Phantom Shift!** "

Ruruko sped away, creating multiple afterimages of herself in an attempt to confuse Rossweisse.

"Sorry, but I'm not going to fall for that trick." Rossweisse apologized, smirking a bit.

Flying into the air, Rossweisse soon tossed her spear in front of the area that Ruruko was in front of, causing the ground to shatter upon making contact. The real Ruruko was soon thrown into the air, and then... a beam hit her.

"Sona, I'm sorry!" Ruruko apologized.

She instantly faded into blue light, showing she was out of the match.

 **【** **Naud** **】**  
 **One of Lady Sona's Pawns. Retired!**

_[Rias Gremory: 10 | Sona Sitri: 9]_

The crowd cheered, with the Valkyrie taking a deep breath as she landed.

 **【** **Naud** **】**  
 **No King response detected, that means Ruruko was not the Sitri side's Hidden King! This match isn't over yet!**

Rossweisse sighed, hoping she had been lucky.

"Well, I guess that just means the others will have to hope they're luckier than I was." Rossweisse remarked.

* * *

Tosca was seen running across the field, with Bennia laughing as she chased after her, wearing her skull mask on her face, which had its eyes glowing. Flipping into the air, the Gremory Pawn formed her bow, and readied an arrow at her.

" **Radiant Arrow!** "

The arrow soared towards the Grim Reaper, who simply smirked under her mask.

"Not gonna work on me!" Bennia shouted, spinning to slash her scythe through the arrow.

"Oh no!" Tosca gasped.

Bennia lunged at her, swinging down her scythe to strike Tosca with it.

" **Shield!** "

A shield formed in front of Tosca, making Bennia's scythe bounce off as she was flung back a bit. Once she landed, Tosca readied her bow for an attack, hoping she'd have the chance to charge it long enough.

"If only I had help... please, I need you, Kiba!" Tosca called out.

" **Sword Birth!** "

Bennia was about to rush again, only to see a wave of swords suddenly charge at her, and forcing her to block with her scythe. Turning around, Kiba appeared by Tosca's side. The entire crowd cheered at that.

 **【** **Adam** **】**  
 **It seems the dashing prince of the Gremory Team has arrived, like a knight in shining armor!**

Tosca's face gave a smile, her eyes filling up with happy tears.

"Kiba... you came!" Tosca said softly.

"You did well holding her off, now's your chance." Kiba replied.

"Right, I'll do my best." She replied, giving a light blush with her smile.

Charging her arrow all the way, she aimed it at the sir, firing a long arrow into the sky, confusing Bennia as she looked.

" **Radiant Arrow Storm!** "

"Storm!?" Bennia repeated.

Bennia suddenly saw the one arrow split into hundreds, making her scream as she suddenly moved, with a huge explosion of smoke covering the area. Seeing her success, Tosca hugged Kiba tightly, surprising him enough to blush.

"Kiba, I could kiss you right now!" Tosca exclaimed.

It took her a few seconds to realize she said that, making her blush heavily as she let go.

"I... said that out loud, didn't I?" Tosca realized in horror.

"Yeah... you did." Kiba nervously laughed.

Tosca covered her face, completely embarrassed as the crowd slightly laughed at the situation before them.

 **【** **Naud** **】**  
 **Ooh! Looks like we've got love blooming on the battlefield, however... I don't see anything showing Bennia's retired, so she's still in the game!**

The two panicked, keeping their guards up, but it was no use.

Bennia appeared from their blind spot, which was overhead, and swung down her scythe across both of them. The two both showed surprise before they were both knocked back a bit, leaving the Grim Reaper to snicker a bit.

"I love jump scares, especially ones that happen in a battle like this!" She exclaimed.

Tosca tried to get up, only to scream as she felt her ankle flare up.

"Kiba, my leg... I think it got twisted during the attack." She whimpered, holding the pained limb.

"Don't worry, I'll fight for both of us." Kiba promised.

Turning towards Bennia, the Grim Reaper Knight readied herself... only to widen her eyes as Kiba suddenly brought out a new sword made of golden crystals, being one she recognized.

"No way... how do you have Chrysaor!?" She exclaimed.

"During the weeks between our visit Alfheim and the tournament announcement, Rias brought us to visit Olympus, and I got this sword from Lady Demeter upon hear noticing it wanted me to wield it." Arthur explained.

"Of all the rotten luck!" Bennia complained.

Naud looked at Adam at that moment, getting the Demon King's attention.

 **【** **Naud** **】**  
 **Adam, do you know what this Holy Sword can do?**

 **【** **Adam** **】**  
 **It has a powerful cleaving ability like Durandal, but a lot weaker, though its true power? It halves the damage the wielder receives. For a swordsman like Kiba that's not as durable as the other swordsmen in Rias' peerage, this is a good sword.**

He paused for a moment, and then remembered one important detail.

 **【** **Adam** **】**  
 **Oh yeah, the reason it likely chose Kiba as its new wielder is because he shows knightly virtues despite his weak defenses. Such noble dedication likely drew in Chrysaor, so he could have more durability to achieve tasks he could have struggled with before.**

Kiba rushed ahead holding out the sword as Bennia giggled.

"Alright, let me show you what put the Grim in Grim Reaper." She smirked, holding her scythe out.

Putting on her mask, the eyes flashed before she vanished from view, making Kiba and Tosca nervous.

" **Grim Harvest!** "

Kiba immediately turned to parry a blow form Bennia's scythe, with Chrysaor glowing as its damage halving power activated.

"Faster than I thought you were." She admitted.

"Same here, I'd have definitely lost if I didn't notice you in time." Kiba admitted.

"Are you sure?" Bennia asked.

Confused by her words, Kiba suddenly felt his eyes widen as a slash hit him, making him retire instantly. Tosca tried to call out to him, only for her to suddenly have the same happen to her.

Bennia winced a bit, holding her arm that got hit by Chrysaor due to taking the blow for her strike to hit.

"OK, never doing that again..." She told herself.

 **【** **Naud** **】**  
 **One of Lady Rias' Pawns, and one of her Knights! Retired!**

_[Rias Gremory: 8 | Sona Sitri: 9]_

Bennia snickered a bit, soon flipping onto her head, and spinning around like a record player.

 **【** **Naud** **】**  
 **No reaction from either player, meaning neither of them were the Hidden Kings! The Game continues.**

"Seriously!?" Bennia complained.

* * *

Shirone was sniffing around, soon turning as a familiar werewolf lunged at her.

"Why'd I see this coming?" Shirone sighed.

Shirone jumped back a bit, dodging Rugal's fist as it smashed into the ground. Right as he got up, he quickly threw his fists forward, making Shirone do the same.

" **Woof!** " Rugal barked to intimidate her.

" **Meow!** " Shirone hissed in response.

After one strong punch, the two pushed one another back, forcing Rugal to get on all fours. He gave a loud howl, making streams of magic rip out of the ground, and then lash towards her.

"What is-" Shirone gasped.

Before she could properly react, the magic streams had completely encompassed her body, binding her to the ground as they began pulling her against it, presumably trying to knock her out from the intense pressure.

"Now, time to finish this." Rugal declared.

The werewolf magician got back on two legs, and rushed towards the Gremory Rook in an attempt to slam his fists, and immediately retire her.

"Sorry, but this cat still has something she hasn't let out of the bag." Shirone warned.

"I doubt that in this moment!" Rugal responded.

Right as he prepared to slam down, Shirone's eyes suddenly flashed, synchronizing her Touki with the area around her. Before he could even near her, Rugal was sent flying back

 **【** **Naud** **】**  
 **Huh? Wait, what is... anyone know what she's doing here?**

" **Nekomata Mode: LV 2!** "

Spinning around, the sight of Shirone's tails growing a bit longer was seen, with the fur becoming a bit less tamed as if to represent a release of sealed power.

"Kuroka, what is this?" Kelsey asked.

"A state where we focus our Senjutsu across our veins, empower ourselves as long as we can hold our concentration. Shirone hadn't learned to do this back when Rias and Riser fought, and I only prefer to use it when necessary." The Black Nekoshou explained.

Rugal stared at her technique, wondering what she had just done.

"Is this the true power of a Nekoshou?" Rugal questioned.

Shirone looked at Rugal, who became more guarded as she focused her eyes towards him.

"Even though she knew we might face each other, my sister taught me how to master my power, and now I'm going to show her efforts weren't meaningless!" Shirone stated.

" **Kasha!** "

Wheels of white fire formed from the chi around Shirone, who channeled her Senjutsu to send them flying at the werewolf. He quickly began making a magic circle in the air.

 **⟨** **"Mighty moon shining out of sight, lend me power while I stand in the sun's might!"** **⟩** Rugal chanted.

" **Lunatic Rampage!** "

Rugal roared loudly before his body got larger, more muscular, and his fur became purple in a few areas. He dashed forward, crashing through the Kasha with his now sturdier body tanking all the damage.

 **【** **Adam** **】**  
 **Now this is the kind of battle between cats and dogs!**

 **【** **Naud** **】**  
 **Shirone's gotten stronger, but it seems that Rugal's activated a Custom Spell that's put him on a rampage just to fight back! I wonder how this will go?**

Shirone back flipped out of the way, with Rugal crashing into the nearby mountain wall.

"I'll just have to use his mind running on full instinct to my advantage." Shirone said with a nervous sweat on her face.

* * *

Meanwhile with the two Heiresses, Sona was racing sideways as she tried to defeat Rias, who was doing the same with her.

" **Devouring Whirlpool!** "

Gathering water in her hand, Sona swung it out to creating a nine-headed version of her water serpent, forming a water hydra as a result of it.

" **Crossing Demise!** "

Rias crossed her arms, firing out a Power of Destruction sphere that exploded into a wave.

The hydra rushed at the shot, burning a bit as the wave hit, before it rumbled a bit, pushing Rias' attack back. Though before it could do anymore, Rias formed another two spheres, and tossed them forward.

" **Silent Fang!** "

The two orbs made Rias' initial wave reshape themselves like jaws, and chomped the hydra entirely.

"You're wide open, Rias!" Sona smirked.

Rias was confused, only to see that Sona had unleashed her bloodline ability all around her.

" **Creation Wave: Freeze!** "

Rias was soon hit by water, causing her to be partially frozen in ice.

"S-s-s-so c-c-cold!" Rias shivered.

 **【** **Naud** **】**  
 **Brr... that was a chilling move by Sona, but will that ice manage to hold long enough?**

Skating across the icy landscape, Sona went to find the other members of Rias' team.

'Hope I find the Hidden King, or we might be in trouble.' She thought.

* * *

Jeanne thrust forward, stabbing Hauteclere's rapier blade at Tomoe, who parried a bit before a strike hit her, and knocking herself back. Panting a bit, she held up her sheathed sword, only to widen her eyes as Jeanne managed to instantly close the gap again.

" **Balance Breaker: Stake Victim Dragon!** "

Tomoe screamed as the Holy Sword Dragon appeared, firing off its signature breath against her.

After the attack ended, Tomoe struggled to get back on her feet, seeing Jeanne swing out Hauteclere as she and her Balance Breaker neared her. As the Sitri Knight did, she sighed a bit.

"Guess the time to use it has come." She realized.

Looking at Jeanne, she gave a serious expression, catching the Gremory Pawn off-guard.

"Jeanne, let me ask you something... do you know why I've never unsheathed my Sacred Gear?" Tomoe inquired.

"Uh... no, that never really crossed my mind." Jeanne admitted.

Tomoe closed her eyes, getting the crowd's attention, with both announcers going equally silent.

"Because my Sacred Gear's not like most. Just like a rare few Sacred Gears are blessed with power that can challenge the Gods, others are... corrupted, cursed to only bring suffering, harm, or worse to their users. These Sacred Gears are known by another name, the _Cursed Gears_ **.** " Tomoe explained.

Jeanne's eyes widened at that.

"No way, are you saying that you have..." The Gremory Knight realized, feeling her body shaking.

"This is one of those horrible Sacred Gears, the one known as... Cursed Killer Muramasa." She confirmed.

Jeanne gasped at that, as did most of the crowd.

 **【** **Adam** **】**  
 **Uh... hey Naud, do you know what these "Cursed Gears" she's referring to are?**

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
Based on what I've heard, they're an extremely type of Sacred Gear that's become darker in nature, becoming something like villains in media that was corrupted into their current state. Based on what we're seeing... Tomoe has one of the remaining few that haven't been purified or destroyed, and that means she's wielding a weapon dangerous to even herself.**

Raising up her sheath, Tomoe gripped it tightly.

"Sona, I know you won't let me use it, but... there's just too much on the line for me to let us fall from the start! Please forgive me!" Tomoe begged.

For the first time, everyone saw Tomoe unsheathe the cursed blade she wielded.

The blade was revealed to be red, in the same crimson shade as the very blood it had spilled over the centuries... in moments, the Sitri Knight's eyes convulsed as she felt something invade her senses.

 **「** **Attack on Titan: Counterattack Mankind - First Half Only** **」**

She screamed loudly, as streams of shadow escaped the Cursed Gear bearing the macabre name belonging to the very legend it was. The sword tainted with sin, which was the rival of the Masamune.

"Tomoe!" Sona screamed, realizing what she had done.

Markings began crawling on Tomoe's body, making everyone look at her fearfully.

She screamed as the voice hissed into her ears, the shadows trying to grab hold of her, with two brief glows of red eyes showing, only to quickly disappear.

"Bear it... I can bear it!" Tomoe promised herself.

Everyone watched as Tomoe opened her eyes, and markings struggled to keep moving, showing she was beginning to resist her.

"All my life, this Sacred Gear had made me sick, slowly killing me every day that went by... however, Sona found me, and she saved me by turning me into a Devil! I will... not hesitate! I will... control this sword, and pay back her kindness in as many years this blade once stole from me!" Tomoe shouted.

She screamed once more as the markings shattered apart, making her pant as she gripped the blade, surprising everyone as only Muramasa's dark aura was left.

"Muramasa, you... obey me now." She panted.

 **「** **Insert Song End** **」**

Sona couldn't believe her eyes, seeing the impossible before her.

"Tomoe... you actually managed to tame it!" Sona cried, shedding happy tears.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
I'm not sure of everything that just happened, but it looks like Tomoe's about to show us her _real_ strength!**

 **【** **Adam** **】** **  
Oh yeah, this will definitely be an exciting game from here on out!**

Jeanne had a bead of sweat drop down her face.

"You actually managed to control such a dark power... that's amazing." Jeanne breathed.

Tomoe panted as she held her blade up, showing despite taming the blade, the stress of doing so had taken a noticeable toll on her.

"This blade has spilled the blood of many, especially the innocent. The feelings of their sadness, their despair, their fear... such a curse is a heavy weight to wield. However, if I can hold such a weight, there's no way I'll fail to make Sona's dream a reality!" Tomoe shouted.

"Alright, come at me, Tomoe!" Jeanne declared.

Tomoe rushed forward in an instant, now possessing double her original speed. Jeanne barely had time to parry her now increased striking speed with Hauteclere as she was pushed back slightly with each strike.

'Holy shit! Is this the sword's blood lust enhancing her body's physical strength? Maybe even her instincts? Regardless, she's nothing like before!' Jeanne grunted.

She jumped back, rushing forward as she clashed her blade with Tomoe's... only to see the shadows overwhelm Hauteclere's purifying ability.

"This curse... it's too great for even Hauteclere to destroy!?" Jeanne gasped.

"With all the suffering this blade holds, you can't simply clean it of its dark past, and now you'll see just what kind of power it's created!" Tomoe shouted.

Jeanne quickly jumped away.

"Fire!" She ordered.

The Stake Victim Dragon prepared another breath attack, but Tomoe shifted her feet and rushed forward with a loud scream, slashing at the drake of holy swords.

To the surprise of everyone, it shattered in seconds.

"Holy shit... so, this is the power... of a Cursed Gear..." Jeanne breathed.

Tomoe screamed before dashing forward, and then slashed the ground, sending a wave of darkness out to swallow Jeanne, making her vanish in a blue light.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
One of Lady Rias' Pawns. Retired!**

_[Rias Gremory: 7 | Sona Sitri: 9]_

As she lifted her sword back up, Tomoe panted a bit.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
Once again, it seems that we had another retirement that wasn't the Hidden King! The game's still going!**

'Dang it... I lost too much of my strength containing Muramasa's power. I need to avoid another fight, because if I'm the Hidden King of my team... we're in trouble.' Tomoe thought to herself.

Right as her thoughts ended, her eyes widened as she dodged a familiar slash of holy light, making the Sitri Swordsman turn around. Standing across from her, the sight of Xenovia could be seen, holding Durandal in her hands.

"Guess it was wishful thinking I could run." Tomoe sighed, readying Muramasa.

"Let us finish this, Tomoe. I have a good feeling that the winner of this battle... will decide this match itself." Xenovia declared, readying Durandal.

From the announcer's spot, the sight of a screen showing the Hidden Kings was revealed, and the two faces were none other than Tomoe and Xenovia. Just as the Gremory Knight had guessed, their battle would decide the winner.

"Of course, for our honor as the Knights of our Kings." Tomoe shouted, rushing forward.

Xenovia rushed forward as well, and the two began clashing blades with each other. Xenovia managed to keep up with Tomoe's blade strikes better than Jeanne, thanks to her Knight traits giving her better reaction times.

Spinning around, Xenovia felt herself slightly pushed back from the force of Muramasa's blade.

'I think I can do this, Xenovia's slightly slowed by Durandal being a heavy sword, if I can just keep my speed advantage.' Tomoe panted.

"I didn't think I'd have to reveal my own hidden ace this early, but I can't risk losing here." Xenovia stated.

Tomoe's eyes widened, and Xenovia held out her hand.

"Great Mary Magdalene, grant me your wise clairvoyance, give me the blessing of the son who died for our sins, and be my light on the dark path I can't see." Xenovia chanted.

Forming above her, a portal dropped a sword into Xenovia's other hand, revealing a one-handed blade with a similar thickness to Durandal, though with small gem shards styled in a floral pattern on the blade.

"In the name of the light shining with this blade, I call on the strength of Joyeuse, now and forever!" Xenovia exclaimed.

Everyone was surprised by her second Holy Sword, including her own teammates.

"Two swords... but how? If you had two, why did you only ever use Durandal?" Tomoe asked, unable to believe what she was seeing.

"You're right. My true strength aside from using a strong, but heavy sword is the fact I use two swords. However, I didn't have the strength to wield them both until recently, so I decided to hide until the right moment came." Xenovia answered.

"Crap..." Tomoe sweated.

 **「** **Akame ga Kill: Akame VS Esdeath** **」**

Tomoe screamed as she rushed ahead, unleashing a powerful amount of shadow towards the Knight of Gremory. The blue-haired swordsman had her eye briefly flash, and she managed to completely dodge every stream that shot towards her.

"What!?" Tomoe shouted in surprise.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
Holy shit, is it just me, or did she move past those attacks like she knew they were coming!?**

 **【** **Adam** **】** **  
No, she _did_ know they were coming!**

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
Wait, she did?**

 **【** **Adam** **】**  
 **The power of Joyeuse is short-span clairvoyance, to see a single second into the future. Even a single moment like that can make a huge difference in the right circumstances, especially if you can react in time.**

Everyone gasped at that, with Tomoe sweating a bit.

'There's no way I can surprise her if she can do that! All I can do now is try to go even faster, so that her one second is too slow to stop me!' She realized.

Tomoe rushed forward, stabbing Muramasa at the fastest possible speeds she could manage. Each time she did, Xenovia spun around, using both swords to parry her blows, while countering at a rate even Tomoe struggled to adapt to.

At that moment, Tomoe suddenly stumbled, gasping as she realized her stamina was almost completely gone.

"I respect your determination, but I'm afraid you've reached your limit!" Xenovia shouted, crossing her blades into an X-shape.

"No, this is... I can't..." Tomoe grunted.

Swinging both of her swords down, also in an x-shape, Xenovia called her strongest attack.

" **Cross Crisis!** "

a giant "X" made of holy light burst forward from her swing, ripping the ground it was touching as it neared the Knight of Sitri. Before she could even react, Tomoe was flung into the air, and soon landed on the ground.

Muramasa soon spun through the air, before shattering apart. Without her Cursed Gear manifested, Tomoe's dark aura faded away, landing on the ground with no strength.

"I... I lost..." Tomoe coughed out.

 **「** **Insert Song End** **」**

Her body soon disappeared in a blue light.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
One of Lady Sona's Knights. Retired!**

_[Rias Gremory: 7 | Sona Sitri: 8]_

Following that, a loud buzzer sound went off.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
Game Over! The Hidden King for Sona's peerage was Tomoe, which means by her defeat... Rias Gremory wins this Rating Game!**

Sona's eyes were shadowed a bit, soon lowering her head as she realized she lost, causing her to cry over the fact she was defeated at the very start. Being near the area, Saji saw her crying, and rushed nearby.

"Sona..." Saji looked at her worriedly.

"That's it... I tried, but we've been eliminated. I don't expect anyone to cheer for me with a result like this." Sona sniffled.

However, right after saying that... the crowd began cheering, and applauding.

"You were great, Sona!"

"I bet if this match had been different, she would have won!"

"Promise you'll give us another Rating Game! You and Rias, we wanna see you face off again!"

"That was incredible!"

Sona gasped, realizing that despite everything... the Devils were all cheering for her, no... everyone was cheering, even though she lost! All of the Elders gave a slight scowl, hating the fact that Sona was being praised despite her loss.

"Tomoe... you took a risk that I never let you take, and drew Muramasa despite my wishes. Still, because you did it just for the sake of trying to achieve my dream... I thank you from the bottom of my heart." Sona whispered to herself.

 **【** **Adam** **】** **  
That was an outstanding battle! Let us give congrats to the victorious Gremory Team!**

Everyone cheered again, with the members of Team Extinguished Star of Gremory all regrouping to celebrate their victory. As they were doing that, Sona tapped Saji's shoulder, getting his attention.

"Saji, isn't there something you should be doing right now?" Sona reminded him.

"O-oh, right..." He realized.

Walking over to Momo, he motioned her to follow him as they headed to where Ruruko and Tomoe were. As this occurred, Zekram stood up before he walked away.

"The Devil we wanted to win did, but it seems like the crowd doesn't care. It looks like in the end, nothing we do will matter... at least, not unless we kill the Lucifer brat." Zekram scowled, forming a magic circle to contact someone.

* * *

Only shortly after the Rating Game between Rias and Sona ended, the one between Sairaorg and Iolava began, with both sides walking onto the field. Sairaorg's Queen was still wearing their cloak as the Bael Heir's peerage walked into view.

After Naud repeated his usual introductions, and the battlefield was set to a replica of a dueling field with a Chess theme to it, the Gamigin Devil turned to his next guest announcer.

 **【** **Naud** **】**  
 **With me this time is the beauty of the Norse Pantheon, so say hello to the Norse Goddess of Beauty... the lovely Freyja!**

 **【** **Freyja** **】**  
 **Hi everyone, especially all you boys out there.**

Blowing an air kiss, most of the men immediately nearly fainted from the gesture, with Iolava punching himself to avoid the same fate.

"Seriously, why'd he pick her as a guest judge for a match where both Kings are men?" He questioned.

Eneely listened from where she was in the crowd, and nodded her head as she agreed with her fiancé's logic. However, the Vassago Heiress cared more for the fact he didn't lose consciousness and risk automatic elimination for doing so.

 **【** **Naud** **】**  
 **Alright, now it's time to announce the match-**

"HOLD IT!"

Everyone turned to see Sairaorg had been the one who shouted, with his Queen walking onto the field with a smile.

"I'd like to make my own personal challenge out of fairness to my opponent. If Iolava and his whole peerage can defeat my Queen, then I'll forfeit the match by default, so do both sides accept my proposal?" He offered.

The crowd gasped at that, unable to properly register the fact Sairaorg was giving himself a disadvantage on purpose.

"Oh yeah, I accept!" Iolava agreed, knowing this was a chance he couldn't waste.

 **【** **Naud** **】**  
 **Alright then, if both sides don't mind, we'll accept Sairaorg's suggestion for a 1 vs All battle against his enigmatic Queen!**

 **【** **Freyja** **】**  
 **Let the Rating Game... Begin!**

Iolava looked at his sole pawn.

"Hannah, copy my power!" He ordered, forming metal on his arm.

"Right!" She replied.

Holding her hands out, a clear mirror formed before her, and phased past Iolava's body.

" **Faux Mirror!** "

Both of them immediately turned their skin fully metal, smashing their fists together.

'Impressive, a Sacred Gear that copies other powers.' Sairaorg's Queen thought.

"Drei! Komodo! Rush maneuver!" Iolava commanded.

"Got it!" The Lizardman grunted.

Iolava's Cerberus howled before releasing a stream of flames, with Komodo dashing through it without any damage.

Sairaorg's Queen reacted by unleashing a powerful ice spell, freezing the Lizardman Rook before she rushed forward, and thrust her palm into Drei's middle head, which sent the triple headed dog flying into the arena walls.

"No way!" Hannah gasped.

"Blade, Crush, Spike!" Iolava exclaimed.

The three men all jumped towards the Bael Queen, holding Sacred Gears based on a sword, spear, and axe respectively. They swung their weapons down, only for Sairaorg's Queen to thrust her hand forward.

A powerful tornado blasted out, smashing all of them into the wall Drei was on, hitting the mutt once more.

"No way, so easily!" Iolava gasped.

The Queen of Bael soon punched the ground, ripping it apart as it hit Komodo's frozen form, and then took out all four of Iolava's retainers laid against the wall.

 **【** **Naud** **】**  
 **Two of Lord Iolava's Bishops, two of his Rooks, and one of his Knights. Retired!**

_[Sairaorg Bael: 10 | Iolava Amon: 4]_

Deuce tipped his hat down, forming a large 20-sided dice with the four card suits spread across it.

"Alright, time to gamble a bit." He stated.

"Hannah! Lauren! Help me buy Deuce some time!" Iolava shouted.

All three of them nodded, rushing ahead as the Amon Queen slapped the dice into a deck of cards, and began drawing his hand of five.

Lauren spun to swing a pair of daggers she held, with Sairaorg's Queen simply swaying to evade them. Hannah began firing some spikes from her metal skin, but still had no luck. Eventually, the hand Deuce had drawn revealed it was...

" **Full House!** "

A magical link formed between all four of them, linking their strengths into one.

"Yes!" Lauren cheered.

" **Metallurgic Smash!** "

Spinning across the ground, the friction made her turn into a burning wheel that was about to hit the Bael Queen, however...

*BOOM*

A huge force of darkness fired off, sending her flying into Lauren and Deuce, with the friction causing the impact to burst in itself. Iolava didn't turn around, already emitting a nervous sweat at the sight of his entire peerage being defeated by Sairaorg's Queen.

_[Sairaorg Bael: 10 | Iolava Amon: 1]_

Gripping his fist, he pointed his finger towards his enigmatic opponent.

"Damn it! Alright, if this is it, then I'm going out guns blazing!" Iolava shouted, grabbing the titanium charm on his necklace.

'Looks like the time has come.' Sairaorg's Queen smiled.

Iolava screamed loudly as he let his aura flare out, unleashing sharp drills across his body.

" **Hard Metal Rockfall!** "

The drills fired off, shooting towards the Bael Queen with incredible force and speed... right as a bunch of ripples appeared around them, making Iolava gasp at the sight of black portals forming around her.

"That's the... Power of Hole!" He shouted.

 **【** **Naud** **】**  
 **The Power of Hole!? No way, if that's the case, then that would mean that Sairaorg's Queen is none other than...!**

At that moment, the Queen of Bael finally revealed themselves, showing an extremely buxom girl with blue eyes and blonde-haired tied in a ponytail, wearing a purple outfit that fit her position as Sairaorg's Queen.

 **【** **Naud** **】**  
 **I don't believe it... Sairaorg's Queen is Kuisha Abaddon, the younger sister of the 2nd Best Rating Game player, Bedeze Abaddon!**

"Of course, how didn't I see it? Sairaorg told me a while back that he was dating someone from the Abaddon Clan... the answer to his Queen's identity was right under our noses!" Rias realized.

"The Abaddon Clan is one of the three who's powers were created from one ability that made the Ethereal Twilight, and they were meant to serve Satan, meaning only the Lucifuge Clan exceeds them among the High-Class Extra Devils." Vali remarked.

Kunou's widened at that, looking at a nodding Yumina for verification.

"Now then, let's finish this match." Kuisha declared.

Iolava knew what to expect, and hardened his skin as he guarded himself.

"Sorry, but against me? Redirecting attacks won't do you good!" Iolava smirked.

"I know, but my real intention was to catch you off guard with this." Kuisha replied.

The Amon Devil was confused, only to see Kuisha hold her hand out, dispelling the attacks swallowed up inside the portals... and then she closed it tightly.

" **Primal Abyss!** "

The portals all gathered together, and in an instant, the entire spot of the arena he stood was torn apart as the portals became a block hole! Iolava screamed as his skin cracked apart, and he was immediately launched up, retiring as he fell back down.

 **【** **Naud** **】**  
 **Lord Iolava has retired. Sairaorg Bael wins!**

The crowd instantly cheered, while Eneely gave a sad look at the fact her fiancé was beaten without Kuisha even breaking a sweat.

"Iolava..." She said sympathetically.

"No way, she only needed one attack!" Asia gasped, unable to believe what she saw.

Vali sweated, realizing what she did.

"I've never seen Bedeze use that before, which means that's her attack alone. Sairaorg's Queen is definitely one of his three most dangerous pieces aside from himself." She remarked.

As this was happening, many were talking across the crowd.

"How can she do that?"

"Yeah, why doesn't Bedeze ever try that technique?"

"Weird..."

Vali heard those murmurs, and suddenly started to piece it together, remembering what Lilith told her once.

'Of course, so that explains it...' The silvery-white haired Devil realized.

Luckily, none of the Devil Elders seemed to be paying attention to those murmurs, which was ultimately a good thing considering what they were talking about.

* * *

Amalya analyzed the area using her Akashic Calculative, and looked at her Bishop.

"Get ready Pastel, it's time to take down Niruili." Amalya stated.

"Right." Pastel nodded.

Taking out her Sacred Gear, a pencil known as Chromatic Visionary, she began to draw across the air to create something powerful. However, the moment Misteeta noticed this.

"Not so fast!" He exclaimed.

" **Trick Vanish!** "

He immediately summoned a strange looking staff into his hands, and aimed it near the Astaroth Bishop.

"Oh, Sacred Gear... I seal your power!" Misteeta shouted.

Suddenly, a bunch of strange markings coiled across Pastel's body, which immediately made her Sacred Gear short out before it dropped to the ground like a heavy boulder.

"What!?" Amalya gasped, confused by what just happened.

"My... my Sacred Gear isn't responding!" Pastel grunted, collapsing to her knees.

 **【** **Naud** **】**  
 **And there is it! The Trick Vanish, a Sacred Gear that allows the user to seal another's power at a cost of their physical and mental stamina! I think it makes sense why he joined Niruili!**

 **【** **Thor** **】** **  
Indeed! A good team compliments one another, so a healer for someone who needs stamina to use one of their powers is a good team!**

Niruili looked at Misteeta began panting, feeling his Sacred Gear eat his stamina, and then blew her healing wind to restore his strength.

"Thank you, I should be able to disable that Sacred Gear for another 5 minutes, so make it count." Misteeta stated.

"You've got it! let's do it Reimei, Terhaka!" Niruili replied, the shouted to her teammates.

Reimei was seen flying through the sky through her power, and zoomed towards the Astaroth Heiress, with Terhaka dashing at her at high speeds.

" **Akashic Mixture!** "

Preparing to make an odd mix of spells, the Beelzebub Heiress leaped near her, surprising Amalya enough to stumble.

" **Aurora Veil!** "

Niruili spit out a color array of lights, each color hitting Amalya with a different effect as she was knocked back. Eventually, she put up a shield to counter the attacks coming towards her.

"And now, you're finished!" Terhaka exclaimed.

Reimei whistled, and a bird flew out of her before she called upon a mole, hugging it close.

" **Jungle Spirit!** "

She dived into the ground, digging underneath the ground, and forming a hole for someone to get through. The Astaroth Heiress' eyes widened as Terhaka rushed through, revealing a two-handed sword that was her Sacred Gear.

" **Stinger Blade!** "

"Holy... freaking... crap!" Amalya shouted, holding the "A" note for a few seconds.

Terhaka swung down, shouting as her strike made impact, and smashed through Amalya's defenses. The impact slammed her into the ground, and in just a few seconds... she disappeared in a blue light.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
Lady Amalya has retired. Niruili Beelzebub wins!**

Niruili quickly glomped her nearest peerage members, with Terhaka spinning her around as the crowd cheered. Vali's group was one of the few that applauded, with the Lucifer happy that she made it to the next round.

"That was amazing! Niruili might not look as strong as she really is like Serafall, but when she's on the battlefield? She's not one to go down easy." Issei remarked.

"Amalya wasn't too bad herself, I honestly think it was the moment that Misteeta countered her Bishop that cost her, as she didn't know how to properly react to the Trick Vanish's ability to seal someone's powers." Vali stated.

Yumina nodded her head in response, which is when everyone noticed she was compiling info about Diodora.

"Oh, are you planning things out for our match with Diodora?" Issei asked.

"Yeah, after what he said to Vali the other day, I'm using every fiber of my being to make a plan that will crush his Spirits and break him from the sky down... I swear it." Yumina replied.

As everyone prepared for the match between Leelexe and Seekvaira, a slight static was heard from the speaker.

 **【** **Naud** **】**  
 **Everyone, forgive the sudden announcement, but we'll have a slight delay before the next Rating Game begins. We thank you for your patience, and will try to resolve the interruption ASAP.**

Hearing that, the people in the crowd gave looks of confusion, unaware of what was going on. However, for Diodora?

A dark smile appeared on his face.

* * *

**And the winner was Rias, though Sona's team put up a good fight. Ultimately, what cost Sona victory was Xenovia revealing she actually has two Holy Swords, and had been hiding the fact until she became strong enough to dual wield them. Still, her team managed to overpower a good portion of Rias' team before Tomoe was unfortunately beaten, and therefore caused the loss from the Hidden King rule.**

**Sairaorg and Niruili have also won their matches, so they're heading onto the Quarterfinals as well. I'll let everyone know now that what I had happen with their matches? It'll most likely only happen once more, and there's plenty more opportunities for their full peerages to fight in the future, so no worries about them and their peerage getting excluded, because it's more of a thing for just now.**

**Now, the biggest new thing? The Cursed Gears... these are exactly what they sound like. Thing of them as like Sieg's Cursed Swords, though with some differences, such as them being Sacred Gears instead of normal weapons. Anyways, this is why Tomoe could never unsheathe her Sacred Gear before now, because Sona feared what would happen if she did.**

**We never really saw Sacred Gears that are next to if not completely negative in nature, and I felt Muramasa was the best way to showcase this. While the right conditions came up for Tomoe to control this cursed blade, she was honestly lucky... most people with Cursed Gears are doomed to die an early death, suffer, go insane, be corrupted, or etc.**

**Oh, on that note, I should probably mention here that I really like Rossweisse, so this version of her is _much_ stronger than she is in canon. This is why she's Brynhildr and Sigurd's daughter, because those mixed together equal a recipe for a powerful Valkyrie. Most of all, unlike canon, she actually did inherit her family crest. The only real issue her canon self has was a good paying job, and that was mainly limited by the face she's still at high school age.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

* * *

**Iolava's Peerage** **:**

**King - Iolava Amon**   
**Queen - Deuce**   
**Bishops - Blade, Spike**   
**Knights - Lauren, Crush**   
**Rooks - Drei, Komodo**   
**Pawns - Hannah (x8)**

**Additional Notes:  
~ Deuce has a Sacred Gear known as Royal Flush that works by gambling with luck, with the same risks as a coin toss or a dice roll  
~ Blade has a Sword-type Sacred Gear  
~ Spike has Spear-type Sacred Gear  
~ Crush has an Axe-type Sacred Gear  
~ Drei is the name of the Cerberus (the one that knows how to use Dress Break) that Iolava has in canon  
~ Komodo is a Lizardman  
~ Hannah has a Sacred Gear known as Faux Mirror that can copy other abilities**

* * *

**Amalya's Peerage** **:**

**King - Amalya Astaroth**   
**Queen - Wanda**   
**Bishops - Pastel (x2, both Mutated Pieces with a x3 Multiplier)**   
**Knights - Vixen (x2)**   
**Rooks - Gararo, Caliber**   
**Pawns - Janice (x2), Zapper (x6)**

**Additional Notes:  
~ Wanda is a Magician  
~ Pastel has a Pencil-based Sacred Gear known as Chromatic Visionary, which allows her to make living art to fight for her**   
**~ Vixen is a Kitsune**   
**~ Gararo is a Demon**   
**~ Caliber has a Gun-type Sacred Gear**   
**~ Zapper has an Electric-type Sacred Gear**

* * *

**Bust Size of New Female Characters** **:**

**Kuisha Abaddon - 108 cm**

**Terhaka Leraje - 94 cm**

* * *

**Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter** **:**

 **【** **Hidden King** **】** **  
A type of Rating Game match where one of the King's peerage members gains their status of ending the game by default if beaten.**

 **【** **Chrysaor** **】**  
 **The legendary sword of Sir Artigal, which has the power to halve the damage its user takes. In the present day, the sword's current wielder is Kiba Yuuto, who received it as a gift from Demeter.**

* * *

 **Pairings List** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating  
Ddraig/Albion - Married  
Tiamat/Fafnir - Married  
Ophis/Great Red - Married  
Saji/Sona - Dating, and is Saji's main love interest  
Saji/Momo - Saji's about to offer Momo a date  
Saji/Ruruko - Saji's about to offer Ruruko a date  
Gasper/Valerie - Dating  
Kiba/Tosca - Dating  
Hina/Nanami - Dating  
Shuriliu/Coriana - Dating, and is Shuriliu's main love interest  
Shuriliu/Her Peerage - Dating  
Rias/Akeno - Engaged  
Rossweisse/Vidar - Rossweisse hasn't met Vidar, while Vidar may have experienced love at first sight  
Sairaorg/Kuisha - Dating**


	29. Chapter 29

**Here we are, at the second to last chapter of Season 3! Things are heating up, especially since I introduced the concept of the Cursed Gears in the previous chapter, which will be important later on in the story. For now, the only one we know that has one is Tomoe, who seems to have tamed it for now... or has she? *giggles* I'll let all of you decide on that for now :3**

**At this point, most of you already have a good idea where things are going to go as Diodora's actions are starting to come to a close, with the only things that are mysteries right now being who the winner of the Leelexe VS Seekvaira match will be. How will other things begin to change from canon? Well, I can tell you this... I've got a surprise none of you will see coming near the end of this chapter.**

**That's not the only important thing either. Just as a reminder due to how long it's been, back when Season 3 began, you saw Issei had a dream where he met someone asking him to "remember", and it hasn't really been elaborated on since then. Well, you'll finally start getting answers on it, but right now I can definitely say this much to you.**

**When Issei had that dream, the person who showed up at the end of that dream was _not_ Amaterasu, as Issei would have mentioned it upon first meeting him. She's definitely connected to it with how she and Issei's parents know each other, but her involvement in it is very minimal. This is something that Issei's linked to directly via his parents, hence why they've been absent.**

**Now that I've said all of that, let's begin this chapter!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

 **[]** \- Ddraig Talking

 **«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

 **「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

 **【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

 **⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

**Cursed Killer Muramasa**

**A sword-type Sacred Gear wielded by Tomoe Meguri, and one of the dangerous Sacred Gears known as the Cursed Gears. Long ago, before the Great War's end, it was originally a Sacred Gear that was the legendary katana known a Masamune, but when the Cursed Gear bug was born... it was turned into the dark counterpart that's considered its rival blade in human legends.**

**The actual sword is a red blade that constantly leaks out shadowy energy, and will corrupt most who try to use it with an uncontrollable blood lust, seeking its user to kill, forcing most to use its sheathed form to fight with it. The major downside is those who aren't a species tied closely to the darkness, like Devils or Demons, will slowly have their life eaten away, often not living past their early teens.**

**In the present day, the current user is Tomoe Meguri, who Sona met as the blade was nearing the day it would kill her, a day within her 14th year of life. Not wanting her to die, and knowing it would be powerful in even its sheathed form, the Sitri heiress made Tomoe her first Knight, and gave her the condition of never using Muramasa without her permission.**

**During the Rating Game Tournament's match between Rias and Sona, everyone saw the Cursed Gear's dark force as she ignored Sona's warnings, and drew it anyways. The shadows nearly overtook her, but she managed to hold them back, implying she has become strong enough to contain the destructive urges hidden within the blade, which was able to counter Jeanne's Hauteclere with ease.**

**While the Muramasa may be safe for Tomoe to use now... will it stay this way, or is this sword a bigger threat than it looks?**

* * *

**_Season 3, Diodora Arc: Chapter 6 - Betrayal of Astaroth_ **

Everyone in the crowd was cheering as the match between Leelexe and Seekvaira was reaching its fever point, with both holding dice in their hands as they played their match under the dice rule.

The Belphegor Heiress only had herself and her Rook Gandoma left, while Seekvaira had Aria and Petros, making Leelexe sweat at the odds that were _not_ in her favor.

'I've got to get Gandoma on the field with me or I'm toast! Come on dice, be a 12...' Leelexe begged.

Both Kings rolled their hands back.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
Now, roll those dice!**

Both of them tossed their dice into a tray, spinning in a way to guarantee the minimum number for both sides to send out a player was met. Finally, after a long amount of waiting...

The result was revealed to be double sixes!

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
I don't believe it! They've just rolled a double six, which means both teams can send out everyone for an all-out clash!**

"Yes!" Leelexe cheered.

"Crap..." Seekvaira breathed quietly, a bead of sweat dripping down her face.

Turning to her Rook, the Belphegor Heiress smiled.

"You ready big guy?" She asked the rock-skinned Devil, showing excitement.

Gandoma grunted, smashing his fist into his palm.

While the non-Devils in the crowd thought he was just garbling some kind of wordless reply, every Devil in the crowd heard him speak perfectly.

" _Let's rock them._ " Gandoma replied, only heard by Devils.

Leelexe nodded her head, and then pulled out a canteen full of fruit punch, guzzling it down before they both moved onto the field.

 **【** **Tobio** **】** **  
Naud, what Leelexe just did with that drink. Is there a meaning to that?**

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
There actually is. She loves fruit juice, and by having some right now, she's telling us that she'll make sure to savor a victory.**

 **【** **Tobio** **】** **  
Ah, that means she's confident in her victory.**

Seekvaira looked at Aria and Petros, who nodded their heads before all three of them walked on the field with them.

"Aria, bind them in place!" Seekvaira ordered.

Taking a deep breath, the Agares Pawn prepared to sing, but neither Leelexe or her Rook moved... and then everyone gasped as neither showed they were affected!

"What? Not good!" Aria panicked.

The Belphegor Heiress laughed a bit, making Seekvaira growl a bit.

"Sorry, but that kind of stuff doesn't work on me, and now you'll see what my teammate can do!" Leelexe exclaimed.

Gandoma grabbed a nearby pillar, roaring as he began charging at the Agares trio.

"Petros!" Seekvaira shouted.

"Right!" He replied.

His eyes flashed as he drew out his sword, making a layer of magic circles in a spot that Gandoma's charge would make him stand on.

" **Tricky Trapper!** "

The Belphegor Rook stepped on said spot, and the magic circles immediately began exploded across his body as a storm of energy spikes repeatedly thrust into him, with only his rock-hard skin keeping him from being instantly retired.

"Looks like you've underestimated us." Seekvaira smirked.

"You sure?" Leelexe asked, cleaning her ear.

Crossing her entire arms in an "X" shape, her aura flared out as the Agares Heiress realized what was coming.

" **Create Dreamer: Flash!** "

A bright light went off, blinding the three as she took the chance to aim a spell at Gandoma and Petros, right as the flash disappeared. The Belphegor Heiress smiled, knowing she had already won the match.

" **Chrono Break!** "

Leelexe was suddenly grayed out, causing her to leave slight afterimage movements as she was slowed down by her power.

"Finally, I've got you!" Seekvaira smirked, prepared a spell.

" _You should really learn to watch your back, Heiress of the Agares Clan!_ " Gandoma shouted.

Turning around, she suddenly saw Gandoma was in Petros' spot, while he himself was caught in the trap setting ability of her Sacred Gear.

"Wait a minute... that flash was to cast-"

Gandoma roared before slamming his fists down on her, making her Siren Pawn scream.

"Lady Seekvaira!" Aria shouted.

 **【** **Tobio** **】** **  
It looks like Leelexe cast Object Transferal magic, and Seekvaira was left wide open because she focused on the enemy king. That was a fatal mistake on her end.**

As the dust cleared, everyone saw a battered Seekvaira on the ground, her glasses left broken as she began retiring.

"The Heirs of the Maou Clan, the only naturally born Ultimate-Class Devils... you truly are a terrifying force." She praised, accepting her defeat.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
Lady Seekvaira has retired, Leelexe Belphegor is the winner!**

The entire crowd cheered in response, making Leelexe wave her arms at the crowd.

 **【** **Tobio** **】**  
 **All of today's matches were quite exciting, and everyone truly gave it their all. The only match that was one-sided was Kuisha against Iolava's entire peerage, but even then, we saw Iolava hold out long enough to avoid an instant defeat.**

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
Very well said Tobio, we'd like to thank everyone for attending today's matches, and hope you'll be back for when our remaining eight fighters fight to enter the Quarterfinals!**

The crowd cheered again, applauding a bit as they did.

* * *

Back at the Hyoudou Mansion, everyone was seen eating Dinner together, starting with the sight of Irina seating herself down after getting her choice of drink. Asia soon noticed the only two missing from the table were Tiamat and Fafnir.

"Tiamat and Fafnir haven't come back, are they still out delivering contracts?" Asia asked.

"Fafnir was called to Asgard briefly by Thor as they needed him for something, while Tiamat's currently with my mother and the alliance leaders." Vali explained.

Everyone went silent at that, recalling the announcement before Leelexe's match that Ereilie and Falbium's younger brother, Zephyrdor, had somehow been murdered at some point between the first three matches.

"Still can't believe that he got murdered. He might not have been someone I really knew, and someone I don't think I'll miss that much, but..." Issei replied quietly.

The Sekiryuutei quickly went silent, with everyone remembering the tears Ereilie shed at his death

"How did Falbium handle it?" Kelsey asked.

"It was so bad that Serafall and Diehauser had to restrain him by negating his power and then freezing him... he may often sleep and do little, but I think it was clear his family are broken over the loss." Vali answered.

Yumina started to get a bit uncomfortable, and loudly cleared her throat.

"So, everyone... I thought you'd all like to know I've almost finished plotting out your strategy for tomorrow's Rating Game." Vali answered.

Asia gives a worried look upon hearing that, prompting Le Fay to pat her back.

"Hey, there's no reason to worry, Asia. Vali already promised that she'd protect you, and I know Issei would too." Le Fay reassured her.

Both Heavenly Dragons blushed at that, making their Dragons snicker a bit.

"That's right, they're always here to look after all of us." Irina agreed.

Yuuma's mouth was full, so she just nodded.

"Uh... it might just be the fact I'm not a member of your peerage, but why do you trust these two so much? I mean, it's as if you two can never doubt them." Kunou inquired.

Everyone looked at her, making her blink.

"What? No matter how mature I am, you're still talking to a 12-year old." Kunou questioned in response.

Kuroka giggled at that, making Kunou give her a confused look.

"We're all here because of Vali, and she only met us because she wanted to be strong enough to protect Issei. The bonds we formed are incredibly strong due to that." Kuroka smiled, remembering how she met the Lucifer Heiress.

"Oh, so like me with my sister and mother?" Kunou inquired.

"Yeah, it's kind of like that." Issei answered.

At that moment, everyone heard the doorbell ring, which got their attention.

"I've got it!" Bennia shouted from outside the kitchen.

The Grim Reaper slid down the stair rails before jumping off, and landing in front of the door. Opening it, she saw none other than Diehauser Satan, and a group of four Kindergarten age children.

"Are Vali and Issei home right now?" He asked.

Bennia held up a finger, backtracking to the kitchen for a moment, and peaking her head inside.

"Diehauser's here, and he's got a few kids with him!" She alerted them.

"Kids? Hey, wait a second..." Vali wondered before realizing something.

Walking out to the main hall, the Lucifer Heiress soon noticed the kids that were with him. The first was a boy with the signature hair color of the Gremory family, though with red eyes, who she recognized as Yumina's little brother, Millicas Gremory. The second had blonde hair resembling her mother's, but a more tired look from the purple eyes she inherited from her father, a member of the Naberius Clan; she was Alanira's daughter, Siarea.

The second boy had green hair and brown eyes, and seemed a bit nervous, with Vali noticing he was too weak to be anything but a Low-Class Devil. Finally, the second girl among the children was a girl that had long black hair that was turned silvery at the end, and baby blue-colored eyes. resembling a young Cleria, but with the same hair and eyes as her father. This was the child she and Yaegaki had left behind before they died, Cecilia Belial.

"Hey there Diehauser, I'm guessing this visit is due to Zephyrdor's murder?" Vali greeted him.

"Something like that, as well as the fact Cecilia wants to meet her hero." He answered.

As the others left the kitchen like Vali had, they saw the Lucifer Heiress looking at the young Cecilia, who's eye sparkled as she looked at Vali.

"Are you really Valiana Lucifer!?" Cecilia asked excitedly.

"I just go by Vali, but yes." Vali confirmed, petting her head.

Right after she did that, the Lucifer Heiress suddenly felt herself being knocked to the ground as Cecilia jumped her.

"Cecilia, that's rude!" Diehauser panicked.

"I'm part Human just like you, so I'm gonna grow up to big strong and kind, that way mommy and daddy will be proud of me up from Heaven!" Cecilia declared with a smile.

Vali blinked a bit, chuckling a bit.

'Ah, so that's why I'm her hero, because I'm someone she can relate to.' She thought with a smile.

Everyone else chuckled at that, while Yumina sat by her younger brother. Eventually, Issei noticed the last two standing by him, or rather... Siarea was standing by him, and the boy hid behind her.

"Are you the Red Dragon guy that kicked my Aunt's butt in the Rating Game against Uncle Riser?" Siarea asked.

"Uh... I'm guessing your aunt's name is Ravel?" Issei replied.

Siarea nodded her head in reply, making Issei chuckle a bit as he rubbed his head.

'Definitely Alanira's daughter.' Issei thought.

 **[When it comes to being blunt, I can tell if she's better or worse than her mother.]** Ddraig admitted, sweating a bit.

"For your original question? I am. Now, for my own question?" Issei answered.

He pointed to the boy, which made Siarea push him into view.

"Come on, Lirenkus. You're the one who wanted to meet him." Siarea said, but it sounded more like she ordered him.

He shook a bit, looking at Issei.

"M-my name's Lirenkus... could you... shake my hand?" Lirenkus asked nervously, holding his shaky hand out.

Issei blinked, then quickly smiled as he held his hand out.

"Sure thing."

Grabbing his hand, Lirenkus nervous expression faded a bit, giving a bit smile. Vali watched with a smile, knowing how much it meant to the Low-Class Devil that likely had little to nothing going in his favor.

'When I win the tournament, I'll make sure kids like him get the opportunities they don't have now. That's a promise.' She reminded herself.

* * *

After the lengthy visit with the kids, Diehauser finally got the green light to bring them back home. Issei had just gotten out of the baths, but as he was heading back towards his room...

"Dang it, this time for sure!" Irina shouted.

Issei suddenly froze, and looked to see Irina shouting, swinging Excalibur around with all she could as she unleashed a powerful slash wave.

Turning the blade as she shifted her feet upon landing... the slash wave shifted into the shape of a seven-pointed start, and then exploded like a small-scale supernova. Seeing it worked, Irina panted a bit with a smile, only then noticing the Sekiryuutei had been watching her.

"Issei, you're still up?" She asked in surprise.

"Yeah, just stepped out of the baths when I heard you training. Were you working on a new technique?" Issei answered before inquiring about what she did.

Irina nodded, sighing a bit.

"I'm trying to make something like Xenovia's Cross Crisis. It hurts to admit it, but I don't have the same level of strength or sword technique that Arthur does. That means I'm the weaker Knight." She admitted, slight somberness showing through her eyes.

"If you try to fight like him, then of course that's the case." Issei replied.

This got Irina's attention, with the Sekiryuutei smiling in reply.

"You're not Arthur, and in my opinion, the way you fight makes you better in ways even he's not willing to admit. It's no different than how Vali and I don't fight to be like God, Lucifer, Ddraig, or Albion despite we have their powers. We're us, and you're you, so be the best Irina you can be." Issei reassured and encouraged her.

She blushed a bit, giving a warm smile at his praise.

"Thank you, it means a lot to hear that right now." She replied, her gratitude as obvious as the moon shining in the sky.

"Actually, since you bring that up..." Issei continued.

Irina noticed him reach for the Murakumo, forming its sheath as he unsheathed the Japanese equivalent of her sword.

"I'd like you to teach me how to use a sword." Issei requested.

Irina gasped, surprised he was asking _her_ to teach him.

"What? B-but, there has to be..." Irina stuttered, feeling like there were better teachers than her.

"Irina, listen to me." He quickly interrupted.

She stopped instantly.

"It isn't about who's better or who's worse at teaching me. What matters is you were my first friend, and that's why I trust you to teach me more than anyone else." Issei smiled at her.

The golden-haired Angel blushed at that.

"Wow... Issei, I don't know what to say." She replied.

"How about yes?" Issei joked.

Hearing that, she started to giggle a little, with Issei following her shortly after.

"Alright, then let's get started." She agreed.

Readying the Murakumo, the sound of their swords clashing could be heard as Irina's sword training began.

* * *

Vali was humming a bit as she rode the elevator upstairs, the already sleeping Kunou piggybacking her as the Lucifer Heiress prepared to take her to her room, and soon noticed it stop a floor earlier than she was planning.

The door opened to reveal Asia and Yuuma in their sleep attire looking at her, with the former holding a pillow in her hands.

"Hi there, Vali." Yumina greeted.

"Oh, hey girls, what's up?" Vali asked.

Asia blushed a bit, covering her pillow as her eyes gleamed with a worried look.

"Vali, if... if we lose the game, I just..." Asia softly spoke.

She didn't finish as she felt Vali lightly flick her forehead, followed by looking her in the eye with a smile on her face.

"Let that creep say what he wants, there's no way in Hell that I'd let him do anything with you." Vali reassured her.

Asia smiled at that, feeling confident again.

"Thank you." She replied.

"So, let's all show that Rating Game who's boss! Then we'll win all our Sports Festival Events while on our victory streak!" Vali declared.

"Right, let's do it!" Asia nodded.

* * *

Lilith was seen in part of the Hyoudou Mansion that acted as a personal headquarters for the Alliance, wearing a dark red robe that showed a generous view of her cleavage as she used a magic circle to talk to Gabriel, Sirzechs, and Cassiel, along with the other leaders that had sided with the Alliance.

"I hope you apologize for the late call, but I think I've found something you need to hear about the sudden murder of Zephyrdor from earlier today. Aside from a sudden increase in his power, I've managed to notice a few things about Diodora Astaroth's recent actions, such as how he even got _into_ the Vatican in the first place." Lilith explained.

〖"You think all of it might be related?"〗 Sirzechs asked.

Lilith sighed, which was enough for all the leaders to tell her answer was an unfortunate "yes" to the subject.

"Here's what I've noticed... Diodora has enough of an obsession with Asia that he was willing to insult me and Lucifer to my daughter's face after touching him, his goal for winning the tournament is related to making a Church facility in Hell, the odd name of his team, and the fact two of his two peerage I got to see him offer Vali for a trade both looked like nuns." The Devil Queen explained.

〖"Hmm... you're right, that is weird."〗 Gabriel agreed, putting a finger to her chin.

"It isn't just that either. Looking at that, and how Asia was a nun that he had heal him with his Devil nature out to have someone realize she had healed a Devil? The fact he got in there and has nuns in his peerage? Before our alliance, a Devil simply setting foot on church grounds could create major problems, with a war in the worst-case scenario." Lilith mentioned.

Taking a few moments, Cassiel suddenly had a thought.

〖"Gabriel, before the summit... how likely would it have been for any Devil to get near a church, much less inside of it?"〗 The Demon Queen asked.

〖"It would be impossible, most would die shortly after just entering its territory-"〗 Gabriel replied.

At that moment, she suddenly froze as she heard her own words.

By what she just said, Diodora shouldn't have ever been able to get near the church, and yet he got inside and escaped without any problems?

〖"No way... did he have a traitor within the church that helped him slip under our radar?"〗 Gabriel questioned.

The Mother of all Devils nodded her head, giving a serious look.

"Exactly, and the evidence for Zephyrdor's death shows that when he was killed, it was as if something just walked through all the safety measures like they were some imaginary friend." Lilith replied.

Azazel sighed a bit, realizing what kind of mess could be brewing.

〖"Then that has to mean either the Devil Elders are involved in this, and up something. While for the other possibility..."〗 Azazel replied, trailing off a bit.

〖"We may be seeing involvement from the Khaos Brigade."〗 Zeus realized.

Lilith sighed, crossing one of her legs over the other.

"I know... with what I've found out, it sounds like his peerage was formed by a very dark truth, and Asia would have been pulled into it had Rias and Vali not intervened." She remarked.

〖"Well, if he's the suspect, then what do you propose we should do?"〗 Odin asked.

"As much as I hate it... we'll have to use the Rating Game between my daughter and Diodora against him, which means putting them in danger. Cassiel, since we all know how mischievous you can be, I'll leave the planning to you." Lilith answered.

Looking towards the windows, the Devil Queen gave a worried look.

"I just hope this isn't a gamble with too great of a risk..." She whispered to herself.

* * *

Vali's peerage waved towards Rias and Sona's groups, preparing to set off for their match in the tournament.

"Good luck out there." Rias wished them.

"Just do your best." Sona encouraged them.

Stepping into the magic circle, everyone on Vali's team began disappearing one by one.

"No worries, I promise you we're gonna win!" Vali stated.

Soon Vali's peerage vanished in a magic circle, and after they did, the two Heiresses turned to see their fellow tournament opponents walk in from behind. It wasn't long before Lilith looked at all of them from the corner she was hiding behind.

"Are all of ready to head out?" Lilith asked.

"Our older siblings told us about everything. Just let us know when you're ready, and we'll head over." Rias replied.

Lilith smiled, glad to know she had their support.

"Ereilie, you holding up alright?" Sona asked.

"If this bastard did kill Zephyrdor, then I won't hesitate for a second!" She shouted.

The Devil Queen nodded her head in agreement.

"Alright, let's move out!" Lilith exclaimed.

* * *

Soon enough, the Lucifer team appeared in a spot in Hell that looked like a rocky wasteland, with curved and jagged stalagmites towering over everything. A floating structure was seen in the distance with its gate right before them.

"Wait, this is where we're gonna fight?" Le Fay asked, surprised at the battlefield they were given.

Vali soon shifted her head a bit, sweating slightly.

"No, something's wrong here. Not only does this ignore the walking through the gates from the first four matches, but why hasn't Naud said anything to mark our arrival?" Vali replied as she felt herself worry.

"Maybe there's been some kind of problem? Or Diodora's not here yet?" Irina guessed.

Asia turned around, and then got everyone's attention with a loud gasp, making them see... magic circles belonging to the Anti-Maou Faction! This was enough that the entire peerage realized what was really happening!

"The Khaos Brigade... we're being targeted for a terrorist attack!" Issei shouted, soon holding out his hand.

" **BOOSTED GEAR!** "

**["BLADE!"]**

Issei's Sacred Gear formed as it unleashed the Murakumo from it.

" **Excalibur!** "  
" **Caliburn!** "

Irina and Arthur summoned their swords, spreading out their Angel, and Devil wings respectively.

Kuroka back flipped towards Asia to cover her, popping out her two tails, and her ears. A pair of kasha forming around her as she landed.

" **Ruyi Jingu Bing!** "

Bikou called upon his staff, twirling it around before getting into a fighting position.

Yuuma and Kelsey stood back to back, forming their respective powers as their Fallen Angel, and Demon wings popped out in response.

Le Fay held out her new wand before jumping on her broomstick.

" **DIVINE DIVIDING!** "

Vali's Sacred Gear formed on her left hand, while she manifested her magical aura.

Once the entire group had readied themselves, the Khaos Brigade's Devils finally appeared, looking as fearsome as when they attacked the peace summit. One of them immediately had their masks glow, flying a brief bit forward to make a declaration.

"To the despicable usurpers in the false royal house of Lucifer! We're here to take back what's ours!" He announced.

Everyone readied themselves... right as screamed, which caused Kuroka to quickly turn around and see she was levitating foot first towards the hands of... Diodora Astaroth!

"Diodora!" Vali seethed angrily.

"Now I get why I hated that bastard so much... he's been a traitor all along!" Issei shouted with rage.

Once Asia was close enough, he grabbed her ankle.

"Greetings everyone, Asia Argento will be coming with me, and these Devils of the Khaos Brigade will murder each and every last one of you. Is that a sufficient request?" Diodora greeted, opening his eyes permanently as a sign he stopped hiding his real nature.

Vali's angry aura manifested again, glaring at Diodora with a look that could kill if she was in an anime before she pointed her finger at him, and said something that would shock most of her peerage.

"I had half a mind to simply think you were a stalker with a bad attitude, though after I noticed the Bishops you tried to trade me? Your actions right now make me see the real truth behind why you wanted Asia so badly..." She glared at him.

"Oh, and what truth would that be?" Diodora inquired, curious to see if she had really figured it out.

"The truth about Asia's excommunication! You somehow got into the Vatican, which no Devil should have gotten near without causing an incident, and then just happened to have an injury for Asia to heal... right as you let everyone see you were a Devil. Combine that with your dream, and the fact your entire peerage dress like they were a part of the church? It's clear you have a fetish, but that's not why you did this..."

Her glare got so intense, she managed to widen her own eyes as if she had been shocked.

"Just like Asia, they were all members of the church! You planned to get her excommunicated in an attempt to claim her for your peerage! You were behind all of it from the very beginning, weren't you!?" Vali revealed at the top of her lungs.

Aside from Issei, that horrified the entire group, especially Asia. The really gem among the reactions however?

"What did you say!?" Irina shouted in horror.

"Damn, I'd expect my sister to piece that together, but not you. I was right to take measures for this moment like I had." Diodora laughed.

Issei's eyes widened before his teeth slightly grinding against each other.

" **You son of a bitch!** " He screamed.

"Oh, that reminds me. Do you remember the Fallen Angel, Raynare?" Diodora asked.

Yuuma gasped at her sister's name.

"I was the one who told her about dear little Asia, and we made a little deal. She could keep Asia's Sacred Gear if she let me claim her lifeless body to give an Evil Piece to. Everything was going to plan, but unfortunately, what I failed to account for was the Heavenly Dragons getting in the way. Then to add salt to the wound, you snatched up Asia for yourselves." Diodora revealed.

"No way... Raynare was already that far gone?" Yuuma breathed in horror, struggling not to faint.

"With that out of the way... attack!" Diodora commanded.

At that moment, the AMF's Devils all charged at the group, forcing everyone to ready themselves for a fight, until... a wall of crimson flames shot into the air, surprising the traitorous Astaroth, and the Mythological History Club.

"You know, for the little brother of the smartest Devil to date, you're quite the idiot for actually humoring the Lucifer heiress long enough to let reinforcements come." A female voice giggled.

Everyone turned to see Amaterasu walking through the flames, catching Diodora off-guard at the Sun Goddess' presence.

"Lady Amaterasu? I don't get it, why are you here?" Issei asked in surprise.

"Oh, that little fact? We all agreed Diodora was making some deals behind our backs thanks to his little meeting with you a while back, so we didn't do anything to his trap... we set our own trap within it!" Amaterasu answered, looking at the Astaroth heir for the last part.

Diodora gave a silent gasp, sweating a bit.

"Everyone, retreat! We don't stand a chance against that freak of flames!" A Devil terrorist panicked.

They all began to fly away, right as Amaterasu giggled a bit, and whistled using her fingers.

"They're all yours, Tsukuyomi!" She shouted.

" **Lunar Nexus!** "

In just a mere second, a blue burst of darkness shot out from a certain area, killing all the fleeing Devils as they fled into its range.

"I've gotta say, that Cassiel can really turn a simple plain into something ingenious. Use Diodora's own preference in kidnapping the Lucifer Team's Bishop so he'd go after them, leaving all of us the perfect chance to wipe out the entire Anti-Maou Faction in one fell swoop." Tsukuyomi giggled from her hiding spot.

Kelsey's eyes widened as she heard that, snickering a bit.

"Damn, my mom actually used us as bait? She really is insane!" Kelsey said with a chuckle.

Diodora sweated, soon forming a magic circle.

"It doesn't matter, I've still got what I came here for! You'll never get Asia back!" Diodora screamed, trying to keep a confident face.

Issei tried to fly after him, but Amaterasu held him back... which is when the magic circle suddenly malfunctioned, heading towards the nearby structure floating in the sky. The entirety of Team White Dragon Empress of the Morning Star was surprised by what they just saw.

"Wait, what just happened?" Irina said in surprise.

"That looked like something Ajuka made with his Kankara Formula, but why..." Vail answered.

Her eyes widened as she put the pieces together.

"I get it, it seems we'll still be having our Rating Game, won't we?" Vali asked.

"Right you are. Now, I'd advise you get out of here, because my siblings and I can't go full out within you in range." Amaterasu advised.

Looking at one another, the MHC nodded their heads.

"Thank you, Lady Amaterasu. We won't waste this change you've given us." Vali promised.

"Come on, let's go save Asia!" Issei declared.

Vali's peerage instantly ran off, with Tsukuyomi joining her sister as they stared down the army before them.

"We can't run from them, so take them out before they can-" A Devil terrorist shouted.

" **Heavenly Storm!** "

A concentrated force of lightning and wind suddenly came down from the sky, smashing through a whole chunk of the Anti-Maou Faction Devils in the area.

Susanoo quietly floated down by his sisters, making them look at him.

"Time for them to learn the strength of the Shinto Trio, just like Yomi did." Susanoo announced.

Kagutsuchi walked into view as well, holding out his sword.

"Don't forget your big brother, that'd be rude." He smirked, setting the swords' blade on fire.

"Right, my apologies." Susanoo chuckled.

* * *

Amalya was seen gathering info on her Akashic Calculative screen as she stood near Odin, seeing where the next large grouping would be.

"Lord Odin, focus your attacks at the group in the 10 O'clock area." She warned.

"Time for me to cut loose." Odin smirked.

Holding out his hand, he began gathering a large force of power together.

"Come forth, Gungnir!" He announced.

A gold, and dark blue spear with three points, and white string formed from a surge of water. Spinning the legendary weapon above him, he charged all of its power to its tip, then fired at the enemy forces before him, piercing a hole in their ranks.

" **Chrono Break!** "

" **Accel Jet!** "

Seekvaira slowed time around an area of AMF Devils, letting Ereilie charge through them.

Following that, both Tiamat and Fafnir unleashed their signature breathes against most of the Khaos Brigade's forces, incinerating them faster than either of them could react. Vali's group noticed all their fellow tournament rivals gathered, making Ingvild look towards them.

"Go rescue Asia, we'll carve the path for you!" She shouted.

"Thanks, all of you, we won't waste your efforts!" Vali smiled.

Right as they passed by, Shuriliu remembered something, and grabbed a magic circle she had stored away.

"Vali, take this!" She shouted.

Tossing it to the Lucifer Heiress, who quickly tapped it, Vali heard her mother's voice project through it.

〖"Thank goodness, you managed to make it to Shuriliu."〗 Lilith sighed in relief.

"Looks like the Anti-Maou Faction's launched a full-scale attack, you all doing alright?" Vali asked her mother.

〖"Yeah, we had Amalya check the area the day before, and we had plenty of ambushes planted everywhere. They didn't even know what hit them, and if we have any casualties, I doubt we've gone pass the double digits, if even the single."〗 Lilith reassured her.

She paused for a moment, blasting her Ethereal Twilight at a Devil trying to strike her from behind, along with another 10,000 following behind him.

〖"Anyways, I had Ajuka do a few things, including rig that structure you're seeing to take any Astaroth magic circles used within the area, and force them to be brought inside without an escape. While we've got everyone else's attention, you'll have to beat him in a Rating Game if you want to get Asia back."〗 Lilith explained.

"Is there anything we should be worried about?" Issei asked.

〖"Just this. We couldn't confirm what the source is, but Diodora's powers have increased dramatically as of recently. It could be a King Piece, but I'm worried he might have a fragment of Trihexa's power, meaning his entire peerage could have it as well."〗 Lilith explained.

The Sekiryuutei swore he heard something about a King Piece, but ignored it due to the current situation being the bigger concern for right now.

〖"Oh, and while you're fighting him... pop him once in the mouth for me!"〗 Lilith requested.

"We'll pop him more than once, so deal!" Issei shouted.

Lilith smiled, and the magic circle soon broke, right as everyone reached the structure, revealing it was an odd-shaped temple. As they looked up, the MHC noticed their King and Queen's auras flaring out greatly, showing their anger was being channeled.

"Everyone, we will save Asia, and then put Diodora's head on a pike as an example to anyone that would dare harm Hell!" Vali declared.

"You've got it!" Everyone agreed.

"Now let's go wild and kill that sorry bastard's ass!" Issei exclaimed.

They rushed up the temple stares, and once they reached a certain point, 15 robbed figures appeared before them. Each one of them pulled them off, revealing the members of Diodora's peerage, making Irina's eyes widen.

"I recognize all of these girls... he's disgusting! Not only did he do it to nuns, but a few saints!" Irina's hands shook, glad she'd be free to smash her fist in Diodora's face.

"You may be right, although I hope you liked my little welcoming party." Diodora's voice echoed.

"Don't even try to act tough, Diodora. You walked into the Rating Game field, so play the game or just give Asia back and admit you're the weak coward we know you are!" Issei stated.

"Fine, fine. Though we'll be playing how _I've_ set things up." Diodora replied.

A set of paths opened up before the group, one to the left, and another to the right.

"I've made a few paths for you all to cross. Distribute your pieces left anyway you'd like, and try in vain to reach me. On the right path, my Rooks and Pawns will await, while Knights, Queen, and Bishop will be waiting on the left path." Diodora explained.

Vali looked at all of his pieces, making her choice.

"Issei, Kelsey, Irina, Yuuma, and Le Fay? I want you to take the right path. For everyone else, you're with me on the left path." Vali stated, making everyone nod.

"Then let the game begin!" Diodora exclaimed.

Diodora's peerage vanished to their respective locations, while everyone in Vali's peerage took their respective paths. As Issei's group made it to the right path's battlefield, they saw all of the Astaroth Pawns and Rooks waiting.

"Issei, leave those Rooks to me. Those Pawns are all likely promoted to Queen." Irina asked.

"Got it, now show them the power you have as Gabriel's daughter." Issei replied with a smile.

Irina smiled back before she rushed to clash against the red-haired and green-haired Rooks. With the pawns, Issei instantly readied himself and raising his Boosted Gear into the air.

**["Welsh Dragon: Balance Breaker!"]**

Issei's armor quickly formed, with the Murakumo gleaming brightly as Issei held it.

At the same time as this, Vali's group ran into the rest of Diodora's retainers, prompting Arthur to draw Caliburn.

**("Vanishing Dragon: Balance Breaker!")**

"Arthur, keep the Knights at bay." Vali ordered as her armor formed around her.

"Of course, I shall finish them post haste." Arthur replied.

Kuroka giggled at the sight before them.

"To only give us these 5? Wow, seems Diodora and his peerage have way too much confidence in themselves." Kuroka stated.

Vali didn't reply to that, still remembering her mother's warning.

* * *

The Rooks rushed at Irina, causing the twin-tailed Knight to parry their kicks before knocking them back. Once they landed, she gave a loud shout as she swiped Excalibur forward, using Mimic's powers use it as a whip.

"How pathetic." The redheaded Rook mocked.

"Are you sure?" Irina smirked.

Both of them were confused, but soon saw the aura of blessing empower the whip, making it move faster before it split until multiple points, and then glowed with Destructions aura at the end.

Once the tips hit the ground, both of them were knocked back by the impact, their outfits slightly shredded.

"What? That can't be possible, she should only have Excalibur Mimicry's power... shouldn't she!?" The green-haired Rook exclaimed in disbelief.

Irina giggled, which is when the red-haired Rook noticed her sword.

"Wait a minute, that's blade... is that the True Excalibur she's holding!?" She exclaimed in horror.

"But, that's impossible!" The green-haired Rook replied

 **「** **Testament of New Sister Devil: Kareinaru Taiketsu** **」**

Irina wagged her finger, readying her sword once more as the glow got even brighter.

"Not anymore." The golden orange-haired Knight declared.

Kelsey swung her arm out, creating her signature crystalline orbs in the air before she fired them at the Pawns. She was aided by Yuuma's holy orbs, and some wind spells by Le Fay, but the Pawns kept dodging them with ease.

"What's going on? Why can't we hit any of them!?" Kelsey screamed in frustration.

Yuuma blinked as she saw the purple-haired Pawn that kept her eyes closed, realizing she had a unique bracelet on her arm.

"Guys, that one Pawn has a Sacred Gear known as the Maestro Coordinator, which allows the user to synchronize themselves with a group." Yuuma warned her teammates.

"In other words, it's like all eight of them are sharing one mind?" Issei inquired.

"Yeah, I'd say that's a fairly accurate analogy for what it does." Yuuma replied.

Hearing that, Issei had an idea, and looked at the others.

"Everyone, buy me some time and wait for my signal. I've got a plan." He shouted.

"Let's hope your plan works, because as things are right now? We honestly don't have much to really work with." Kelsey replied with worry.

All of them rushed forward, using all of their long-ranged attacks while Issei began focusing his Boosts.

**["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"]**

'One attack is all it'll take!' He thought.

* * *

Vali held out her hand as she faced a flurry of attacks from Diodora's Queen.

**("REFLECT!")**

All of the attacks were flung away, with Diodora's retainers all moving out of the way as the Lucifer Heiress looked towards her own team.

"Guys, buy me a little more time, I'm almost ready." Vali requested.

"It'll mean nothing in the end. When you chose to underestimate my master, that was your last mistake!" Diodora's Queen chuckled.

Bikou soon jumped off Vali's shoulders, swinging his staff towards her.

"Sorry, but you made that mistake! Let me show you what I mean!" Bikou shouted with a smirk on his face.

"This is our strength." Arthur stated as he swung Caliburn.

"And here's some sage Chi for ya!" Kuroka chuckled, moving her hand to blast it out.

The Queen, Knights, and Bishops all guarded as it hit, allowing Vali to drop her Reflect... right before her teammates all gasped at the sight of Diodora's retainers being completely were unharmed.

Bikou soon noticed the Bishop's had created a magic link to the others, allowing them to heal faster than they could deal damage to them.

"Well that's just great, we can't beat them unless we defeat all five simultaneously." Bikou grunted.

"I'm honestly surprised, these fight like a more organized version of the Riser's pieces when he was still a jerk of a playboy." Kuroka remarked, looking similarly annoyed.

* * *

Kelsey swung her arms forward, gathering her gravity magic in place.

" **Gravity Force!** "

All of Diodora's pieces found themselves unable to move under the intense gravity, while the others all held onto Kelsey.

"Issei, not trying to rush you, but... I can't hold them much longer!" Kelsey grunted.

"No worries, you actually gave me the chance I was waiting for!" Issei reassured her.

This confused everyone, with Issei stretching out his arms and wings to make his move, followed by...

**["TRANSFER!"]**

His power flowed into Murakumo, making his teammates realize that was his signal, and they all ran outside the battle zone. Once they were out of the way, Issei jumped quickly jumped through the ceiling, getting the Astaroth Pawns' attention.

"Hey, what's he doing?" A blonde Pawn asked.

Swinging his sword up, he screamed loudly, thrusting Murakumo forward.

**["EXPLOSION!"]**

" **Blazing Dawn!** "

"Wait, is he trying to destroy the entire area with one attack?" A brunette Pawn repeated in a panic.

"Quick, stop him!" The blonde Pawn shouted.

All of them immediately fired off spells, only for the Murakumo to instantly cut through them just by making contact.

"Wait, doesn't that sword cut through the primordial energies?" The Pawn with closed eyes recalled.

"Oh crap!" The other Pawns screamed.

Issei's sword hit the ceiling, causing every single bit of his holy light to fall towards them like glowing meteorites. In just one moment, they were all simultaneously retired as the Sekiryuutei landed on the ground with a smirk.

Kelsey, Yuuma, and Le Fay all cheered at the result, while Diodora's Rooks had their eyes shake in horror at the sight.

_[Valiana Lucifer: 10 | Diodora Astaroth: 8]_

"The Pawns... just a single moment." The green-haired Pawn said quietly.

"Good, now that they've been dealt with, I can really cut loose!" Irina exclaimed with a smile.

Irina used Blessing's power before she began recreating the move she was trying to create when Issei saw her, getting their attention. In a moment, she swung forward, creating the holy energy between them.

" **Starlight Supernova!** "

They both screamed as a burst of light shaped as a seven-pointed star instantly hit them, forcing the duo to instantly retire.

_[Valiana Lucifer: 10 | Diodora Astaroth: 6]_

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

She sheathed Excalibur, flashing a smile as Issei walked by, and gave her a high five.

"Nice!" Issei shouted.

Soon all of them catch the sight of the battle on Vali's side, Vali and Kuroka both putting shields as Bikou tried to fire back at them with Senjutsu, and Arthur cut against incoming fire that he could reach with Caliburn.

"Damn! If only we had a way to help them, but what can we do?" Issei growled.

"Actually, I have an idea." Irina smirked.

Irina whispered in his ears, getting Issei's eyes to widen at the strange plan. Vali soon noticed a magic circle appear by her.

"Hey, Vali?" Issei answered.

"Issei?" Vali replied in surprise.

"If you can win that fight within the next minute, I promise we can go on a date wherever you'd like this Saturday." Issei promised.

The magic circle disappeared, looking at Irina.

"Are you sure this will work? I don't think a date with me is _that_ kind of incentive." Issei questioned oddly.

"3, 2, 1, and..." Irina counted off her fingers.

Vali's aura suddenly spiked, getting the attention of everyone other than Irina.

"WHAT!?" They all shouted in disbelief.

Meanwhile, the rest of Vali's retainers all watched the scene oddly, seeing Vali's magic circle grow bigger as she gave an excited look on her face, which including a simple smile and closed eyes.

"You got stronger just because you were promised a date by a boy!?" Diodora's Queen complained, feeling herself being pushed back.

"We might wanna move away..." Kuroka warned her teammates.

They did just that as Vali's eyes opened, and her aura turned black as she began supercharging a certain bloodline ability of hers.

**("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!")**

"Uh oh..." Diodora's Queen realized as she got weaker.

"Issei, you should have given me a bigger challenge with half of a minute." Vali giggled.

She aimed her attack forward.

**("RELEASE!")**

And with that, her Ethereal Twilight shot out in its Dragon form, causing a huge explosion as all five of Diodora's pieces flying, retiring them before the attack could kill them. Everyone on Issei's side all stared in shock, while Vali gave a relaxed sigh.

_[Valiana Lucifer: 10 | Diodora Astaroth: 1]_

"Holy crap... maybe I should promise her a date more often?" Issei said to himself.

* * *

Everyone walked up the stairs to where Diodora would be waiting, though as they did, Vali had a strange look of thought on your face.

"Vali, is something wrong?" Issei asked.

"Yeah, I'm questioning why Diodora didn't leave his Queen with him? I just can't shake this feeling we're missing something..." Vali answered.

That lead to everyone trying to understand it... they all failed.

Right at that moment, they finally managed to reach the peak of the temple, where Issei quickly slashed the door apart, making everyone look at him in surprise. He turned to them with a smile on her face.

"You can thank Irina's swordsmanship lessons." He answered.

The golden-haired Angel blushed at that, looking away as she gave an embarrassed smile. Following that, everyone walked into the room, finally arriving to see Diodora. Behind him, the sight of Asia being bound to some strange device could be seen.

"Asia!" Issei called out.

"I knew you'd come... thank you." Asia weakly smiled.

"What took you so long? Honestly, do you know how annoying it was to see Asia cling onto hope?" Diodora greeted in a sarcastic manner.

Vali growled at that, only growing to hate him even more.

"I never get tired of it, seeing a woman of faith and conviction give into despair, but you keep her from doing that! So, I have no choice but to kill you, which will send her into the deepest despair imaginable! Once that's over, I'll give her an Evil Piece both literally and euphemistically!" He screamed in an insane manner.

Holding out his hand, everyone's eyes widened as he held not one, not two, but three of Trihexa's symbols on his hand!

"He's got three!?" Kelsey exclaimed in disbelief.

Diodora's voice gets distorted, and he starts to roar, transforming into some chimeric creature like Freed, but his was more of a black and red color, and was more fearsome than it was ugly or disgusting.

"Just one fragment made Katerea and Gavauren much stronger, but this many? It's like he's a spawn of Trihexa now..." Irina said nervously, holding Excalibur close.

"Stand back everyone." Vali warned.

They all looked surprised, while she looked at Issei, who nodded in response. Both of them take a deep breath, flaring their auras out with their anger they had focused towards Diodora.

" **Diabolus Dragon: Lucifer!** "

Issei began chanting, preparing to activate his own DxD form, with Ddraig at the ready.

"The pure Red Dragon dwelling inside me, awaken from your Dominance..." Issei chanted.

 **["The crimson-red Heavenly Throne, rise beyond the dusk..."]** Ddraig chanted.

"The one who represents Domination..."

**["The glorious lord of all Angels..."]**

"Watch over the forbidden existence we shall become, so all that's good... what us transcends like a radiance within the inferno!" Both chanted together.

Issei's body roared as a powerful burst of red, green, and white surrounded him.

" **Dragon Deification: God!** "

Both of them manifested their evolved armors, staring down the chimeric Diodora standing before them.

"Come, let me end you two for good!" Diodora laughed crazily.

Diodora rushed at the two, with everyone watching nervously as their King and Queen just let him near them, making them all worry what they were planning.

"Now!" Vali shouted.

She blasted out a storm of darkness, with Diodora charging right through it without any effort.

"Please, you can't expect me to hurt like that! Actually, you can't hurt me! Your weak efforts will only end in your lengthy death-"

*SLASH*

Diodora's body suddenly froze, and then...

*SMASH*

 **「** **Bungou Stray Dogs: Opening 2 - Instrumental** **」**

Diodora looked behind him seeing the Murakumo's blade had stretched out to strike through the Longinus Seal, but it was doing so... by piercing through his chest!

"Wait, what... but how? Why did this sword piece through me, and why does it make me feel like my body's falling apart? It's just a stupid Dragon Slayer!" Diodora gasped out, his body silently screaming with pain.

"It seems you don't know a thing about Murakumo, and that will cost you." Vali smirked.

Diodora's eyes widened, confused by why she meant.

"The Murakumo was made so the Hero Faction's members could wield it if needed, as it's meant to be especially dangerous against Evil Dragons and their Evil God masters. In other words, it's also a God Slayer that's perfectly strong enough to break that seal behind you!" Issei revealed.

"No, that's not possible! That sword can't be that powerful!" Diodora coughed out.

Issei pushed forward, shattering the seal holding Asia, while knocking Diodora to the ground, destroying his Trihexa empowered form.

"If that was the case, then why is it called the Japanese Excalibur?"

As he slowly got up from the ground, he saw the two land before him, making his body shake in fear as the damage Issei inflicted cause their auras to become terrifying to him.

"How can this be... I was so much stronger! She was supposed to me mine!" Diodora roared.

"Stay on the ground." Vali demanded.

His body shook, and then he roared with the last bit of Trihexa's power flowing through his body, aiming his hand towards Asia's weakened form in one last act of desperation.

"No way, I'd rather have her disappear from existence than hand her back over!" He screamed, preparing a magical burst.

He unleashed it towards Asia, but Vali instantly rushed ahead, and moved Asia out of the way. That ended up being his last mistake as Issei and Vali held out their hands towards him.

"Impossible!" Diodora panicked.

"Fine, if you want to do this the hard way, then you can just cease to exist!" Issei shouted.

" **Blazing Dawn!** "  
" **Ethereal Twilight!** "

Both attacks hit Diodora from both sides, making the traitorous member of Astaroth Clan scream as he was completely purged away. At that moment, both Heavenly Dragons felt their armor disappear, making them pant heavily.

 **「** **Insert Song End** **」**

Right at that moment, Asia managed to regain her bearings, seeing everyone look at her with relieved expressions on their faces.

"Asia, are you alright?" Vali asked with a smile.

"Vali... Issei... I knew you'd save me!" Asia said before she began crying.

Irina rushed at Asia, hugging her tightly.

"Asia, thank goodness, you're OK! I don't know what would have happened if we lost you!" Irina cried, almost choking Asia.

"That's right, you're not going anywhere. We'll always keep you safe." Vali smiled.

As everyone was gathered together in celebration... none of them noticed two parts of the Longinus Seal begin to move, causing them to lung towards the twin Dragons. It was at that moment Kelsey finally noticed to her horror.

"Issei! Vali! Look out!" She screamed in a panic.

Both of them turned, but it was too late, and everyone looked in horror as they were pierced by the two parts of the seal.

"No!" Irina screamed.

"Wait a minute, look closer!" Yuuma pointed out.

Despite they had just been stabbed, neither Issei or Vali were bleeding, and it seemed less like they were being pierced... it was more like something had grabbed them. Sure enough, the two parts curled like hooks, pulling out of the two as they both fell back, completely uninjured.

However, the Longinus Seal was now holding a red and white mass with a vile, and terrifying aura to them.

"W-what are those things?" Kuroka asked, too afraid to try and sense them.

Issei felt his chest a bit, gasping as he felt like something was missing, something he had... yet something that was more harmful than beneficial or a necessity.

"Ddraig, those things... what are they?" Issei asked.

 **["No way, that thing just..."]** Ddraig stuttered, his voice shaking with pure terror.

"Albion, why is Ddraig freaking out!?" Vali asked fearfully.

 **("Vali, those masses that seal is holding... you barely managed to push away from it once before, right before you obtained your Diabolus Dragon form.")** Albion answered.

This confused the others, but the two quickly realized what they were.

"You mean those masses are the source of the Juggernaut Drive transformations!?" Issei said, his body trembling.

Everyone's faces showed absolute horror at that.

"Diodora, such a fool in the end... although he still managed to obtain the forbidden power like he promised." A female voice smirked.

Most of the group turned to see a woman with a strange dress like armor, having long gray hair that covered her eyes from view descend from a portal and float in the air before them with a dull expression on her face.

"Who are you!?" Issei demanded.

"I'm Zentiika Belphegor, the true descendant of Belphegor. Not only that, but I'll also be the one who'll kill you, just like I killed that Glasya-Labolas punk the other day." She answered.

Vali's eyes widened at that.

"It was you... the one who killed Zephyrdor was you, wasn't it!?" She shouted angrily.

Zentiika didn't bother answering, simply looking towards the masses representing the two Juggernaut Drives. Realizing she was about to use them for something, Irina instantly grabbed Excalibur, rushing towards her before it was too late.

"You won't even get the chance!" She shouted, her voice so high-pitched that it naturally distorted itself.

Zentiika yawned, and formed a barrier to defend herself, which also tasered Irina as she was shot to the ground, barely able to stand up.

"Damn it, I forgot what... Leelexe's power was..." Irina grunted weakly.

 **["Everyone, get out of here right now!"]** Ddraig warned.

 **("Hurry!")** Albion screamed.

Not wasting any time, they all began fleeing the temple, all while Zentiika rose her hand towards the two masses, and used her powers on them. The two masses soon attracted like a magic, and a bunch of blue and green lights came out, giving chilling moans from each one.

Vali's eyes immediately widened as she grabbed Irina, turning to the others.

"Run away and don't look back!" She screamed, her voice distorting in the same manner that Irina's had moments earlier.

"You heard her! Go, go, go!" Issei screamed.

Everyone wasted no time listening, right as huge bursts of energy nearly made them stumble, and began destroying the battlefield they had just fought on into rubble.

* * *

Back on the battlefield, Rossweisse was seen blasting two beams from her hands as she purged a few of the remaining Khaos Brigade forces in her area.

"It seems like we're about good to go here." Rossweisse smiled.

"Now the question is how is Vali's group doing? I just hope-" Bennia replied.

At that moment, a huge flash caught the attention of both sides as they noticed a pillar of red and white light rise into the sky.

"What the hell?" Zeus questioned.

And right after that... the true terror sounded off to the two armies.

**_"I, who shall awaken!"_ **

**_"It's starting, the time's finally come..."_ **

**_"I don't know you..."_ **

The quiet chant suddenly caught everyone's attention.

"No, it can't be... they didn't..." Lilith said, completely mortified by the chant.

"Run away!" Kelsey screamed.

Everyone turned to see Vali's group flying into view.

"Wait, if they're here... then who's-" Ingvild questioned, looking at Vali's peerage and then the pillars of light.

Amaterasu's eyes widened a bit.

"This isn't the Juggernaut Drive we're seeing... it's worse." She said quietly.

"Oh god..." Tsukuyomi breathed in response.

**_["I am the Heavenly Dragon who stole the principles of Domination from God!"]_ **

**_("I am the Heavenly Dragon who claimed the principles of Supremacy from God!")_ **

**_"It has always been this way..."_ **

**_"That is correct, always and forever..."_ **

A massive burst of red, white, green, and blue shot in every direction of the skies, and as it did... a silhouette began forming within, showing something standing on two legs.

It took a familiar form of Issei and Vali's default Scale Mail armors, which slowly began to mutate their forms into something else. First off, it began to get even bigger, but soon had its head split into two.

**_("I envy the infinite, and long for the dream...")_ **

**_["I mock the infinite, and fret over the dream..."]_ **

**_"What the world desires..."_ **

**_"What the world rejects..."_ **

**_["I shall become the Red Dragon of Domination!"]_ **

**_("I shall become the White Dragon of Supremacy!")_ **

After that, two extra arms suddenly spiked out of the metallic body, leaving broken shards before they melded into a proper structure of the morphing skin and tightened like fists. From behind, the tail split apart, flashing both colors before spiraling into a tail-shaped double helix, with something like an arrowhead as the tip, making the body gain a hunched back that sprouted four bony, yet razor sharp wings on it.

Multiple glows began forming across the body, being either green or blue, with the eyes flashing a dangerous shade of purple. Small growths came out, looking like strange appendages that began flailing about, with their reason for it being unknown.

**_"Has always been power..."_ **

**_"Has always been love..."_ **

**_"No matter the occasion you always choose the path to ruin!"_ **

Right as the armor's form began to take its final form, Rias suddenly felt her soul shake from what she was seeing, prompting her to grab Akeno as intense winds blew where they everyone was standing.

"What is that... what is that!?" She begged in fear.

"That thing's aura and power are incredible!" Kiba replied, holding a hand above his face.

Manifesting into his Sacred Gear body, Vritra looked at the sight.

 **«"And dangerous."»** The Evil Dragon warned, giving a nervous sweat as he felt a great fear welling within him.

The pillar spread apart, and then...

**_["I shall drown you in the depths of crimson purgatory!"]_ **

**_("I shall take you to the limits of silver paradise!")_ **

**_"JUGGERNAUT DRIVE!"_ **

With a final burst of power, the entire area that Vali's peerage had been fighting on completely shattered for good, revealing a giant metallic creature that was at least ten times larger than anyone or anything tied to the Alliance.

Both of the Juggernaut Drives had merged into one, and mutated into a greater form. The two heads were even split down the middle, having Ddraig's halves on the sides closer to the winds, while Albion's on the sides that faced the gap between each head and its respective neck.

"Oh... my... god..." Irina whimpered.

"She didn't just summon them... she... actually managed to..." Yuuma whimpered as she felt her even her bones tense up.

"The fused together... into some kind of Juggernaut Chimera!" Lilith screamed in horror.

Right as the Devil Queen said that, the newly named monster unleashed a loud roar, ripping the nearby landmass it was standing around. Zentiika landed on its right head, soon joined by Creuserey Asmodeus on the left head.

"Our time has finally come! We'll use the Juggernaut Drive's power to destroy this land, and then a new world for Devils shall be ours!" He declared.

Both of them placed their hands on the beast's heads, and the two clashing instincts inside the beast vanished as they took control of the forbidden power, as if they were controlling a puppet.

"Oh god..." Issei felt himself shaking as Vali held his hand tightly.

The entire Alliance looked as at that moment, they were facing a being even stronger than the Heavenly Dragons... one they might be unable to defeat.

* * *

**That's right, their final enemy is a fusion of the Juggernaut Drives that have been removed from our twin Dragons to walk around their main downside! I bet most of you expected that it would show up since the Season 2 epilogue scene, but I don't think any of you thought this would happen, which is exactly why I didn't leave any kind of foreshadowing. This was something that needed to be a complete surprise, and I'm fairly sure I succeed in that area :)**

**Anyways, this cursed monstrosity is the strongest enemy that's appeared in this story so far, being above the Heavenly Dragons yet blow the Dragon Gods, yet limited by Zentiika and Creuserey have no experience with the powers they've bonded themselves to. Despite the limitations it does have through the Devils using them, this monster is as big of a threat as the Heavenly Dragons were in the Great War.**

**Everyone, be prepared... because what you're about to see is the very challenge that Issei and Vali have been bracing themselves to face since the end of the previous season. They have to destroy the curse of Juggernaut Drive, once and for all! They haven't been able to prepare for this day, and they have no way of using the same amount of strength the Juggernaut Drive, which means they can only try, and if they fail... they'll die.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

**A/N: To those who are wondering, Fafnir is the 12th strongest being in the world.**

* * *

**Eneely's Peerage** **:**

**King - Eneely Vassago**   
**Queen - Manael**   
**Bishops - Glacier, Elkhun**   
**Knights - Mikoto, Hotaru**   
**Rooks - Krieg, Lesley**   
**Pawns - Akari Shiina (x2), Finn (x2), Blitz (x2), Candy (x2)**

**Additional Notes:  
~ Manael is a Human/Angel hybrid and has a Sacred Gear  
~ Glacier is a Yeti  
~ Elkhun is an Elf  
~ Akari was the Stray that Vali's peerage saved in Chapter 11, and has a Sacred Gear with a Spider theme  
~ Finn has a Kraken Familiar  
~ Blitz has a Sacred Gear  
~ Candy has a Sacred Gear**

* * *

**Riser's Peerage** **:**

**King - Riser Phenex**   
**Queen - Yubelluna Vasile**   
**Bishops - Mihae Sato, Kallima Prima**   
**Knights - Karlamine Bridgit, Siris Dumitru**   
**Rooks - Xuelan Chen, Isabela Alanis**   
**Pawns - Ile Miller, Nel Miller, Li Nekochi, Ni Nekochi, Mira Ito, Burent Ricci, Marion Romano, Shuriya Amari**

**Additional Notes:  
~ Kallima is a Magician**

* * *

**Bust Size of New Female Characters** **:**

**Cecilia Belial - 77 cm**

**Siarea Phenex - 75 cm**

**Zentiika Belphegor - 95 cm**

* * *

**Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter** **:**

**None**

* * *

**Pairings List** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating  
Ddraig/Albion - Married  
Tiamat/Fafnir - Married  
Ophis/Great Red - Married  
Saji/Sona - Dating, and is Saji's main love interest  
Saji/Momo - Momo likes him, and Saji's considering a harem that includes her  
Saji/Ruruko - Ruruko likes him, and Saji's considering a harem that includes her  
Gasper/Valerie - Dating  
Kiba/Tosca - Dating  
Hina/Nanami - Dating  
Shuriliu/Coriana - Dating, and is Shuriliu's main love interest  
Shuriliu/Her Peerage - Dating  
Rias/Akeno - Engaged  
Rossweisse/Vidar - Rossweisse hasn't met Vidar, while Vidar may have experienced love at first sight  
Sairaorg/Kuisha - Dating**


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Important Notice:**  
>  This chapter contains a twist that I really regret making and question how it came to my mind since the chapter was revised. You'll know what it is, and the only reason I didn't remove it from this chapter and the ones after it is because I'm no longer working on this and have no desire to change anything when it's not going to continue.

**This is it everyone, we've finally made it to Season 3's epic finale! Get ready, because I want to tackle this whole thing in one go, meaning by the time I reach the end notes, this chapter may be very, _very_ long! However, it'll be worth it to avoid leaving all of you on another cliffhanger that even I don't want to end things at, that... and I already promised you all that this was the Season 3 finale, so it'd be pretty awkward for this chapter to not be that ^^;**

**Well, as last chapter showed, this story is about to having its biggest fight to date, because Issei and Vali are standing face to face with a fusion of their Juggernaut Drives, meaning they're essentially facing what I can best describe as an Evil Dragon version of Ddraig and Albion if they fused together. That's bad on its own, but this chapter will make it clear fairly early that it's even worse than last chapter implied.**

**Without giving it away, our twin Dragons... they're on their own.**

**Yes, they're on their own, but how is that when literally everyone's with them? You'll find out soon enough, but regardless of why, this fight against the Juggernaut Chimera is one that Issei and Vali need to win for the only obstacle left to threaten their love to be destroyed, and free themselves from the eternal conflict between the Sekiryuutei and Hakuryuukou for good. To sum it up, this fight is their way of grabbing destiny, and ripping it in half!**

**Don't worry, the others won't just be standing on the sidelines, it'll just be a situation like that of BorN's 9th episode, where the situation made Rias decide to go in on her own, but with our Dragon lovebirds in her place. Although, there's a bit of the Loki fight in here, but only a specific section of it, and you'll know which one I'm talking about when you see it.**

**However, none of that will take the cake on what I said would happen last chapter... which is finally getting the answer to Issei's dream from Season 3's beginning! The answer to who Issei saw, and told him to "remember", a clue to the full secret that Issei's parents have been hiding from him, and why Amaterasu is connected to it in a way that's made her vow not to say anything until they do.**

**So, it's time now... everyone, the epic showdown with the Juggernaut Chimera is about to start! So, let's... *hits a gong for emphasis* Begin!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

 **[]** \- Ddraig Talking

 **«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

 **「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

 **【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

 **⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

** Blazing Inferno of Scorching Flames & Ethereal Luminescence of Erasing Light **

**The original powers of Ddraig and Albion respectively, known for being able to destroy Gods and Souls through their power, while also being their signature abilities that represent their true powers and heritage. While the elements decided by the egg shells that led to their births are a factor, the link is still present for how they became as powerful as they did, and possibly even their color matching those elements.**

**For Ddraig, his Blazing Inferno of Scorching Flames is stated to represent Dreams through to how they're tied to passions, and how the feelings tied to it are often compared to a fire because they _burn_ the same way. In the case of Albion, her Ethereal Luminescence of Erasing Light is believed to represent Infinity through how the sun is an eternal source of light, with Humanity believing its lifespan being finite due to... supernatural intervention.**

**As their powers came from the strongest beings alive, they were quickly feared as some of the most powerful Dragons from birth, but were left without any challenge in their lives... until they met each other. After finding out they were immune to each other's breathes, the two finally found some excitement in their empty lives, which eventually lead to the two finding love with one another.**

**Upon forming their rivalry, they chose to stop using their respective breathes unless absolutely needed, and began facing one another in countless over the years, where they began developing their other signature abilities such as the Boost, Divide, Penetrate, Reflect, and more. These efforts would eventually make them so strong, they managed to exceed God and Lucifer, leaving only their parents more powerful, and becoming the strongest mortals.**

**When they were sealed into the Boosted Gear and Divine Dividing by God, their use of these abilities was sealed away, with the leader of Heaven only wanting a user that had fully mastered their Dragons power to have access by proving they wouldn't misuse it by earning the right to use them. As a result, not a single Sekiryuutei or Hakuryuukou has managed to use these powers since the two Longinus have existed.**

**Further proof of this right shows through the curse of the Juggernaut Drive, as despite the claim it forcefully unleashes all of the respective Heavenly Dragon's power, this is the one ability that can't be unlocked due to the potential threat it could bring to the world if they were used by the berserk state of this cursed power. Some rumors even claim the original hosts created the cruse in an attempt to force these powers out.**

**The closest to ever using these abilities were the hosts that fell in love like Issei and Vali, only failing when they both died from the Juggernaut Drive.**

* * *

**_ Season 3, Diodora Arc: Chapter 7 - Wrath of the Juggernaut _ **

The entire Alliance stared at the sight of the Juggernaut Chimera, and the fearsome force it represented... a force weaker than Ophis, Great Red, and Trihexa, but even stronger than Ddraig and Albion, which they had all faced in the Great War, but failed to truly defeat.

"How do we fight something like that?" Hina whimpered.

"Better question would be **can** we fight something like that?" Nanami gulped fearfully.

Shuriliu's eyes widen as she turned around, activating her bloodline ability as she gasped in horror. Lilith turned to her, wondering what she saw.

"What's wrong, Shuriliu?" Lilith questioned.

"Lady Lilith, we're starting to become dangerously close to the public! If we're not careful, we could lead that thing right to them, and since none of the civilians are even aware about this attack..." She shouted.

Lilith's eyes widened at that, recalling how no one had been evacuated because they thought Diodora was too small a threat to warrant it.

"By the time we even started, the casualties would already be staggering!" Lilith realized.

"They were hoping for this result all along... how could I have been so foolish!?" Alanira realized.

Realizing the danger, most of the Alliance's soldiers instantly began flying after the beast, hoping to get its attention away from the defenseless civilians it was nearing.

"Wait, don't!" Lilith screamed, trying to stop them.

The Juggernaut Chimera noticed them, right as a Devil soldier took the lead.

"Everyone, hold it back with a barrier!" He ordered.

They all made a shield, while Creuserey just laughed.

"Smash it down." He ordered.

The Juggernaut roared as it swiped just one of its four arms forward.

**"PENETRATE!"**

It smashed through without any effort, forcing their soldiers to create energy whips to hold it.

"You can't this beast down." Zentiika smirked.

**"REFLECT!"**

The bindings forced themselves off, scaring the soldiers more as the beast roared at them.

**"BOOST!" "BOOST!" "BOOST!" "BOOST!" "BOOST!" "BOOST!" "BOOST!" "BOOST!" "BOOST!" "BOOST!" "BOOST!" "BOOST!" "BOOST!" "BOOST!" "BOOST!"**  
**"DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!"**

The soldiers all fell to the ground, completely drained as the Juggernaut began roaring like a human screaming in agony, flapping its wings as it began taking flight.

"Gasper, try freezing it in time!" Rias ordered.

"O-OK!" Gasper replied.

His eyes shifted, but right as the time stop effect went off, the aura shattered as Juggernaut Chimera kept moving.

"I didn't even faze him!" Gasper confirmed.

 **«"Forgive me, but it's just too powerful..."»** Balor grunted.

The Juggernaut's chest plate suddenly opened up, revealing a green and blue gem underneath, making many realize what it was.

**"BOOST!" "BOOST!" "BOOST!" "BOOST!" "BOOST!" "BOOST!" "BOOST!" "BOOST!" "BOOST!" "BOOST!" "BOOST!" "BOOST!" "BOOST!" "BOOST!" "BOOST!"**  
**"DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!"**

Lilith's face gave a terrified sweat as her body shook.

"Oh no, he's about to fire the Longinus Smasher, and worse... I don't think it's at us!" Amaterasu realized.

"Everyone, move behind that monster immediately!" Lilith ordered.

Many suddenly turned at the Mother of all Devils in shock, looking at her like she was crazy... until she revealed the reason behind her command.

"If we can't make it fire away, then everyone within that area will die! We have to divert its attention!" Lilith explained.

Seeing the face she was making, Roygun sweated a bit.

"You heard her, everyone get behind that thing immediately!" Roygun shouted.

At that, everyone quickly flew past the beast, and right as the two traitorous Devils expected they'd get a clear shot at the public... the Juggernaut's feelings overpowered them, aiming at the twin Dragons' position.

"Hey, aim the other way!" Zentiika demanded.

 **["Crap, this is bad!"]** Ddraig realized.

 **("That thing's prime instinct to kills the Sekiryuutei or Hakuryuukou is still present! And since its both Juggernaut Drives... it wants both Issei and Vali!")** Albion warned.

Every part of the Chimera's body opened up, right as the glows synchronized with each other, signaling the attack was ready.

 **["Longinus!"]** A male voice shouted.

 **("Smasher!")** A female voice screamed.

The Juggernaut fired an entire fleet of beams at the fleeing Alliance forces, all of which looked like they were done for.

* * *

In another part of the world, Shiva flinched out of nowhere.

"This strange feeling... what's going on?" He wondered, feeling a bead of sweat trickle down his cheek.

"Shiva!"

He turned to see Brahma and Vishnu rush over to him, with similar looks of worry.

"Damn it... what's wrong!?" He asked.

The two took a moment to slow down and catch their breath, and then began revealing the horrible truth they just learned.

"Something's going on in Hell, and it isn't good." Brahma answered.

"The Juggernaut Drives... someone's stolen them from their respective Longinus and fused them together! The Anti-Maou Faction's even taken control of it with Hell as their first target!" Vishnu exclaimed in a panic.

Shiva's eyes froze at that, gritting his teeth.

'Damn it, is it this? Did we wait too long to join the Alliance?' He thought.

* * *

The Alliance soon opened their eyes, seeing they were alright as some kind of red barrier formed to cage the Juggernaut, and protect them.

"Hey, we're all still alive." Amalya realized.

"Whoever made this barrier... thank you." Odin sighed in relief.

"But this won't help forever. Is there a way to kill this thing?" Eneely questioned.

"I'll check." Shuriliu replied.

Focusing her Perfection Vision once again, she tried to gather what she could... then gasped as the information she received made her shake.

"Oh no, please don't tell us the you're not getting something that says it's immortal." Ingvild asked nervously.

"No, it's possible to kill, but... it says that if anyone that doesn't possess the same powers ends up killing it... they'll die as well. In other words, only Issei and Vali can kill it, or we'll also kill them!" Shuriliu answered.

This horrified those closest to the duo, right as Aariliyn smashed her hardened fist onto part of the shield.

"You've gotta be kidding!?" She growled.

A gash appeared behind the alliance, getting their attention as someone walked through, and boy was the someone that came through it a huge surprise.

"I should have realized it was the Juggernaut Drive." Great Red sighed.

That shock only grew larger when Ophis walked out after him, further shocking everyone at the duo's arrival.

'Wait, was the one in my dream him?' He thought, trying to piece together if that was possible.

"Did you two both come because of the Juggernaut Drives fusing together?" Lilith asked, returning her gaze towards the cursed monster.

Ophis nodded on behalf for both of them.

"Hmm... looks like they've managed to fuse a complete transformation for both Juggernaut Drives." He mentioned.

"Is that a good thing, or a bad thing?" Issei asked.

"In an incomplete state that would have caused this creation to destroy itself naturally, but in a complete state? That thing's gonna stick around until someone forces it to die." Ophis answered.

This made everyone worry, this monster wouldn't just be able to destroy Hell... it could annihilate the entire world.

"Wait, but Valerie's got the Sephiroth Graal, why not just have this beast killed and then bring Issei and Vali back? It'd be painful, but we'd at least stop it." Ereilie suggested.

"Sorry, but that doesn't work for the hosts of our children. As long as the Juggernaut Drive exists, those two would just be absorbed into their Longinus, and reviving them would be impossible." Ophis retorted.

Ereilie paled at that, and as everyone tried to figure things out... Issei and Vali looked at each other. Without saying anything, both of them spread out their wings.

"Issei, Vali?" Asia said in surprise.

"If we're the only ones that can destroy that thing without risking our own lives, then we have no choice... we have to destroy what we let them create!" Issei declared.

"Before us stands our own curse, so now it's time for us to finally end the cycle." Vali agreed.

The two Dragon Deities looked at them with interest.

"We won't stop you, but just know that approaching that thing without a plan will get you killed." Great Red warned.

Vali's peerage looked at one another, and got up.

"All of us will go with you, we're in this-" Yuuma said for everyone.

"We're doing this alone." Vali interjected.

All of Vali's peerage felt her nullify their powers, surprising them and everyone else as they took off.

"No, wait!" Asia shouted.

The two flew through the barrier after Great Red let them through. Right as he did, he felt Asia grab his shirt, getting his attention as she saw her tearful expression.

"Please, we can't let them fight alone... help them!" Asia begged.

"Even if you can't kill that beast yourself, can either of you at least give them a chance? They'll never beat that thing if it can use all of Ddraig and Albion's abilities." Lilith asked, also begging them.

Looking at them, he looked at his wife.

"I guess those would be a problem, so I think we can at least offer that much assistance." Ophis agreed.

Holding out his hand, Great Red made something to hold the barrier he created, making both Dragon Deities shoot forward, and appear in their Dragon forms. Everyone stared in amazement at what was likely a once in a lifetime event.

As the Heavenly Dragon duo flew towards the Juggernaut, they saw the two flying overhead of them.

"Great Red? Ophis?" Issei said in surprise.

"Why are you here? We said this was our battle!" Vali asked.

" ** _Calm yourselves, we're just going to contain that thing's power. Feel free to do whatever you want afterwards._** " Great Red replied.

" ** _If you're trying to win rather than die, then just sit back for a minute and let us give that thing a Dragon for Dragon._** " Ophis added.

The two just stared silently as they flew forward.

The Juggernaut roared as it neared, with both Anti-Maou Faction leaders readying to face it.

"The two Dragon Deities? They can try all they'd like, but they won't be enough to stop us!" Creuserey replied with overconfidence.

"Destroy them..." Zentiika yawned tiredly, feeling bored.

The Juggernaut Chimera inhaled, releasing a fire and light breath from their two heads. Unfortunately, Zentiika and Creuserey found out the hard way that just like their children, they were completely immune to the attacks.

"Uh... change of plans, put up a defense!" Zentiika panicked.

Forming a shield over them, the Juggernaut Chimera roared, charging at the duo in an instant. Grabbing onto them, everyone watched as they zig-zagged across the sky, with the Juggernaut Chimera roaring at the two without restraint.

" ** _Is this supposed to be you showing us how dangerous you are? Please, all you're doing is yapping, all bark and no bite._** " Great Red sighed in disappointment.

" ** _Now, let us show you the consequences of your shallow arrogance._** " Ophis stated.

The two bite the Juggernaut on parts of its necks, making its eyes widen as it weakly fell to the ground, lacking the strength to regain flight. Roaring at the two Dragon Deities, they both got close to it, making it release a blue glow as they stayed immobile.

**"DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!"**

The Juggernaut began absorbing their strength, but neither the True Red Dragon God Emperor, or the True White Dragon God Emperor showed any signs of getting weaker because of their unlimited strength. It began to feel its body get taxed with every second it stole their power, but with its puppeteers still shielding themselves, it had no idea that it was a bad idea to keep going.

Everyone watched as the Chimera's body started to crack in a few spots, releasing something like black steam from its body. Eventually, it started to fall to its knees, slowly tipping backwards, and nearing the ground.

**"DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "DIVIDE!" "D... Divide..."**

Finally, the black steam exploded, showing it falling onto the ground as all of its systems connected to its Longinus powers overheated, completely shattering. With the damage that was done, the Juggernaut Chimera would no longer have access to the Boost, Divide, Penetrate, and Reflect abilities.

"Holy shit..." Issei breathed.

 **["And they weren't even trying, the only attack they even did was biting their necks."]** Ddraig reminded them.

The two Dragon Deities shifted back to their human forms.

"It'll get back up any moment now, but we can leave the rest to you." Ophis alerted them.

"Thanks, we owe you for this." Issei smiled.

As the two flew towards the Juggernaut Chimera's downed form, Great Red shrugged a bit.

"Doubt we'll ever ask them to pay on it." He remarked.

The twin Dragons flew closer, right as the Juggernaut Chimera finally got back on its feet and motioned its gaze towards them.

"Damn it, we've lost the Heavenly Dragons' abilities." Creuserey growled.

"No choice, if we can't safely pilot it with little work from outside, then we'll have to dangerously pilot it from within." Zentiika decided.

Slapping the beast's heads, they both sunk inside of them.

"Wait, what are they doing?" Issei wondered.

In a few moments, everyone quickly saw what they had done, with carvings of their respective Clan Crest appearing on each head's forehead. The fragments of their lost abilities fell out, but the rest of the Chimera healed itself, with its wings shifting into Devil wings.

"I'm gonna assume that's them changing up their method of manipulating that thing to their will." Vali guessed.

 **("It doesn't feel any stronger, so this must be for tactical reasons.")** Albion warned.

Looking at the two, Creuserey and Zentiika growled, using the Juggernaut Chimera's eyes as their own.

"Come on, let's finish this." Issei exclaimed.

"Right!" Vali replied.

 **"Right!"** Their Dragons agreed.

Both of them glowed their respective colors, with Issei drawing out the Murakumo in response.

**「** **Dragon Ball Super: Ka Ka Kachi Daze - Instrumental** **」**

The Juggernaut Chimera roared, rushing at them.

"Die!" Creuserey and Zentiika's voices screamed.

"Let's do this!" The twin Dragons shouted in reply.

**["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"]**

**("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!")**

Once they began using their primary abilities, everyone kept hearing them repeat as they didn't let them stop for a moment, knowing they had to keep them going to stand any chance against this monster.

Issei took the lead as he rushed ahead, slashing through part of the Juggernaut with Murakumo, leaving a small cut to the beast's shock. It gave a slight roar of pain, but simply turned towards him, blasting out a furious hail of power.

"Vali!" Issei shouted.

Stretching out his hand, he used his Blazing Dawn to create a rope of light, letting Vali catch it.

"I'm on it!" Vali replied.

Swinging themselves into the other's position, Vali quickly held a hand out.

**("REFLECT!")**

The blasts hit Vali's barriers, instantly being sent right back at the Juggernaut.

" **Light of the Morning Star!** "

Vali unleashed a storm of light orbs at the twin-headed titan, prompting Issei to jump up and throw his hand out.

**["PENETRATE!"]**  
**["TRANSFER!"]**

Issei transferred his Penetrate ability into Vali's attack, causing every shot to smash through the Juggernaut's body, and knock it off its feet. Everyone watching the scene was amazed by what they were achieving.

"They're in perfect sync, that's amazing..." Kuisha breathed in awe.

Odin's mind wandered to a certain memory, one from over 2000 years ago.

* * *

_Albion grabbed Ddraig's tail with her own, and tossed him through the combined army formed to face them._

_" **Penetrate!** "_

_Ddraig smashed through most of their defenses, sending most of them flying as the Red Dragon sliced through them like a hot knife through butter. Turning towards Albion, he opened his mouth._

_" **Blazing Inferno of Scorching Flames!** "_

_" **Reflect!** "_

_Ddraig fired his god slaying fire, burning the area around him, while Albion shifted her body, forming a shield that rebounded the attack to hit another force of the army._

_"They're completely synchronized!" Lugh shouted._

_Odin stared as the Heavenly Dragons turned their attention to the multiple armies, with everyone shaking in fear at the Dragons that were now their enemies._

* * *

Odin smiled a bit, knowing how that fact had changed in the present day.

'They aren't our enemies anymore.' He stated.

"Your power is nothing!" Creuserey shouted.

He swung all of the Juggernaut's claws at the two, with Issei rushing in front of Vali.

" **Blazing Dawn!** "

The divine light fired out, sending out the ability's Dragon to smash into the attack like a shield. The Chimera fell back, roaring as it crashed on its butt.

"Taste our light of judgment, if you dare!" Zentiika declared.

Firing into the air, a heavy pillar of dark pink energy smashed down like a flying javelin, with Issei taking Vali's arm to swing him above her.

" **Ethereal Twilight!** "

The power of twilight turned into its own Dragon, devouring its way through the dark beam of light. Using that moment, Issei and Vali broke off, dashing around to the sides of the twin-headed monster they were facing.

" **Twilight Tempest!** "

" **Scarlet Sword!** "

Issei swung the Murakumo out, making the blade extend into eight as it gained a scarlet glow, while Vali unleashed a whirlwind of twilight from her hands. Both attacks ripped into the Juggernaut Chimera, making its puppeteers roar in pain.

When the attacks ended, red and white wisps of power flickered off the surrounding ground by each host.

"They're doing it!" Rias exclaimed.

"Finish it you guys!" Sona cheered.

Everyone's voices exploded with faith that the duo could succeed, making the twin Dragons look at each other with a smile before they focused all the power they had collected so far.

**["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"]**

**("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!")**

Their wings soon flashed, adding their next layer.

**["DOUBLE ESCALATION!"]**

**("HALF DIMENSION!")**

Both of them warped the dimensions in different ways, with Issei's warping doubling their power, and Vali's halving the Juggernaut Chimera's.

**"Longinus!"**

**"Smasher!"**

Both of them unleashed their Sacred Gear's ultimate techniques, smashing the legendary power onto the twin-headed giant. Everyone gave expressions of cheer as it looked like they had finally done the near-impossible!

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

"Is... that... all!? Both laughed.

The expressions of cheer all turned to horror as the Juggernaut Chimera's arms pushed away the attacks, showing a familiar set of flashing gems throughout its entire body.

Despite the powers of Albion and Ddraig were destroyed, this monster was still basically a living Longinus. In other words, Great Red and Ophis weren't able to destroy its worst weapon... its own Longinus smasher!

"Quick! You need to stop their attack, or they won't survive!" Irina begged.

"Can't do that." Great Red replied.

"Both of us promised them not to interfere beyond this. As fellow Dragons, we will not break that vow." Ophis agreed.

"That means nothing if they die!" Irina screamed with tears in her eyes.

Both Issei and Vali silenced their attacks, and right as they did... their DxD finally hit their limit, causing them to dispel. Issei and Vali both gasped as they saw their time had finally run out.

"Uh oh..." Vali said, sweating a bit.

"If this thing refuses to aim at anyone else until you're dead, then we'll simply... kill the false Lucifer first!" Both cackled loudly, aiming at her.

The Lucifer Heiress' eyes widened in horror as she tried to run, only to trip in the process.

"Vali!" Issei screamed.

**["TRANSFER!"]**

Issei used every boost he had at once, pushing it all into his legs as he charged his Knight trait beyond anything it was ever meant to handle.

**"Longinus Smasher!"**

The storm of beams aimed straight at Vali, making her eyes widen in horror as it came towards her.

"Get away from her!" Issei screamed angrily.

"Issei?" Vali replied, turning her head.

In a mere instant, the Sekiryuutei pushed her out of the way, but at a terrible cost... he took the full brunt of the attack, and was sent flying! The energy that smashed him burnt his body to the point it was completely black and unrecognizable.

Needless to say, the sight was a horror to all who witnessed it, with Vali's reaction being the worst.

"ISSEI!"

She rushed over to Issei, holding his body up.

"Issei? Come on, please wake up! If you do then I'll end up breaking my promise to-" Vali begged, shaking his body.

She froze, suddenly realizing something.

"No, you were keeping your own promise just now, because you'd have broken yours if I died. Our promises to each other... are living contradictions..." She realized in horror.

She quickly put her ear to her chest... then the tears flowed out as she either failed to hear his heartbeat, or it was just too faint for her to notice in her current state.

"She's still crying, but... then that would mean he's-" Lilith realized as she teared up.

"He can't be..." Yuuma realized.

"Please, anyone but him!" Saji begged, falling onto his knees.

"Just like Suiji, I couldn't..." Kelsey's voice quivered with regret.

She screamed in an instant, managing to smash through Great Red's barrier with her gravity magic out of pure fury, surprising Great Red as she did. Using the opening, every Devil Youth and their respective Peerages instantly rushed through to aid her.

"No, don't do it!" Lilith begged.

'That fury... I knew he was important to so many, but this is beyond my expectations! Is this what _he_ meant?' Great Red thought.

In a mere instant, the entirety of the younger generation rushed towards the Juggernaut Chimera and got its attention. Everyone began attacking it in vain, while the strongest of the healers all gathered around Issei's blackened body.

"Come on, heal!" Hina shouted.

"Please, wake up!" Asia begged.

"It can't be too late, let there still be time to save him!" Valerie screamed.

Vali held Issei's hand tightly, closing her eyes as for the first time in her life, she actually prayed to the deceased God, even though it made her head feel like it was splitting.

'Please, wake up Issei... you have to!" Vali continued praying.

Hina felt herself starting to slip into unconsciousness, only to feel the Lucifer Heiress put her hand on her.

'That's right, fight it! You can't give up right now!' She thought.

As that was happening, everyone else let the feelings within them that had snapped to empower themselves in a swarm of attacks. Kuroka gave an angry scream, blasting the Juggernaut Chimera with all the Senjutsu she could muster, having lost all sense of restraint or reason against an enemy that didn't deserve either.

Yuuma unleashed all of her holy weaponry against the beast, even though her attacks were all in vain, as right now... all she wanted was to see Creuserey and Zentiika pay for breaking Vali's heart, and killing one of her most important friends. It was a feeling everyone shared right now, wanting to see this murdering monster end up break, shatter, or anything similar.

"You're gonna die, you bastard!" Akeno roared with rage, creating a surge of her holy lightning.

Everyone's Queens roared, dealing the same fearsome rage in their attacks.

"How dare you!" Irina shrieked with tears in her eyes, flinging off a swarm of holy rings from Excalibur's blade.

All of her fellow Knights followed, shrieking the same way as they unleashed their powers.

"Neither of you deserve to live, you murderers!" Shirone screamed, blasting off a wave of Hinotama in a large ring formation.

Following her own scream came identical ones from the other Rooks.

"We'll let you see what it's like to have your dreams die, you hypocrites!" Momo shouted, unleashing her Reverse spell on some of the army of attacks.

The Bishops all shouted with her as they unleashed the said attacks at the Juggernaut Chimera.

"Destroy this monster and avenge Issei, burn through every ounce of power you have!" Venelene exclaimed, unleashing Regulus' power.

All of the Pawns united their strength with hers, roaring with rage.

Unfortunately, even as the hundreds of Devils attacked, the Juggernaut Chimera was unharmed, causing it to simply swing its arms to knock them all away. This sent everyone except Vali at the healers across the battlefield, and leaving them left barely able to move upon landing.

"It's happening again, just like before..." Lilith said, her voice filled with despair.

She remembered the end of the Great War, and the tragedy that left her broken until she met Vali 2000 years later.

* * *

_Trudging through the landscape of Earth, which didn't even look like it had just been through a long war that encompassed the entire world, and had only just ended, was a group of seven powerful Devils._

_Leading them all back to Hell was known other than Lucifuge Rofocale, her face stained with the tears she could no longer shed. The moment they neared the entrance..._

_"Hmm?" The Devil guard blinked._

_Rubbing his eyes to be sure of what he saw, the image of the Maou's most trusted Devils walked into view._

_"Lady Lucifuge! Lady Nahemah! Lord Abaddon! Lady Agrat! Lord Alastor! Lady Eisheth! And even Lord Adramelech!" He exclaimed, rushing up to them._

_Once he got close, he bowed in respect._

_"You've returned, does that that mean the rumors are true? Is the war finally over?" He asked._

_"Listen to me... get Lady Lilith this instant, it's... urgent." Lucifuge asked quietly._

_While confused by the Lucifuge Head's tone of voice, the Devil Guard quickly nodded as he went to find Lilith, who was currently with a bunch of Devil children she had been keeping safe during the conflict. Helping one of them write their name, she saw them succeed._

_"Gr-ay-fi-a!" A girl wrote, revealing herself as Lucifuge's daughter._

_"That's right, you did it!" Lilith cheered as she hugged her half-daughter._

_The Guard soon ran into the room, getting the Devil Queen's attention._

_"Your majesty, they've returned!" He panted._

_Lilith smiled happily._

_"Kids, wait here for a moment! It seems the Maou are finally home!" She exclaimed._

_Lilith instantly rushed to the area where Lucifuge and the others had gathered, causing Lucifuge to turn towards her... and making her already somber look grow worse._

_"You all made it back, thank goodness!" She cheered, hugging Lucifuge close._

_"Lilith, I..." Lucifuge replied quietly._

_At that moment, Lilith finally noticed the elephant in the room, or rather... the lack of them._

_"Wait, where are the others? Are they still out gathering the survivors to confirm our war casualties?" Lilith questioned._

_"Lilith, I need to tell you something." She said quietly._

_The Devil Queen let go of her... right as Lucifuge she dropped to her knees, placing herself on the ground as she sniffled and begging for forgiving. Lilith was confused by why she was doing that, not getting what was happening._

_"I'm... I'm sorry, so sorry!" Lucifuge cried in apology, her voice shaking._

_"Why are you apologizing, what's going on?" Lilith asked, starting to worry at what was going on._

_At that moment, the brutal truth was spoken..._

_"Asmodeus... Beelzebub... Mammon... Belphegor... Leviathan, and... even Lucifer... all of them are dead! I was on the battlefield with him, but I couldn't save any of them! They all died alongside God, and we weren't even there when it happened! I... I've failed him, and... I failed you!" She screamed._

_Lilith's face slowly widened, and her mouth quivered._

_"What... did you say?" She asked, her eyes tearing up._

_"Here, just... I was asked to return this by those who saw it happen." Lucifuge sniffled, holding out an object._

_That object was Lucifer's wedding ring, which she dropped in Lilith's hands._

_Lilith's mouth opened, and her unsteady breathing could be heard before she screamed, slapping Lucifuge across the face._

_"You're lying! He promised me he'd come home, that he'd survive this war! I know he's not dead, so where is he!?" Lilith screamed, her voice distorting from her high-pitch._

_At that moment, Lilith's knees slid onto the ground._

_"Lucifer... the Devils made it through, we're still here, so why? Tell me... why didn't you make it too!?" Lilith demanded, begging for answers she wouldn't receive._

_Mephisto heard from a distance, horrified by what he heard as Lucifuge gave him a look of confirmation._

_"We can't let everyone know Lucifer's dead... since we can't explain all of the Maou being alive, let's just say Lucifer has chosen to retire because of the guilt of seeing them die." He decided, knowing the risks._

_"Lilith will have to rule from the shadows, or we'd just confirm he's gone." Lucifuge agreed._

_The Devil Queen wasn't even listening at this point, feeling like her heart had died the moment her Lucifer breathed his last breath._

* * *

Tears filled her eyes, feeling that same powerlessness she had felt that day.

"I'm... so useless..." She said quietly.

The Juggernaut Chimera looked at the battlefield, seeing all of the downed Devils before it.

"How pathetic, to get so worked up over this." Zentiika chuckled.

"I agree, let us end their misery, for they have no use in our new world of Devils!" Creuserey exclaimed.

The two charged another Longinus Smasher through their combined power.

"Guess this is it." Sona whispered, looking at Saji.

"Sona..." Saji weakly said.

The two reached out their hands, right as he looked at Ruruko and Momo, noticing them doing the same.

"Are we... really going to die here?" Ruruko asked.

"I don't see any other way... without Issei, there's no Vali would have the heart to fight, and it doesn't look like we can save him." Momo replied.

Struggling to get a bit closer to Saji, the two barely made it before stretching out to reach his other hand.

"I'm sorry... this happens right as I made a promise to take you out on dates, and consider having a harem with you two. Guess this is a horrible way for things to end." He stated, looking guilty.

"No, don't say that... I was so happy when you gave us a chance. You don't know how much it meant to hear Sona was willing to share you." Ruruko replied, sniffling a bit.

"If this really is the end, then... I'm just happy we're with you for it." Momo smiled, shedding some tears.

Both of their hands managed to reach Saji's, and they finally said the three words they've been waiting for, knowing this may be their last chance to ever say them.

"I love you."

Meanwhile, the apparently dead Issei's hand twitched a bit, without anyone noticing the sight.

* * *

Within a strange landscape, the mind and soul of Issei Hyoudou still lingered in the realm of life, with his body lying on the ground.

["Wake up."]

["Our young successor, don't fall here."]

["Please, you have to awaken."]

Squinting a bit, Issei found himself gasping as his mental self finally opened his eyes, panting a bit.

"What's going on? Where am I?" Issei questioned.

["Finally, you're awake."]

Issei looked around, seeing red wisps flying around him. It took him a moment to recognize some of them.

"You... you're all the voices from that one time." Issei realized.

["Yes, we are those who came before you. The previous Sekiryuutei that after their deaths had some of themselves left behind for their reincarnations to learn from... yet also possibly drive them to the Juggernaut Drive if they fell to it themselves."]

"Then... I'm inside my own mind like before, but why?" Issei realized, feeling his head.

He tried to recall what happened to him, and that's when he remembered being struck in an attempt to save Vali's life in time, making him gasp.

"Oh god, I should be dead right now... unless, I actually am dead!" Issei realized.

["No, you're still alive, but you'll likely die if things don't change."]

"Change? How am I supposed to change anything? I'm literally in my head, and my body's a charred mess! I think that already says I'm dead!" Issei screamed.

He suddenly paused.

"Wait, the things you just said... are you saying none of you were among my predecessors who used the Juggernaut Drive?" He asked.

One of the wisps moved to nod their head.

["It would be a lie to say none of us were hit by the temptation, but even when something tempts you, it's possible to overcome that feeling. There's plenty of us who are empowering that fusion of the Juggernaut Dives right now, all because they've drowned in the curse and the negative emotions that keep trying to swallow ever host the Boosted Gear and Divine Dividing choose to wield them."]

["Such a power normally devours one's lifespan so even if a Sekiryuutei falls to it, the world will be safe once the power finally fades... which is not the case right now. If this monster isn't stopped, all life could be slain as a result."]

Issei went silent at that, realizing that the predecessors before him were not the ones from the time he achieved his DxD G transformation. However, they were powerless to stop those who ere, the ones that were aiding Creuserey and Zentiika because of his Longinus' curse.

"OK, then... why did you call me here?" Issei asked, confused to why they brought him into his own mind.

A few footsteps were heard.

"They didn't, I was the one who brought you here." A familiar voice replied.

Turning in surprise, Issei saw the same person from his dream the day before Summer began, still hidden by a dark shadow that his her... or maybe his features. He still couldn't tell due to the factors from their first meeting.

"It's you... the one I saw in my dream last month." Issei remembered.

"The time has come. You must remember, or you will not live to see tomorrow, nor will your friends and the ones you love." The enigmatic being warned him.

"Remember? You said that, but... what do I need to remember?" Issei asked.

The figure got close, and neared his ear.

"Who you really are." They answered.

"Huh?" Issei blinked.

"I shall show you." The enigmatic being promised.

They held out their hand, leading Issei to take it. In mere moments, Issei felt himself taken to somewhere, and looked around.

"Where are we?" Issei asked.

"The earliest fragments of your memories, from when you had just been born." The enigmatic being answered.

He blinked, and felt a gasp as a fragment of his vague past flew inside him.

* * *

_The sight of a teenage girl was seen, though Issei couldn't fully make her out beyond her pure white hair._

_"Oh, thank you! It was sweet of you to help me! My name is..."_

_A boy's hand was seen shaking hers, with the girl giving a happy giggle in response._

**Who is this? I don't know her... do I?**

_The girl and boy were seen hanging out together, with the boy blinking a bit._

_"Hmm... what's my dream? I don't know... maybe what I want is to find someone I trust, someone I'll always spend the rest of my life with." The boy suggested._

_The girl smiled at that._

_"That sounds like a nice dream, no matter how simple it is." She replied._

_"You think so?" He asked._

_The girl simply laid on his side, making him blush before smiling at her touch, and slowly pulling her into a hug. The act surprised her a little, but she didn't feel like leaving his embrace either._

**Wait, those words, they sound so...**

_At that moment, the girl was seen crying tears of joy as she looked to be resting... holding a blue bundle in her arms as she saw her son for the first time._

_"My... Issei." She smiled._

_She closed her eyes, going to sleep as she petted her baby boy's head._

**T-that's... is that me? Wait, but then that would... mom!? Why does she...**

_He suddenly felt darkness cloud him, and unexplained anger fill him._

_At that moment, flames began to burn, along with screams from men, woman, and children alike. Cruel laughter was heard paired with it, showing attackers and victims._

_"That's it, kill them all!" A cruel voice stated._

**Who's saying this? Why do I feel all this anger? Why... why do I want to kill him!?**

_"Hey, there's a baby over here!" A man with short hair beside a braid stated._

_"Really, a newborn?" A silver haired man with a goatee replied._

**Wait, that hair... it's the same as-**

_"That means this one must be tied to the prophecy! How exciting, this child will die without ever knowing the truth!" The man with the goatee cackled._

_At that moment, Issei recognized his face fully._

_He was the one that left Vali looking lifeless, the one who left her scars it took years for his kindness to remove from Vali's psyche! The worst Devil to ever exist, and man that Vali was unfortunate to call her grandfather..._

_Rizevim Livan Lucifer._

**It was you... it was you! This is all your fault! What have you done!?**

_Issei roared loudly, making the memory fragments begin to shatter._

_Before he knew it, another memory fragment rewrote the one he just broke apart, or maybe the breaking was a transfer. This one wasn't the same, as it was just the same girl reaching out to touch Issei's face, crying in guilt._

_"I'm sorry, my sweet Issei... I never wanted to make you cry, but I have to do this for your sake. Hopefully, this won't be a goodbye... and we'll be back for you." She apologized._

_She disappeared, making Issei shed tears._

* * *

"This woman... I can feel it, something inside me tells me she's my mom, but what is she apologizing for? What are she and my dad hiding from me?" Issei asked, still shedding tears.

"Something they had to do to protect you, because telling you the truth would put all three of you at risk. They hid your true heritage to make sure you wouldn't grow up on the wrong path and live for the sake of revenge." The enigmatic being explained.

Issei took a moment to let it sink in... Rizevim had ruined his life somehow, would he really have fallen into a life of revenge had he known this?

That's when it hit him... his Juggernaut Drive, even if not him, his predecessors would have.

"That's right, from the very beginning, they knew the next Sekiryuutei had been you. They didn't want their son to lose the chance to live a happy life. That's why they ran, leaving you in the hands of a certain Goddess until you could return and give you that life." He confirmed.

Issei's tears shed more, realizing which Goddess it had been, the one that had known about him all along.

"Amaterasu... it was you..." He realized.

He turned his head to the being he couldn't fully see, and asked the one question he needed to most.

"How do you know all of this? Just... who are you?" Issei asked.

The enigmatic being lowered their head, and soon opened their green eyes, making Issei see something by just looking at them.

"I am you... the you that's been kept hidden since that fateful day." The enigmatic being revealed.

"What?" Issei gasped in shock.

As his other self put his hands on his shoulder, looking to him with a smile as the previous Sekiryuutei surrounded them.

"The time has come. You must accept who you are... remember the little pain that you recognize from your earliest years. This is the power you were born with, and the power you were meant to have." The other Issei spoke.

Issei looked at the other Sekiryuutei that came before him.

["Yes, it is time... time for us to no longer walk this cursed path. Destroy the curse that plagues us once and for all!"]

["We trust you, so trust in yourself."]

Issei's eyes widened, unsure how to react, until... he felt something tingle as his real body reacted.

* * *

At that moment, his twitching soon became a tightening fist, getting Vali's attention.

"He gripped his fist..." She whispered.

Turning to everyone, the Heiress of Lucifer inhaled every bit of air she could, hoping what she said would bring some kind of miracle.

"Everyone, we just saw Issei move his hand! He's still alive!" The Silvery-white haired Devil screamed.

"What!?" Irina replied in shock.

Struggling to look in his direction, the sight of Issei's arm trying to move was noticed by all, followed by him looking like he was trying to mouth something.

"I think... he's asking us to call to him?" Bennia said, a bit unsure.

"Then what do we say to him? If Issei wakes up, we might be able to save everyone!" Saji asked, praying she'd have an answer.

"Uh... someone who knows him well, try saying something to him!" Bennia loudly suggested.

Hearing that, Kelsey looked to everyone else.

"We need everyone that Issei's helped most! Please, remind him of what he's done for you!" The Demon Princess shouted.

**「** **Highschool DxD BorN: Unmei** **」**

Shirone quickly reacted, getting back up, and onto her knees.

"You were the one who reunited me with my sister! I'll never forget that kindness as long as I live!" Shirone shouted with teary eyes.

That brief memory flashed back through her head, making Issei give a silent gasp.

"I was lost, but you gave me a wonderful life with the Mythological history Club... I'll always appreciate what you've done for me. More than anything, thank you for being the best brother I never had!" Asia said gratefully, also tearing up.

Asia's first meeting with Issei flashed through her mind, making him raise his arm a bit.

"If you hadn't reached out to my brother, I would have never been able to reach out to him, and then... we would have never been able to be a family again." Jeanne reminded him.

Like before, that memory replayed, and made Issei react.

"When I doubted myself, you gave me confidence! It was only because of that I gained the courage to save Sona!" Saji exclaimed.

Issei's body began to twitch fully, right as Vali hugged him closer, her eyes still tearing up.

"You've got to wake up! Hear my voice! Remember my face! I need you to be in my life, you're the reason it gained any meaning! If you don't... then I'll just disappear along with you, so please... come back to me!" She screamed.

Her tears flew off her face, soon landing where Issei's left eye would be... then all of a sudden, a white glow went through her body, and a red one from Issei.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

Without warning, the Juggernaut Chimera's attack suddenly fizzled like it was being paralyzed by some kind of internal error.

"What is this!?" Creuserey demanded.

"I thought this thing was organic! Why is it acting like a broken machine right now!" Zentiika roared.

Vali saw herself, and then looked at Issei.

* * *

Issei's eyes teared up as he saw this, and then... felt his mind unite with someone, making him turn to see Vali from a distance.

"Issei..." Vali cried, reaching out for him.

"Vali..." Issei breathed, doing the same.

**「** **Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Her Final Words** **」**

At that moment, the other Issei smiled as he rushed ahead, forming Murakumo as he smashed through his mental barriers.

"I'm coming Vali!" Issei shouted.

The Lucifer Heiress kept shedding tears, smiling as she continued reaching out to him.

'Of course, how didn't I realize it before? I didn't just save her... she saved me. The bond we have is something that only formed because it worked both ways!' He realized.

Memories flowed through his mind.

'The night to my day... the sun to her moon... the missing halves of the other's heart... both of us gave the other something precious!' He thought.

'Just like Ddraig and Albion found meaning in life with each other... while Great Red and Ophis found something more than what they were! That's why...' Vali thought in response.

'We'll create our happy ending with our own hands, and no one will stop us!' They both thought.

Issei screamed as she shattered the last barrier, and then simply rushed towards Vali with his hand stretched out to the fullest. The Lucifer Heiress did the same, pushing herself one last time.

'Not the Khaos Brigade... not Rizevim... nor even Trihexa!' Both screamed in their minds.

At that moment, they finally took each other's hands, with Ddraig and Albion appearing behind them as the landscape changed into the paradise that was the former home of the Dragons: the continent of Lemuria.

"So, are you ready to walk this path?" The other Issei asked.

Issei looked at Vali, with Ddraig and Albion looking at them, both giving their own smiles of approval.

"Vali, what kind of person was your mother?" Issei asked.

"Someone who told me to always believe, that my life was worth living." Vali answered.

"Then tell me... was she right?" Issei smiled.

Vali smiled, taking his hand.

"I do, because... being alive means I got to live by your side, and I'll keep living with you." She answered.

The other Issei got close to the real deal, and held out a hand.

"Then it's time for you to make a new vow to each other, one that you can keep no matter what happens. The time has come to end the curse of the Juggernaut Drive and the endless war between the Heavenly Dragons!" The other Issei exclaimed.

Issei saw him hold out his hand, then nodded as he took it without any hesitation to hold him back.

"Let's do this." Issei stated.

"All of us." Vali smiled.

 **["We'll stand by you until the very end."]** Ddraig vowed.

 **("The future is our own.")** Albion declared.

The other Issei nodded before sinking into Issei's body, and then... a powerful radiance let itself out, marking that the time had come.

* * *

Issei's body rose up, suddenly forming red cracks across it, making everyone gasp as they saw it.

"W-what!?" Both Creuserey and Zentiika screamed in shock.

"Do it... Issei!" Vali exclaimed, being enveloped by a white aura.

Issei opened his eyes, and after grabbing onto the Murakumo tighter than ever had before... he gave a mighty shout with a new voice that caught everyone's attention.

**「** **Tenkai Knights: Tenkai Wolf Awakens** **」**

His body's cracking form soon shattered, taking a new form covered by red energy.

"That's..." Lilith gasped.

She turned to Amaterasu, who smiled at the sight.

"Amaterasu, that power is definitely yours! That should only possible if Issei is-" The Devil Queen exclaimed.

"Exactly." She confirmed.

Lilith and Amaterasu's siblings all looked at her in shock, while everyone was just surprised.

"Now Issei, show that monster your real strength!" She announced.

Issei landed on the ground, spinning around to take the appearance he had in his dream, which made it seem like Issei had been replaced by some kind of girl. As he landed on the ground, his now _twelve_ Devil wings popped out!

"Issei?" Irina said in surprise.

Looking towards Irina, he smiled at her before nodding his head.

"No worries, it's me alright." He reassured her.

"Issei, are you ready?" Vali asked.

He looked at her with a smile, nodding his head in confirmation. Once that was done, they both looked at the others, who looked at them in return.

"Time for us to finish this on our own, I hope you don't mind." Issei requested.

"Not at all, let them have it." Sairaorg agreed.

"Pay those bastards back a hundredfold!" Venelene exclaimed, raising her right hand up.

The two smiled as they all retreated back to safety, leaving the Juggernaut Chimera to look at them, right as their attack regained their charge.

"It doesn't matter if you survived, we'll just end you again!" They screamed.

**"Longinus Smasher!"**

Right as they prepared to fire, Issei's focused his sight on the Juggernaut Chimera's body with a glare, and in mere moments, all of the gems on the beast's body suddenly shattered!

"What... the hell... happened!?" They demanded.

Amaterasu smiled, knowing exactly what happened.

"Look at that, you already know exactly how to use the Incarnate Flame ability tied to your blood, even though you've never done so before now." She smiled.

"Hmm?" Shuriliu blinked.

Focusing her Perfect Vision, she gasped as she saw what really happened.

What looked like nothing was really Issei unleashing powerful flames, but unlike normal flames, these were barely visible flames that showed as ripples, and they were formed through his own willpower!

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

"Vali, let's finish this!" Issei shouted.

"Yeah, it's time to show them the true power of the Heavenly Dragons!" Vali agreed.

Both of them flew forward, this time without their Balance Breakers or DxD forms.

"All you'll show us is your corpses!" Creuserey roared.

"Time for you to die, and this time we'll make it stick!" Zentiika screamed.

The Juggernaut charged at them.

**「** **High School DxD HERO: Potential Awakened** **」**

Issei and Vali rushed at incredible speed, which quickly ended with them punching the Juggernaut Chimera, and knocking it down to the ground. Screaming louder, the Juggernaut quickly smashed its fists at them, but the two quickly dodged and kept striking it.

"What's going on? Why can't we hit you!?" They demanded.

"You can't overcome us, not as we are now!" Issei shouted.

Striking the Juggernaut once again, they both jumped back, with Issei quickly dashing forward even faster than even, and Vali unleashing a stream of blue magic that went around Issei perfectly, smashing into the dual-colored monster's body. Using the opening she gave him, Issei swung the Murakumo upwards, hitting the Juggernaut Chimera right through the middle!

Both roars went off, and the two Juggernaut Drives finally split apart, creating the normal Juggernaut Drives that each Longinus was linked to. Creuserey growled from the Boosted Gear's version, while Zentiika huffed angrily from the Divine Dividing's.

"This only delays the inevitable!" Creuserey shouted, denying he was losing.

"We are true Devils, you are mere fakes!" Zentiika screamed in rage.

Both of them rushed in their forbidden power forms, roaring without any reason as they attempted to destroy their opponents. Issei dodged all of Creuserey's attacks without issue, swinging Murakumo through his chest... though despite he roared in pain, Creuserey didn't die from it.

"Whoa, you actually survived that?" Issei said in surprise.

 **["Issei, I think the damage we've done has fused him to that form! He's literally become the Juggernaut Drive! We'll need something truly powerful to destroy it now, more than the Murakumo."]** Ddraig warned.

"What could be more than..." Issei wondered.

Issei's eyes widened, getting an idea. He quickly rushed backwards, forcing Creuserey to go where he wanted him to go.

Meanwhile, with Vali's fight against Zentiika, she was playing the hit in run as well.

" **Light of the Morning Star!** "

Dozens of light orbs fired at Zentiika, who roared as she was hit by them. Despite that, she kept charging through, forcing Vali to bend backwards and grip onto the Devil infused in the armor.

"Let go of me!" Zentiika demanded.

"With pleasure!" Vali replied.

Zentiika's eyes widened as Vali bent even more, slamming her onto her armored head and making it ring from the impact. The Lucifer Heiress flipped into the air, holding out her hand to unleash a wave of magical energy.

"Come on, how much power will it take to finish her?" She grunted.

 **("There's gotta be something we're missing, but what?")** Albion replied as she tried to realize it.

Right at that moment, Vali felt Issei pull himself towards her with a whip created by his Blazing Dawn, making the two traitorous Devils crash into one another.

Sliding by Issei, he gave her a look that showed he had a plan.

"Vali, let me ask you something. What would happen if we combined our signature abilities into one attack?" Issei inquired.

"Wait, do you mean that..." Vali asked.

Taking a moment to get past her initial shock, the Heiress of Lucifer smiled before she nodded in agreement.

"Alright, then let's see if we can a pull it off!" She agreed.

"Let's do this!" He exclaimed.

Both of them rushed forward again, with Issei's eyes flashing again.

" **Incarnate Flame!** "

Creuserey and Zentiika were forced back as the flames of will smashed into them again, followed by Issei jumping into the air.

Spinning around with the Blazing Dawn rope that Issei hadn't dispelled, Vali launched her boyfriend towards their enemies as he began spinning with Murakumo in hand, which broke part of their chest armor as they were flung higher into the air.

"Alright, here we go!" They both shouted.

Landing on the ground, Issei and Vali held out their hands dominant hands.

" **Blazing Dawn!** "  
" **Ethereal Twilight!** "

The divine fiery light and divine twilight shot out in their dragon shapes as they spiraled around the other like a double helix. The former how had a greater iridescent tone in its white form that resembled a kaleidoscope's if the colors inside were blurred; while for the latter, it was more like a night sky full of twinkling starts and the glowing wonder of a galaxy within it.

Both attacks slammed into the two Juggernaut Drives, making them roar loudly as their metal shells broke, causing the negative power to leak out and then fuse into a phantom form of the Juggernaut Chimera in one last act of desperation.

" _We shall destroy you! We shall erase you! Sekiryuutei and Hakuryuukou, just fall to the ground... and die!_ " They demanded in a ghostly voice.

The Juggernaut Phantom dived at them, ready to end the fight for good. As the two looked at each other, they put their hands together, shouting as they unleashed more power.

"No, this isn't our end!" He shouted.

"This is our beginning!" She shouted.

Vali unleashed a powerful white burst of energy that covered the ground, resembling a spiral galaxy. For Issei, it was instead a powerful nebula of fire that flowed above them, prompting to their Dragons to spiral even faster as the two forces flowed into them, turning them into their respective Dragon's colors.

"Wind this fight, Vali!" Lilith screamed.

"Issei, take those bastards down once and for all!" Amaterasu cheered with a fist forward.

"Finish them!" All the Devil Youths and their peerages shouted.

The two different elements resonated, and then... the vital moment came, as the two different powers began to ripple against each other.

" _What!?_ " The Juggernaut Phantom screamed in disbelief.

Issei and Vali looked at each other, and then gave one last shout that would finally end their long battle.

" **Double Dragon Strike!** "

Both of their powers fused together, creating a two-headed, otherworldly dragon with the traits of both attacks. It smashed into the Juggernaut Phantom with the force of a Supernova, smashing into the Phantom with all of its force, and actually shredding through it!

"No, this is impossible! We're the descendants of the Maou who've realized their foolishness and broke our destinies!" Zentiika's voice screamed.

"You're just a fraud, how could you do this? How could you... ever manage to defeat us!?" Creuserey demanded.

A huge explosion went off, making everyone see a bunch of stardust rain across the sky in the form of shooting stars before the faded.

Following that, a bunch of energy with frowning faces was seen, showing the curse of the Juggernaut Drive before it slowly disappeared... showing it had finally been destroyed, forever!

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

"They won!" Lilith smiled brightly.

"Issei and Vali did it!" Iolava cheered.

Everyone cheered loudly, while the survivors among the Khaos Brigade's forces looked in horror before they tried to flee, only for Fafnir to appear before them.

"And where do you think you're going?" Fafnir asked.

He instantly opened his mouth, purging them all as they were blasted by his breath of golden metal.

Both of the Heavenly Dragons immediately fainted, having finally hit their limits from the long battle, with everyone rushing towards them as Great Red dropped his protective barrier. As the two opened their eyes, Vali saw Lilith smile at her, crying happy tears.

"Vali... I am so damn proud of you right now." She sniffled.

The silvery-white haired Lucifer smiled, letting Lilith hug her as she rested against her chest.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Ophis remarked.

"Yes, they managed to shatter fate itself, and potential like that will change this world... just like the old geezer foresaw. Guess it won't be much longer before the time he told us of will come." Great Red replied, smirking a bit.

Ophis smiled at that, leaning her head on her mate's shoulder.

"Yes, it seems so." Ophis said.

Meanwhile with Issei, he noticed everyone gathered around him with teary eyes, happy he was still alive.

"Issei!" Yuuma sniffled happily.

"Welcome back!" Le Fay, Asia, and Kelsey said together.

"Glad you're alright." Arthur remarked.

"Hail to Issei, the immortal Sekiryuutei!" Bikou exclaimed.

"How do you feel?" Kuroka asked.

Issei chuckled, rubbing the back of his currently foot length hair, looking at them.

"That would take forever to answer." he admitted.

"Issei!" Irina screamed.

Everyone was suddenly knocked back by Irina, who held him close as she cried twin waterfalls of tears.

"Oh, Issei! I thought you were gone, but you're still alive!" Irina cried.

"Irina..." Issei replied softly.

The golden-haired Angel finally opened her eyes, sniffling heavily as her tears nearly blinded her.

"Issei! We'll be friends forever, right? Like forever-forever though!" Irina asked with a whimper.

"Yeah, forever." Issei promised.

She sniffled, closing her eyes again as she cried into Issei's breasts.

"Then you have to promise to never leave us like that ever again, or I'll drag you back and kill you myself for making us suffer! You understand!?" Irina screamed, soon wailing as she let out all her tears.

Issei rubbed her back, helping her calm down.

"There, there." He reassured her.

At that exact moment, everyone suddenly heard the sound of something taking flight, looking to see Great Red and Ophis flying through the sky as they prepared to return to the Dimensional Gap.

" ** _To Issei Hyoudou, wielder of my son, Ddraig..._** " Great Red announced.

" ** _And Vali Lucifer, wielder of my daughter, Albion..._** " Ophis announced.

Both of them unleashed their powers, using it to heal all the damage to the environment. This, along with the fact the Khaos Brigade had failed to kill anyone within the Alliance's forces, made their attack ultimately amount to nothing.

" ** _You have managed to break a cycle that lasted 2000 years, such a feat was said to be impossible by many._** " Great Red stated.

" ** _However, everyone here saw you achieve the impossible, so we grant you this reward. From this day onward, while you are still the Sekiryuutei and Hakuryuukou..._** " Ophis said in response.

They soon vanished into the Dimensional Gap.

" ** _We hereby declare you are worthy to also share the titles of Red Dragon Emperor and White Dragon Empress with our children!_** " They declared.

Everyone gasped at that, while both of the Heavenly Dragons' host looked at each other in shock.

 **["Congratulations, you've earned it!"]** Ddraig said with pride.

 **("You still have a long road, but I think you've just proved it. To two of you _will_ become our greatest hosts ever.")** Albion smiled proudly.

Issei chuckled with Vali giggling in response.

From a distance, Cao Cao was seen alongside Leo and Georg as they witnessed what just occurred.

"So, they actually managed to do it." Cao Cao smiled.

"I'm guessing that's the real reason you said what you did back when you first met them, didn't you?" A female voice realized.

Turning around, the sight of Jeanne was seen as she walked towards the trio.

"While we might be acting as moles for the Alliance at the moment, that doesn't mean I can't help them through wording myself the right way." Cao Cao answered.

"That's my Cao Cao." Jeanne replied.

Leo gagged a bit, prompting Georg to lightly hit him on the shoulder as he did.

"Ow!" He winced.

"Don't gag over the fact they're in love, it won't be long before you find someone yourself." Georg remarked.

"I will never fall in love." Leonardo retorted.

Georg soon formed the Dimension Lost mist, and the trio prepared to head back.

"Make sure you keep the truth hidden a while longer, we can't risk it while the apparent traitor you implied may be in our ranks." Georg asked.

"Don't worry, I won't risk Yasaka's life. Especially while Kunou can't remember the truth." Jeanne promised.

Getting near his ear, she whispered something.

"Are you sure you can do it? Do you really think you can use her to keep Trihexa from being reawakened?" Jeanne asked.

"We need to try. If Rizevim truly wants to revive that monster, we must make sure God and Lucifer's sacrifices weren't in vain." Leo replied.

"If you think so, then... I guess all I can say is good luck." She replied.

Cao Cao nodded before giving her a light kiss on the cheek, leaving the Maiden of Orleans to head back as they vanished through the mist, where she arrived just in time to hear the last words of the day's conflict.

"Come on everyone... it's time to go home." Vali smiled.

"Yeah, let's roll!" Issei agreed.

* * *

Sitting on a cliff edge, Jingu was seen yawning as she sat by herself, only to turn as Cao Cao returned.

"Finally, did you find Ophis and Great Red?" Jingu asked.

"It was only for a moment, but we did. Though it was only because a few things happened." Georg answered.

"Hmm? Do tell." Jingu asked.

The True Longinus wielder walked past her, making her glare at him.

"Fine, be that way." She grumbled.

She jumped down to alert the others they had returned, and once they had, Georg wielder turned to the True Longinus wielder.

"Cao Cao, I'm curious... why do you think they showed up?" He asked.

"I know exactly why they showed up, but I'm afraid that I can't share the details of why. All I can say is that there's a reason Rizevim's actions brought Issei and Vali together. Both of them, and many others..." Cao Cao answered, thinking of a certain blonde Bishop.

While none of them were watching, Jingu gave a dark grin that didn't fit the others, and opened up a magic circle of a certain deity.

"No one suspects a thing from me, father." Jingu whispered, giving an evil snicker.

"Good work, you make your father proud." The voice of Hades replied.

From a distance, Jingu saw more of her handiwork form, which manifested in the form of a magic symbol tied to a certain Norse God.

* * *

Vali stretched out before laying on the couch, relaxing into it.

"Good to finally be back. It's weird to think we were only there for a few hours, when it felt like three days." Vali admitted.

"Yeah, I'm just glad Lilith forced the Devil Elders to let you advance, rather than play some technicality. Guess saving all of Hell is the perfect blackmail counter." Sona replied.

Hearing their match brought up, Kuroka looked at Lilith.

"Hey, Lilith? What's gonna happen to the Astaroth Clan due to what Diodora did?" The Black Nekoshou inquired.

"Nothing at all. Despite Diodora was part of the clan, we've determined a traitor in the church was how he did what he did, so that along with him not even being the Heir means they got off lightly." Lilith explained, smiling at how things went for their side.

"I bet those Elders are ripping out their hair right now, because I'd be embarrassed if I was in their shoes." Kelsey giggled.

After that was said, Irina decided to bring up the elephant in the room.

"Hey Issei, what did Amaterasu have to say about... well, you know?" Irina questioned.

"Oh, that? Well... she says if I want the full truth, I need to ask my parents, because she can't explain this female body of mine despite having been aware of it. Though for what she could tell me?" Issei answered.

He took a deep breath, looking at everyone.

"Well, while I'm not sure who I get it from? It turns that I'm a Half-God." Issei revealed.

Tiamat gasped at that.

"Of course, that's why you can wield Murakumo!" She realized.

Issei nodded at that.

"So, are you stuck in this body? It'd be a problem for you to go to school if it is... for multiple reasons." The Fallen Princess asked.

"Not to worry, Amaterasu taught me a trick for that." Issei reassured her.

Using his Chi, everyone saw him assume the "human" form they were much more familiar with.

"This look convincing?" Issei asked in his previous voice.

"Yeah, that looks like a pass to me." The Angel Princess replied.

"Oh god, for a moment I thought we'd have to do something that would require us to deft the laws of physics..." Kelsey chuckled nervously, a bead of sweat on her right cheek.

Lilith gave a nervous laugh in reply.

"OK, let's not talk about a difference between impossible and unrealistic here." The Devil Queen replied.

Vali blinked, and then remember something.

"I almost forgot, that's not the only strange thing that happened after Issei achieved his true form. Look at this." Vali remembered.

She took out the replica of her Queen, only it was glowing oddly.

"What happened to Issei's Evil Piece?" Kunou asked.

"That's the thing, I don't know. The only change an Evil Piece usually has it turning a darker shade to reflect its a Mutation or Mutated Piece." Vali answered, looking uncertain.

Lilith got up and looked at it, humming a bit.

"While I can't say for certain, didn't we see Issei gain twelve Devil wings after he took his true form?" The Devil Queen mentioned.

"Yeah, just like a..." Vali confirmed.

Everyone suddenly froze up, and then Issei suddenly felt himself being tickled by Lilith.

"Wait, stop!" He laughed.

His wings popped out, prompting Lilith to check them while also looking at Vali's, and after a few seconds of examining both...

"No way, Issei's wings... are that of the Lucifer Clan's!" She shouted.

The whole room went into shock, with even Issei going pale from the sudden revelation.

"Ajuka's gonna have a field day..." Lilith remarked.

Right at that moment, they all heard a knock on the door, prompting Vali to go open it and reveal Seiji and Hana.

"Welcome back, hope you had a nice trip." Issei greeted.

"And it looks like travel suits you." Vali giggled, looking at their Hawaiian outfits.

Seiji chuckled a bit at that.

"You can't hide the truth from Issei anymore, Amaterasu already told him a bit after a little debacle we just dealt with. Lilith suddenly stated, her eyes closed.

The two showed surprised expressions, with Issei briefly shifting back to his true form to prove it.

"I knew this day would come... I just thought I'd be ready for it." Hana sighed.

"Do you mind if we wait for Amaterasu to come? We can't really tell the fully story without her, as she holds a whole year of it." Seiji asked.

"She kind of already implied that to me, so... we kind of have to." Lilith answered, chuckling at the last part.

Issei's parents laughed at that, making their son shrug.

"After what happened, I don't think I can be surprised anymore." Issei admitted.

"I think there's a few-" Bennia replied.

"Nothing can surprise me anymore!" Issei shouted.

She immediate shut up.

Right after saying that, Issei looked at Vali with a confident look on his face.

"Vali, let's make sure we win the relay race like we won our match against Diodora." Issei declared.

"Yeah, we'll show everyone how it's done!" Vali agreed.

The entire ORC, MHC, and Student Council, which included the two new couples among them standing side by side with smiles on their faces. Lilith gave a bright smile as she saw this, closing her eyes happily.

'All of them just lived through a real nightmare, and yet they all made it out with smiles on their faces. The road to total peace might be long, but I think moments like these prove that with all of them by our side, we can really do it.' Lilith thought with immense hope.

Looking outside, she smiled as an image of Lucifer's smiling at her in the sunlight, followed by the same butterfly that Issei and Vali encountered on their birthday date.

It looked at Vali before flying off, leaving the Hakuryuukou unaware of its visit.

* * *

Later that night, but before everyone went to bed, Issei was in the living room as he looked outside. His attention turned as he saw Vali walk towards him.

"Oh, hey there Vali." Issei smiled at his girlfriend.

"Hey there, Issei. How're you holding up?" Vali asked in reply.

"To the fact that soon, I'll be learning everything about my supernatural heritage and my past? I'm freaking terrified." Issei chuckled, admitting his worries.

Vali rubbed his back, and then noticed his expression soften.

"Issei? What's wrong, is something else bothering you?" She asked.

He was silent for a moment, and then...

"Vali, after what we just learned about me, has anything changed between us? I know I'm still a guy, but I look like a girl, and I've even got boobs as big as yours. Are you still able to love me like this?" Issei asked, a worried look on his face.

He was immediately answered by a kiss, making him blush as Vali looked at him lovingly.

"Issei, remember what you told me when you learned what I was, and to never call myself a monster? It doesn't matter to me what you are or what you look like. No matter what, I love you for who you are, because... you'll always be my Issei." Vali reassured him, a happy smile on her face.

Hearing that, he sniffled a bit before hugging her tightly.

"Thank you so much Vali. I don't know what I did to deserve someone was wonderful as you, but I'm glad you're the one I fell in love with." Issei smiled, sniffling a bit as his eyes teared up.

The two gazed at each other longingly, and soon slowly inched closer before gave each other a kiss, hugging each other tightly as they did.

"So passionate!" Akeno giggled.

"Eh!?" Both exclaimed.

The duo turned to see the rest of their friends watching them.

"Sorry, we didn't mean to walk in on your private moment." Rossweisse apologized, doing her best not to giggle at the scene.

"Didn't mean to walk in, my ass! You were watching from the very beginning!" Vali shouted.

Rias suddenly began laughing, making everyone look at her.

"Sorry, this is the first time this has happened since I got in a relationship myself! Don't mind me!" The Gremory Heiress apologized, walking somewhere else.

Hana looked from a distance, closing her eyes as she began shedding tears.

"Look at my boy, he's growing up so fast. Standing by the woman he loves, has great friends by his side, and has his future planned out... guess it makes sense that it's time for me to finally face my past." She sniffled, wiping her eyes.

* * *

Smoke bomb fireworks were shot into the air as Kuoh Academy's Sports Festival was going on, and after a long series of various competitions between the students of all three years, the Class 2 Juniors were tied, meaning only one event would decide the victor...

**【** **Rossweisse** **】** **  
Our next event is the three-legged race; all runners gather up.**

Hearing that, Issei and Vali stood up, tying their colored headbands as they began heading onto the track field.

**「** **My Hero Academia: Jet Set Run** **」**

"Are you ready, Vali?" Issei asked.

"Sure thing, now let's do this!" Vali replied, giving a thumb's up.

All eight classes lined up, showing the unique uniforms for classes A through H that were a mix of white and a secondary color on their headbands, shoulders, and their gym shorts. The colors in question were red, blue, yellow, green, orange, cyan, purple, and slate in that order.

Rossweisse soon held up her arm holding the signal gun, using it to cover her ear while she covered the other with her free hand, and then fired the signal shot. Starting off Class 2-B, Matsuda panted as he rushed ahead, racing towards Murayama.

"Go, Murayama!" He shouted, passing her the baton.

"Here I come!" Murayama replied.

She rushed ahead, bringing Class 2-B into the 5th position, but soon tripped over a pebble to the horror of her class.

"Quick, tuck and roll!" Issei shouted.

Murayama leaned forward, letting her do a somersault to keep most of her speed, and quickly get back into position.

"Thanks for the aid, Issei!" Murayama shouted.

Issei took the baton before rushing ahead, quickly reaching Vali as she adjusted the final runner sash, right as he overtook the 3rd position runner.

"Go for it Vali!" Issei cheered.

"I've got this!" Vali promised.

Vali took off with incredible speed, instantly passing the 2nd position runner and getting into a deadlock with the Class 2-A runner that was in the 1st place. As they were neck and neck, her entire class cheered.

"Keep going guys!" Kelsey cheered loudly.

"Yeah, first place is all yours!" Yuuma exclaimed.

"Come on, win it!" Irina shouted.

"Take the gold for Class 2-B!" Katase cheered.

"We can win it, so win!" Kiryuu shouted.

"Yeah, hold nothing back! Go full speed ahead!" Motohama exclaimed.

Vali pushed harder, starting to edge up against Class 2-A's final runner, who realized he was at risk, and struggled to push further.

"Come on, you're almost there!" Matsuda cheered.

"Just a bit more! You can win this!" Murayama shouted hopefully.

Right as the last stretch of feet came, everyone sweated nervously as it nearly becoming a photo finish between the two.

"Don't give up!" Issei encouraged loudly.

Feeling a flash in her eyes, Vali managed to give herself one last burst of speed, and managed to overtake Class 2-A's runner to cross the finish line first. All of Class 2-B looked in shock, and then...

**【** **Sona** **】** **  
That's it, it's over! Class 2-B wins the Relay! And with the most points, they're also the winners of the Second-Year Juniors, congratulations to you all!**

All of Class 2-B cheered, having accomplished their goal of winning the Sports Festival.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

Issei ran up to Vali, who gave him a smile with a big thumb's up in response, with Issei doing the same towards her in response.

'Even if it's something as small as this, or as big as winning the Rating Game Tournament? There's one thing I know more than anything else... we'll always do our best, and fight for the world where we can all live together, united!' Issei thought happily.

'That's the dream we're fighting for, the goal all of us will strive to reach, and not by ourselves... because when we're a team, there's nothing we can't achieve.' Vali thought happily.

All of Class 2-B gathered around, with the Relay Team's runners in front and Vali holding their certificate for winning first place. The sound of a picture going off was heard, showing a copy of it had made itself at home in Issei's family album.

**‹LEGEND OF THE HEAVENLY DRAGONS: SEASON 3 - END›**

* * *

**That's it, Season 3... is finally over! This chapter was big in both reveals, and obtaining the current record for longest chapter in this story. Before anything else, I should explain how Issei and Vali managed to beat the Juggernaut Chimera, since I did say it was fairly powerful. Aside from Great Red and Ophis removing their Dragon's abilities by overloading the systems for it, Creuserey and Zentiika are to blame.**

**Issei and Vali had to train with their powers, as did Ddraig and Albion, which is how they know how to both use them well and use them as a tag team. Creuserey and Zentiika had no experience, no knowledge, and no unity with one another. Although, had Great Red and Ophis not removed their main aces... this chapter would have ended on a very bad note, so it was still thanks to them the Alliance won.**

**So, quite the surprise that the being Issei saw in that very dream was none other than himself, and... yeah, I know most of you might not like what I did here, or just feel a bit odd over it, but no idea is universally accepted. The way I see it, any author can do any idea on here for any story, with that in mind, we should be free to write our stories in any manner, with any ideas that we decide to use or create.**

**Another way that I could describe Issei's situation? Think of Celia from Maken-Ki, but in reverse, and if you don't know what I mean... read Ch 19 of the manga, that's all you'll need to figure it out. Anyways, now we know why Issei can wield the Murakumo, though it seems his Queen Piece has done something to him that's given him twelve Lucifer wings.**

**Let's also give a huge congrats to our protagonists, as Ophis and Great Red have declared they can share their titles with their Dragons, meaning they're not just the Sekiryuutei and Hakuryuukou anymore, they're also the Red Dragon Emperor and the White Dragon Empress! If that isn't a clear sign of the potential they have, I don't know what is. Best of all? After two seasons of worry... these two are free of the Heavenly Dragons' curse!**

**Finally, the last thing I have to say before we get to the Epilogue scene? It's finally been revealed why Lilith and Cassiel were talking with Jeanne about at the Elf arc's end... the Ancestral Faction are moles for the Alliance! However, it seems that Jingu is a double agent among them, and just happens to be the Hades' daughter, which even Bennia doesn't know... looks like trouble could surprise every side in a moment's notice, because she's just called Loki.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

* * *

** Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter ** **:**

**【** **Incarnate Flame** **】**  
**A powerful attack that allows the user to turn their willpower into the form of flames that are only visible via ripples until the user grows strong enough they can choose to make them visible, strong enough to deal heavy damage to the Juggernaut Drive. Not much is known about this ability, other than Amaterasu knows of it, and mentions it's apparently tied to Issei's blood.**

* * *

** Bust Size of New Female Characters ** **:**

**Issei Hyoudou - 110 cm**

* * *

** Pairings List ** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating**  
**Ddraig/Albion - Married**  
**Tiamat/Fafnir - Married**  
**Ophis/Great Red - Married**  
**Saji/Sona - Dating, and is Saji's main love interest**  
**Saji/Momo - Dating**  
**Saji/Ruruko - Dating**  
**Gasper/Valerie - Dating**  
**Kiba/Tosca - Dating**  
**Hina/Nanami - Dating**  
**Shuriliu/Coriana - Dating, and is Shuriliu's main love interest**  
**Shuriliu/Her Peerage - Dating**  
**Rias/Akeno - Engaged**  
**Rossweisse/Vidar - Rossweisse hasn't met Vidar, while Vidar may have experienced love at first sight**  
**Sairaorg/Kuisha - Dating  
Jeanne/Cao Cao - Dating**


	31. Chapter 31

**Welcome everyone, to the first chapter of Season 4! Before we begin any further, I'd like to thank everyone for being accepting of the twist with Issei from last chapter. That'll give me some extra motivation for writing this one, so consider today's chapter my gigantic "Your welcome!" to everyone here, and that's good timing considering who the villain of Volume 7 is :)**

**As I just mentioned above, this chapter is the start of the Loki arc, the first of the three that I have this story call the "Worst Gods" who'll both show up, and actually do something, since Hades is just sitting on his... uh, since he's a skeleton, I think it's his pelvis? Since he's lost his flesh, muscles and blood, he doesn't really have a butt anymore. *chuckles* Anyways, we all know Hades won't be acting for a while.**

**To anyone that's wondering how I'll show the latter half of this season as a result of how Volume 8 is mostly short stories, and the bit that is canon doesn't work here because Issei's not with Rias? It'll be another original arc that's dedicated to the Quarterfinals and Semifinal matches of the Rating Game Tournament, so the Finals will be ready for the last half of Season 5's events.**

**First, now that part of Issei's past has been revealed, namely the fact that he's a Half-God? It's time I reveal that Vali is the same, at least by the standards of the Sacred Darkness, whereas most other deities are ones tied to the Holy Light, since that's usually tied to divinity. The Lucifer bloodline is the only case for Devils, though there are other Half-Gods races born of darkness, with Grim Reapers like Bennia being one of them.**

**And last, but definitely not least, since this is the Loki arc... some of you might be wondering if Chichigami has any role here? I'll say now that while I have plans for her, and this version of Issei's still has his characteristic love of big breasts (especially since his girlfriend, and now himself, both hold the honor of having the biggest pairs in this story), neither of that will have any influence on the fight with Loki.**

**Right now, Chichigami will simply be a rumor that people know of, and eventually part of Rizevim's canon explanation for the existence of other worlds. I can promise you all that at some point in the story, Chichigami will make her appearance, but I can't say more due to one of the biggest spoilers that I have planned for the story.**

**In the meantime, Loki will be setting the stage for his arrival in this arc, and most of all... Issei's parents finally tell the story they promised to share in the Season 3 finale. The one last thing I'll give you about Issei's parents before we begin? Throughout the three seasons so far, I've actually placed a few hints to who Issei's mother is, and now those who've been following them will learn who she is :)**

**Now, let's get this chapter started, because as Loki said in BorN... the Twilight of the Gods is fast approaching.**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

 **[]** \- Ddraig Talking

 **«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

 **「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

 **【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

 **⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

** Spirits of the Longinus: File 01 **

**The 13 Longinus are the world's most powerful Sacred Gears, but unlike with most Sacred Gears, they're not just simple weapons. Each and every one of them possesses a soul and consciousness of another being within them, which is the vital requirements for a Sacred Gear to evolve into a Longinus, with Ddraig and Albion being the most well-known.**

**The other eleven souls among the remaining Longinus are as following:**

**True Longinus: "Will of Longinus" - The most unique of the beings sealed within the Longinus, bring born from the bug that created the classification in the first place, making it the only being who's never had a corporeal body. Due to God's Dying Will being a part of this Sacred Gear, the Will of Longinus is also the wisest of the sealed spirits, though as Cao Cao implies, some of the things it knows can't be freely shared.**

**Zenith Tempest: "Typhon" - During the Great War, the Father of all Monsters saw his wife nearly killed, and begged for her to be spared. God accepted this request, but only on the condition that both let themselves be sealed into Sacred Gears, which quickly turned them into Longinus after his death. As Typhon's main ability was to manipulate weather, the Zenith Tempest gained the power to create and control its own.**

**Annihilation Maker: "Echidna" - Being a Sacred Gear that creates monster-like creatures, it's no surprise that Echidna is the beast sealed inside. As she was sealed within by Typhon begging for her life, the Mother of all Monsters has softened up, becoming quite motherly to her hosts. The fact she's inside her host is also why the Annihilation Maker creates monsters via the user's shadows.**

**Dimension Lost: "Nuada" - When the first king of the Tuatha Dé Danann died, and his kind's subsequent change into the Aos Si, which would later become the various types of Fairies, the magical mist of Féth fíada would merge with his lingering remains, creating the Dimension Lost.**

**Regulus Nemea: "Regulus" - The legendary Nemean Lion, killed by the original Heracles on the first of his 12 labors, and linked to his soul upon having his pelt worn as his armor. Upon Heracles' eventual demise, and his immortal half not burning, the Nemean Lion revived in the form of a Sacred Gear that could be a lion, humanoid, or an axe.**

**Canis Lykaon: "Inugami" - A powerful dog Youkai known as the Inugami that found a broken Night Reflection, and was nearly consumed into it by an attempt to possess it, only escaping it by merging with a scythe-type Sacred Gear, mutating it enough to keep its body. As it's a fusion of two Sacred Gears, its Balance Breaker has a second level.**

**Absolute Demise: "Yama-Uba" - She was once a frail, one-eyed Yokai associated with the winter that unfortunately got trapped in a Sacred Gear that looked like a snowflake, thinking it was pretty. The plus side to this is her frail form evolved into what became her beautiful, and powerful avatar form, which is why it only has multiple eyes on the right side of its head.**

**Sephiroth Graal: "Sir Galahad" - Due to the great powers bestowed to the cup upon being touched by Jesus, when the Round Table knight found the goblet during his journey, part of his soul lived on inside of it after his death. As such, part of him still managed to live eternally.**

**Incinerate Anthem: "Jesus" - When Jesus was stabbed on the cross, his life force was stained into it, becoming a living flame. Due to the sadness that everyone shed, that flame blazed brightly and merged was stained blue by their feelings of sadness, creating the Longinus' purple flames and ability to freely switch wielders.**

**Innovate Clear: "Fraxinus" - When the legendary Yggdrasil, the Norse Tree of life was destroyed by Ladon during the Great War, the Meliae Nymphs of Greek myth used their power to transfer its power into rings they carved from two golden apples. All of them embedded themselves into the rings, fusing into a single consciousness that named itself "Fraxinus" after the tree.**

**Telos Karma: "Pandora" - The true story of Pandora's Box is that the "box" is the Telos Karma's pendant form. She sealed herself inside during the Great War, doing so to give shelter to the innocents dragged into the conflict, and becoming the "hope" in the legend.**

**All of the souls in the Longinus often talk to their wielders when their connection is formed, and are quite friendly with them... except with Walburga.**

**Sun Wukong claims this is because the Sacred Gear becomes stronger with their bond, and because they want to try making sure the user doesn't use their power for wickedness. In fact, a good sign the Incinerate Anthem won't stay with its current wielder is Jesus being silent, a fact proven by Walburga, despite she's managed to keep it from leaving her.**

* * *

**_ Season 4, Loki Arc: Chapter 1 - The Howls of Mischief _ **

Issei was seen brushing his true form's foot hair, getting it into a proper state for the hair cut he was about to get.

"Man... who knew girls had to put so much effort into their hair? I mean, I knew it wasn't easy, but I didn't think it was this hard either." He remarked.

"Are you ready yet?" Vali asked.

He screamed loudly at that, one that was one befitting his female-looking appearance, scaring Vali a bit.

"Sorry, probably should have knocked first!" She apologized.

Issei took a deep breath, regaining the bearings he briefly lost for a moment.

"Let me guess, excited to give my haircut?" He asked.

"Eh... maybe a little bit." The Lucifer Heiress admitted, a small blush on her face.

Clearing her throat, she looked at Issei.

"So, what kind of hairstyle are you going for? I wouldn't mind if you shared mine." Vali asked, moving to the side.

"While I appreciate the offer, wouldn't that be weird when you already do that with your mom? There's also the fact that I'm still a boy despite my current form." Issei replied, hefting up his breasts for emphasis.

"Uh... good point, guess you want something a full tomboy would prefer." Vali chuckled in embarrassment.

Right at that moment, she noticed Issei holding up something to her, showing an image of the hairstyle he had picked out. It was long enough to reach to his breasts and lower back, while having a focused yet messy look to it.

"Hmm... yeah, this style definitely says your name over it." Vali said in approval.

"Then chop-chop." Issei replied, closing his eyes.

She picked up her scissors, and began by cutting off his hair to around his lower back in length, removing the default hair that she didn't need. After a bit, she started her real work by actually making her cuts stylize his hair the way he wanted it.

'Still can't believe that Lavinia was right about me possibly needing this skill one day.' Vali thought, noticing the irony.

After a few more minutes, all of the cutting was finished, leaving the Lucifer Heiress to sigh as she put the scissors down. Hearing the sound of her finishing, Issei opened his eyes to see how his hair looked.

"Well?" Vali asked.

"It's perfect, just like the girl I love." He smiled, looking at her.

Vali gave a happy look upon hearing that.

"Guess that's another thing for you to be happy about today, like how you used my breasts as your pillows." Issei chuckled.

"Wait, you saw that!?" Vali panicked, blushing a bit.

Issei giggled a bit, making her turn red with embarrassment as she looked away. This ended when the Sekiryuutei put his hand on her shoulder, making her look at him.

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with both of us having a fetish for big breasts. Just promise me I get to do the same tonight." Issei reassured her.

Vali gave an awkward laugh at that, but soon smiled.

"Anyways, the next match is Shuriliu VS Riser, and I'm excited to see how Riser's grown since we last fought." Issei mentioned.

"I'm curious to see who his knew Bishop is myself." Vali agreed.

Right at that moment, a magic circle appeared by the two, being their reminders the match was soon.

"Well, speak of the Devil." Issei joked.

Vali laughed at that for a moment, and then they headed to Hell for the next game.

* * *

Within part of Hyoudou Mansion, the Alliance was holding a quick meeting about recent events. The ones present were Lilith, Gabriel, Cassiel, Azazel, Odin, Amaterasu, and Zeus, as the Greek Pantheon had officially joined after said events.

"Well, after our most recent battle against the Khaos Brigade? I think the one thing we can all agree on is that with only Shalba left to lead them, while also being stuck with leading the entire terrorist cell, and the massive casualties they faced... the Anti-Maou Faction has been left in ruins." Lilith stated.

"Considering we have our spies in the form of the Ancestral Faction, we have the advantage right now when it comes to observation. However, there's the traitor in that group... not to mention Walburga, who somehow managed to revive Orochi early." Cassiel added.

That comment worried everyone, especially Amaterasu, who was very familiar with the Evil Dragon.

"And then we don't know anything about Rizevim's location, who may or may not be helping them in the first place." Azazel sighed as he leaned back.

Gabriel soon looked at Amaterasu, prompting everyone else do the same.

"What?" She replied.

"I think now this is a good time to start spilling the beans about your connection to Issei, and we don't mean the part about his heritage." Gabriel asked.

"Agreed, you clearly knew he was the Red Dragon Emperor long before anyone, even Vali and Azazel. The only two who could have achieved that are his parents, and that's provided you didn't confirm it yourself." Odin agreed.

"Why did you hide such a secret? You seem quite suspicious as of right now, and I think you'd like to amend that issue." Zeus added.

The Shinto Goddess of the Sun responded by taking out some tea to drink. This caused everyone to sweat drop at how nonchalant she was about the whole thing, only after taking a sip did she finally speak.

"I'm a woman of my word, and that's why I didn't say a word about what I knew. His parents promised me to keep quiet about it. Regardless of what you feel what could have changed had I said anything before, that's what I chose to respect." She answered.

"Well... I guess we can't say anything about that, but what would make you so insistent on that? What made Issei's parents force your silence?" Lilith inquired.

Amaterasu took another sip of her tea, and took a deep breath.

"The answer's quite simple. Because before Issei was even a year old, Rizevim found out he was the Sekiryuutei... and tried to kill him." She revealed with a serious look.

"No way! How could he have found that out!?" Cassiel exclaimed.

"Because the real reason he tormented Vali? It's the same reason he tried to kill a newborn Issei, and that was... he fears them." She revealed.

Lilith was confused by that, until her eyes widened upon remembering what they had accomplished the other day.

* * *

Within a hidden location, the sight of a handsome man with eyes like a delinquent was seen.

He had light blue hair that floated behind him and waved a bit like a snake, with two small bangs and a blue jewel on his forehead. He wore yellow earrings, and a white robe similar to Odin's, except with slightly different ornate markings.

"Quite the secretive location, isn't it?" Loki remarked.

"Apologies for how it looks, but since it's a secret location, we can't consider good quality." A deep and menacing, yet raspy voice answered.

Looking to the sight, a small magic circle showing Hades came into view.

"Oh, so Indra isn't going to show today?" Loki questioned.

"Unfortunately, the Alliance has sent out envoys to the remaining Pantheons to offer their invitation. There's too much of a risk for him to join us right now." Hades explained.

Sitting himself down, the two among the three so-called "Worst Gods" began speaking with each other.

"I see, most of those foolish Devils got themselves killed and they failed to take out the Sekiryuutei or Hakuryuukou with their own powers." Loki remarked, showing slight interest.

"Worse than that, the curse empowering the Juggernaut Drive was completely vanquished, and many have been given a strong sense of hope because they succeeded where all 99 their respective predecessors had failed. Even worse than that is Great Red and Ophis said they can now share their Dragons' titles." Hades verified.

"To defy their own fate... how annoying it is to hear that. I still hate that man's son for what he did, meddling with a broken world to make it unbroken!" Loki growled in reply.

Hades smirked at that.

"So, then that means you're interested in my next idea?" The Ruler of Tartarus inquired.

Loki turned his head, showing some interest.

* * *

Meanwhile, back in the former field of Hell the Khaos Brigade used as part of their plans, some Devil soldiers were cleaning the area, just in case their enemies left something behind for their benefit.

As they were cleaning, one Devil noticed something.

"Huh? What's this?" He wondered.

Waving his hand, a few other Devils looked to see some kind of broken shard, apparently for something that was destroyed in battle.

"Weird, was it some kind of weapon?" Another soldier asked.

"Stand back." A male voice ordered.

The Devils all turned to see Lord Bael walk into view, picking it up as he hid a smirk.

" _It's time... the Twilight of the Gods is fast approaching!_ "

Lord Bael looked up, turning to the others.

"Gather any similar fragments, locate them all before anything funny happens!" Lord Bael ordered.

"Yes sir!" They saluted.

As they rushed off, the head of the Bael Clan smirked again, right as the shard took the form of Loki's silhouette.

* * *

***BLESS YoUr NAME plays***

**(*weak whistling sounds*)** Vali was seen standing by the window of her room, watching the mid-Summer breeze blow by.

 **(A quiet whisper brushes through my ears tonight!)** The screen flashes as Issei flies through the sky, wearing his scale mail before he released it and manifests in his true appearance before reaching his hand forward.  
 **(As I look towards the sky, I can feel myself calling... YOUR NAME!)** Vali soon jumped out of the window and reached her hand out to grab him, causing a pink burst to envelop the entire screen before it went black.

 **(*heavy guitar strumming*)** The remaining bits of pink fell from above, causing the words of the **"Legend of the Heavenly Dragons"** logo to materialize. Following their outline being made, the letters soon turned into solid white shapes with red outlines.

 **(*five light beats*)** The faces of Irina and Yuuma, followed by Asia and Kelsey, Arthur and Le Fay, Kuroka, and finally finishing with Bikou's, all flashed across a black screen. Their assigned colors were orange, dark blue, yellow, purple, light blue, pink, black, and green, in that respective order.

 **(One day my life fell apart, but then it built itself up again... like I was seeing a paradox!)** Issei and Vali were standing near a cliff face, seeing the night sky with shooting stars before they turned towards the screen.  
 **(As this red string of fates us together, it's also what keeps us apart.)** Kelsey stood by a gray background which soon split into black and white, the latter showing the face of Suiji giving a warm smile to her, while the former held the blank stare of Jequn inside of it.  
 **(Now I must rise up to the stars, and destroy this dreaded wall of despair!)** Vali created two spheres of Sacred Darkness, followed by Yuuma holding twin spears of purple light, and Irina praying in midair with her wings and halo out.

 **(A soft wind blows to the East, and then lands into my heart... do I hear your voice trying to reach me?)** Standing alone at his school, Rias gazed toward where the sun was, showing a smile as she looked towards Akeno from a distance.  
 **(Burning down to the ground!)** Sona was seen hugging Saji close, a cute smile on her face.  
 **(I cross the dangerous wilds of the West to find answers!)** A redheaded girl was seen driving in the back of a truck, looking at the scenery she was passing with an excited face.  
 **(And then rise up to the surface of the sea!)** Loki appeared with a vicious look on his face, and a magic circle coming off of his hand.

 **(Will I finally see you again?)** Tiamat, Fafnir, and Tannin were seen standing together before a wall of flames.  
 **(Can I finally hold your hand?)** All of the quarterfinalists appear, including Sairaorg, Rias, the other Maou Heirs, and Vali herself. The members of their peerages all readying themselves for battle with their respective magic/abilities/weapons/Sacred Gears.  
 **(Please, do you hear me my love?)** A huge silhouette was seen in the sky, revealing itself to be Great Red's Dragon form with Ophis riding on his back in her Human form. Following this, they vanished as the light of the Dimension Gap washed over them.

 **(*three heavy beats*)** Issei drew the Murakumo from its sheath, while Vali created a magic circle in each hand.

 **(Yes, I do!)** Then immediately after, they charged towards an army of Gogmagogs.

 **(Surging through the darkness before me, I will abandon the quiet life I used to know!)** Everyone from Vali's peerage appeared on a black screen again, with the same colors applied to them as before, but this time two additions were seen. Ravel was shown to be the first as she flew up higher, with Yumina popping out of her shadow, revealing her as the second.  
 **(I will fight, and raise this blade up!)** Issei rushed ahead and his fist clashed with Sairaorg's, causing a huge ripple of power to shoot behind each of them.  
 **(Then empower these feelings!)** Loki landed on the ground, creating a large battlefield as four silhouettes rose out of magic circles, with only one of the silhouettes having a different appearance.

 **(The path dividing us will not hold much longer!)** Vali waited by the beach, feeling the waves hit her feet before she suddenly gasped turning to her side.  
 **(No matter how long it takes, I will keep waiting until the day that I can once again hear...)** She saw the sight of Issei began running towards her, smiling as he reached out his hand and then opened his mouth to say something.

 **( _YOUR NAME!_ )** Vali smiled and then reached out her hand to him, causing both of them to call out each other's names at the same time.

* * *

The entire stadium began cheering as the match between Shuriliu and Riser went under way, showing most of each side fighting across the field while four members of each team held up their King like they were having a battle.

For their battlefield, it looked like an ocean version of a pool with balancing platforms on it.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
And this exciting match between Shuriliu Asmodeus and Riser Phenex has begun! Riser's clearly improved since his loss to Vali last month, but the question is how much will that help against another Maou Heir!?**

Riser's new Bishop, a short-haired brunette wearing red magician robes and hat known as Kallima, twirled around before she held out her wand.

" **Waterfall!** "

The water from the ocean sprayed out, aiming at Shuriliu's peerage.

"Jeevuni, get ready! I'm lifting my leg for a moment!" The Asmodeus Heiress shouted.

"Got it!" She replied.

As her King moved her foot for a moment, Jeevuni crackled her knuckles together, forming energy threads before spinning and thrusting them out.

" **Slithering Threads!** "

The water got sliced apart by the magical net that blocked it.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
For those that may have come in due to the recent attack that's still leaving everyone's timing out of sorts? Let me remind everyone of where we are by introducing today's guest announcer. Here as an envoy of the Celtic Pantheon, who've been considering joining with the Alliance, let me introduce... Lady Morrighan!**

Waving her hands to the crowd was a woman with black hair that turned purple near the end, and dark red eyes that fit her position as a Celtic Goddess of Fate. She wore a short-sleeved white dress that went above her knee caps, but went two the middle of her lower legs in the back.

**【** **Morrighan** **】** **  
Hey everyone, glad to be here. Now, if I remember correctly, you said there was something special about the Rating Game we're having right now?**

With the focus shifting back to him, Naud showed the image of the match type on the extension screen.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
This is a new type of match, the Cavalry War! Four members of each peerage are chosen by their King to carry them throughout the entire game as the rest of their peerage battles as they normally would. To win this match? Aside from defeating the King as usual, the Kings can steal the other King's headband... if they can do so without hitting the ground, or using their wings.**

**【** **Morrighan** **】** **  
Which means flying isn't allowed in this match. If one team goes for the headband, the King needs to have a plan to get back on their cavalry, or the grab will be rendered invalid.**

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Right you are Morrighan, and right now it seems this Rating Game is more likely to end the usual way!**

As the water spray ended, Riser looked at his new Bishop.

"Kallima, hit them from the sky this time and flood their platforms!" He ordered.

"One shower incoming!" She replied.

Seeing her spin her wand around, Shuriliu gave a certain whistle, getting Tifrixan's attention. He covered his left ear and eye with his right hand, with his right eye glowing in response.

" **See no Evil!** "  
" **Hear no Evil!** "

Before Kallima could even react, a sudden ripple went past her, making her eyes stop reflecting light as her sight and hearing vanished.

"Uh oh... I'm blind and deaf! Better not move!" She panicked.

Riser sweated at that, recalling what the bloodline ability of the Shax Clan could do.

"Vali, what happened?" Kunou asked.

"The Shax Clan has an ability based on the three wise monkeys, but for more than just sight, hearing, and speaking. By covering a certain part of her body, Tifrixan is able to negate that very sense on a single person or group for as long as he can cover it." Vali explained.

"What kind of battle style does she have to incorporate that?" Kuroka inquired.

"A jamming style, which is when you fight by disrupting the opponent for your own advantage. Shuriliu's ability to gain info means she can spot a lot of things you'd like to hide from her, Jevuuni's threads have versatility on their side, and Tifrixan outright locks certain sensations." Vali explained.

Issei whistled a bit, focusing more on the battle.

"Yet among those examples, those are just the ones we actually know of." He remarked.

Pausing for a moment, everyone looked at Vali.

"Uh... what exactly is the ability of Kiryuu's Clan?" Bikou asked.

"Well, the Agrat Clan is known for having a fighting style that's based on dancing. For their Clan ability it's called..." She replied.

And that's where she struggled to say it, forcing Yumina to sigh in response.

"Sensational Salsa, which basically gives one's sensory glands an overload from some kind of sensation. In the case of Kiryuu, that would be pleasure." Yumina answered.

Everyone gave an odd stare at that.

"Oh, and she also has an ability that can let her talk to someone's boobs, and one that can shred apart clothing just by kicking it." She added.

"Ugh... and that's what translates to the personality she uses while disguised as a Human?!" Yuuma realized.

She shivered at that, making Yumina rub her back.

"Kiryuu, see what Riser's peerage has planned." Shuriliu whispered, leaning to the side.

"Right." The Agrat Heiress replied.

Taking a moment, Kiryuu took a deep breath before crossing her arms best she could.

" **Pailingual.** "

The battlefield gained a purple hue, confusing everyone.

'What's she planning?' Riser thought.

" _Hey sweater stretchers, tell me all your dirty little secrets._ " Kiryuu whispered.

Said breasts lightly bounced in response to this.

" _We're waiting for Riser's signal!_ "

" _The moment he gives it, we're unleashing our united firepower!_ "

Kiryuu hummed, and whispered to Shuriliu.

"Coriana! Liban! Left and right position, wait for my respective signals to you!" She ordered, pointing in those directions.

Shuriliu's main lover and her Knight nodded, getting into position.

Upon seeing this, Riser immediately set his fist on fire, getting his peerage's attention.

"How to tell Kallima... ah!" Xuelan wondered.

Grabbing the new Bishop of Phenex by her wrist, Xuelan began heating up her arm, signaling Kallima via her sense of touch. Realizing what she was being told, she charged a flame at the tip of her wand.

"Alright, prepare yourself, because it's time for our true fire power!" Riser announced.

" **Flaring Force!** "

Every moment of Riser's peerage unleashed their power of fire magic, getting Shuriliu to smirk as it neared the members of her peerage.

"Thanks Riser, I was hoping you'd do that!" She announced.

"Huh?" He blinked.

Briefly groping herself to gain a blush, the Asmodeus Heiress bent herself backwards onto her hands, moving them around to make herself spin. It wasn't long before she stretched out her legs, causing a pink wind began to form around her.

" **Pheromone Gale!** "

The instant she shouted that, a powerful pink tornado appeared around her, soon funneling on itself to close the top area. This caught the stadium by surprise, while Naud gasped at the sight.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Incredible! With one move, Shuriliu has created a tornado of pheromones!**

**【** **Morrighan** **】** **  
Whoa... this is not something I was expecting.**

Before the members of Riser's team realized it, they began to slow down as their flames went out as they felt the air thin.

"W-what's she... doing?" Riser wheezed.

Shuriliu giggled a bit.

"It's quite simple Riser, by enclosing this space with the force I'm creating? The oxygen your fire needs to burn gets taken away!" She answered.

The crowd went wild at that, while Riser gasped in surprise.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Ooh, that's irony! The Phenex Clan's fire is beaten by wind, another element they can wield!**

Stopping her rotation, Shuriliu hoped back on her feet, and turned towards Riser's peerage. Her eyes shifted as she activated her Perfect Vision, and then...

"Strip them down!" Shuriliu shouted.

Coriana smiled at that, and strut forward as she released a pink mist across Riser's side of the field. Everyone watched closely as she stopped, and then out of nowhere, began to _literally_ strip her clothes off.

"W-what is this!?" Karlamine demanded, feeling a blush hit her.

**【** **Morrighan** **】** **  
Is she stripping right now!? I don't get this at all!**

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
The Andrealphus Clan's special power hypnotizes those it hits, allowing the user's beauty to work, regardless of gender. They're quite the beautiful Devils, so no orientation is safe from either gender! Makes sense she's the top prize in Shuriliu's little harem!**

Some of the reincarnated Devils and crowd members less familiar with this either gave an odd look at the sight, or were letting their hormones go wild.

It wasn't long before Riser's peerage felt their vision go blurry as if they were hypnotized, right as Coriana unbuttoned her top, and then... gave a sexy pose towards them. The front half of his cavalry soon began to sway.

"H-hey, don't give into it! Fight it!" Riser grunted, already struggling to fight it.

"Yeah, you should really focus!" Shuriliu shouted.

Hearing his cue, Liban focused his sight at Riser's peerage, and they were all broken form their stupor as gravity amplified around them.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
And there's the power of Liban's Sacred Gear, the Gravity Jail!**

Shuriliu's eyes returned to normal, seeing her chance.

"Alright Jeevuni, let's win this game!" The Asmodeus Heiress exclaimed, giving her a wink.

"You've got it!" Jeevuni replied.

Launching forward, the Asmodeus Heiress jumped towards Riser, showing some of her Pawn's strings were attached to her feet. Without anyone in his peerage that could react, she grabbed his headband and then held it up.

"Alright, reeling you in!" Jeevuni shouted.

Pulling her back, Shuriliu flew towards Coriana, who held her hands up for her girlfriend, pushing against her feet like a springboard.

With a few back flips, everyone watched as she landed on her cavalry.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Game over! With a successful capture and landing, Shuriliu has managed to steal Riser's headband and win this Rating Game!**

The crowd cheered loudly.

"Damn! I didn't think she'd win like that" He laughed, accepting his loss.

"You still did pretty good yourself. I'm sure had this been any other kind of Rating Game, then the result might have been very different." Shuriliu replied.

Watching from the stands, Ingvild gave a look of determination.

"We're up next, are you guys ready?" The Leviathan Heiress asked, looking at her peerage.

"You bet, the next Rating Game's gonna end with us giving a flashy victory!" Aarushi exclaimed.

Lilitifa gave a nervous thumb's up, with Nanami patting her head.

"Don't force it." She reassured her.

* * *

As the members of the Hyoudou Mansion returned home, they all began to converse about the Rating Game they just witnessed.

"Shuriliu was incredible! Are all of the Maou Heirs that strong?" Kunou asked.

"They are, considering they're all Ultimate-Class Devils in a tournament mostly filled with those who are only at the High-Class ranking. Niruili in particular is technically the weakest among us." Vali answered.

Issei paused for a moment, then looked at her.

"Then if we exclude you, is Aariliyn or Ingvild stronger?" He asked, knowing they had an advantage through their Longinus wielders.

"Definitely Ingvild, but I won't spoil why." Vali answered.

"Wow, and you're even stronger than she is! Right!?" Kunou replied, her eyes sparkling.

Vali shook her head at that.

"Let's not get a big head just yet. I might be strong, but every member of their peerages count." The Lucifer Heiress replied.

Kunou eyes sparkled even more, turning around as she held her fists up excitedly.

"Oh man, I wish we Youkai had our own equivalent to a peerage! I'd love to have a team to fight with me if I end up being the one that succeeds my mother!" She smiled.

"Who knows? Ajuka will likely pull it off, the question is when he well." Issei giggled, petting her head.

Right as the young Kyuubi was having a big brother moment with the Lucifer Queen, everyone saw Amaterasu appear from a fiery magic circle appeared. Stretching a bit, the Shinto Goddess of the Sun turned to look at everyone.

"Ah, perfect timing. I just got out of a meeting with the others." She greeted.

"Oh, nice to see you again Lady Amaterasu." Issei greeted.

Right as he said that, the Sun Goddess ruffled his hair, which slightly annoyed the Red Dragon Emperor a bit.

"Liking the hair you've got." She remarked.

Kunou blinked a bit, surprised by the way Amaterasu was acting to Issei.

"Lady Amaterasu, are you high?" The Kyuubi asked.

"No, that's Susanoo half of the time." She answered.

Having no idea what she meant by that reply, the Princess of Kyoto simply raised her eyes in confusion.

"Mom! Dad! Amaterasu finally arrived, so come in here!" Issei shouted.

Right on cue, Seiji and Hana walked into the room, with everyone noticing the latter seemed a bit nervous. A loud finger whistle soon came from Amaterasu's mouth.

"Lilith, we need you here too!" She shouted.

And the Devil Queen immediately walked into the room through a magic circle, noticing Amaterasu had arrived.

"Good thing Ajuka's still examining Issei's Evil Piece." She remarked.

"Well, you promised us that you'd tell us everything once Amaterasu got here, so..." Vali replied.

Seiji looked at his wife, seeing she was nervous.

"Alright, guess I'll go first since my wife's nerves are... well, really nervous." He decided, grimacing at his own bad pun.

Everyone watched as Chi overlaid Seiji's body, and his appearance began to change.

His true appearance revealed itself to be a muscular frame that matched that of Sairaorg's, only with a bit more muscle to fit his nature as a grown man, and because of his own heritage allowing more of it. He had scarlet-red hair that could make one think of a Lion with a short mane, and ruby-red eyes that looked completely unflinching to any fear. As for his outfit, it was a gray muscle shirt with tan khaki pants and brown boots.

"My real name is Kurenai, and I'm a Hero with the blessing of Amaterasu." He revealed, now with a voice a bit higher than Sairaorg's was.

Most of the room showed shock.

"Oh, my god! Issei's father is from the Hero Faction!" Kunou exclaimed, both excited and shocked.

"And he's completely ripped!" Saji shouted in jealousy.

The Pawn of Sitri began crying, prompting all his girls to comfort him with a hug.

"Guess that's not too surprising since we already knew Issei was a Half-God, this just tells us which kind he is." Vali shrugged.

With that done, Kurenai nudged his wife.

"Uh... no, I can't do this!" Hana replied.

"Honey, you don't have to be afraid. I'll be here for you no matter what happens." He promised her.

After hearing that, she took a deep breath.

"OK, though before I do anything..." Hana replied.

She looked at Lilith, making the Mother of all Devils tilt her head in confusion.

"Uh..." She blinked a bit.

"I have to apologize to you... and to Adam, for never letting you know." She said in a soft airy voice.

Lilith's eyes suddenly dilated at that, with everyone noticing her expression was the one often compared to seeing a ghost.

"That voice... no way, can't be..." Lilith quietly said in disbelief.

Hana's body was covered in a soft glow of light, making everyone watch as she was replaced by a young woman with Lilith's beauty, though in a natural way rather than a sexy way. Her hair was also as white as the driven snow, compared to Lilith's hair that was as black as everlasting darkness, while her eyes were as green as nature as a whole.

In fact, just like Lilith, she looked a lot like Vali; only her hair was so silky, it was as if it naturally brushed itself on its own, and it was in a braid held by a light blue ribbon. Her outfit was a short-sleeved, light pink dress with a few small white diamonds encrusted on the ends of her sleeves and the hem of her dress.

"Eve..." Lilith breathed.

With that one word, the entire room all went white in shock, going complete silent until...

"WHAT!?" They screamed.

"My mother is Eve!" Issei exclaimed loudly, holding his head.

"Issei's mom is..." Irina mumbled.

At that exact moment, everyone saw the Knight of Lucifer fall onto the ground, immediately losing consciousness upon impact.

"Holy... freaking... crap!" Vali exclaimed.

Realizing her mom was still frozen, she slapped her on the back to wake her up.

"This is... Eve, you've been here all along? Why did you never try to reach me or Adam!? For all these years, we thought you might have died!" Lilith screamed, both angry and sad.

"I... I just couldn't..." She replied.

Amaterasu walked behind the Devil Queen, rubbing her shoulders to try and calm her down.

"Calm down, my sister had a good reason for it." The Sun Goddess reassured her.

Lilith paused before looking at her.

"Your what now?" She asked.

"My parents found her after she got thrown out of Eden, and nursed her back to health. Once they learned what happened to her? They took her in, and with some kind of trick my mother did with their spirits, made her their daughter in a biological sense without shared genetics." Amaterasu explained.

"Wait, so that would make you... my Aunt!?" Issei realized.

The Shinto Sun Goddess replied with a slight giggle.

"Whoa..." Kunou breathed.

Bikou loudly cleared his throat, making everyone turn their attention to the Rook of Lucifer.

"Can we learn about why you hid your real selves?" He reminded them.

"Oh, right... sorry." Kurenai apologized.

Taking a deep breath, everyone looked at Issei's father.

"Because... Rizevim nearly killed our son when she wasn't even a year old." He revealed.

Everyone gasped at that.

"My god, those fragments of my old memories... I knew it! He destroyed our old home!" Issei shouted, his face showing clear anger.

"That's right... the entire village they called their home was erased. Worse is as your mom took you and ran, she was forced to make a tough choice she had to endure for a whole year." Amaterasu confirmed.

Walking up to Issei, she put her forehead on his, making him gasp as he saw the whole memories.

* * *

_A village tied to the Hero Faction was burning everywhere, with the infant Issei wrapped in his bundle, crying in confusion and fear of the situation he couldn't understand. From a distance, the silhouette of Rizevim appeared, noticing Issei._

_The young Issei didn't understand what Rizevim was saying like he did during his near-death experience, but he clearly saw the Devil rush towards him, making him gasp._

_"Get away from my son!" Kurenai screamed._

_Rizevim's eyes widened as Issei's father appeared in front of him, and stabbed a sword right through his chest. Rizevim screamed loudly as he was flung back, while Kurenai looked towards Eve, who held their son in her arms._

_"Get out of here!" He ordered._

_"But Kurenai, I -" Eve replied, shaking in fear._

_"I said go!" Kurenai demanded._

_She didn't try to argue any further, and began fleeing with the surviving Heroes._

* * *

_Eve kept running away from Rizevim's forces, but because the young Issei couldn't stop crying, she was unable to lose them. As she felt herself starting to tire, there was only one thing left she could do to save both their lives._

_"My little Dragon... if this is the last time we meet, then I hope when you remember everything... you'll forgive me for this." Eve cried in apology._

_After running for a bit, she soon managed to a temple leading to Takama-ga-hara. When she neared it, the guards quickly recognized her energy signature, and then gasped at the sight of her._

_"Lady Amaterasu, we see Eve coming!" One of them alerted her._

_"Huh?" The Sun Goddess blinked._

_Turning around, she saw Eve walk into the temple grounds, and saw the state she was in as she held the still crying Issei in her arms._

_"Eve, are you alright? What happened to you!?" Amaterasu asked worriedly._

_"Our home... it was attacked, burned to the ground. I can't stay with Issei while keeping us both safe. Worse, it seems like they want him dead." Eve explained, panting a bit._

_"What? Why would they want your child dead?" Amaterasu questioned._

_Eve looked up at her, closing her eyes._

_"My baby boy... the Red Dragon chose him as his next host, the newest Sekiryuutei." She revealed._

_The Sun Goddess gasped, looking at the infant Issei._

_"I beg you, until I know it's safe and find Kurenai... take care of my child. Until the day you meet me at the shrine we named him after, the Ise Grand Shrine, protect him with all your strength." Eve begged._

_"I'll do my best, though you have to promise you'll come back alive." Amaterasu promised._

_Eve handed Issei over to his Aunt, and soon rubbed his head with a teary look as his cries began to settle. As she sniffled one last time, Eve quickly ran away, causing Issei to cry as he realized his mother left him._

_"Don't cry little one, it'll be OK... I promise." Amaterasu whispered, rocking him._

_The young Issei soon had his cries settle, with the Sun Goddess taking a deep breath at her sister's fleeing form._

* * *

_Standing at the Ise Grand Shrine, a tired looking Amaterasu was seen waiting as she had every day for the last year, holding the year old Issei in her arms as he cried._

_"Eve, Kurenai... come back, I beg of you." She prayed, trying to calm Issei down._

_"Issei!" Eve shouted._

_The Sun Goddess froze at that moment, with Issei suddenly stopping as he recognized the voice, and slowly turned around to see a familiar pair of faces climb up into view, making her eyes tear up._

_"Eve! Kurenai!" She shouted happily._

_Issei smiled as he saw his parents, happily reaching out to them. Handing her son back to her, Amaterasu smiled as Eve hugged her son, who was hugged by Kurenai._

_"My little Issei, we're here... we're home." Eve sniffled, shedding happily tears._

* * *

_Amaterasu stood in Kuoh Town by the side of Cleria Belial, holding out legal documents to "Seiji" and "Hana" of the "Hyoudou Family", who were standing in front of their new home._

_"Two of your relatives live here and have their own children that are Issei's age, so they'll be here if you ever need help. Also, with this being Devil territory, any attempt by Rizevim to come here will be met with extreme resistance." Cleria reassured them, looking at Kurenai._

_"Not to mention, you've always got me, dad, mom, and the others if you need it." Amaterasu promised._

_The disguised duo nodded their heads, looking at disguised son._

_"We won't let anything happen to you, I just hope when the day we have to tell you the truth comes, you'll be ready for it." Eve promised her son._

* * *

Gasping as the memories settled in, Issei began crying.

"Rizevim... how many lives has that man ruined!?" Issei screamed, tightening his left fist.

"Issei..." Vali said quietly.

She hugged him close, with Issei sobbing at the truth he learned.

"He'll pay for what he's done, that's a promise." Lilith stated, gaining another reminder of the monster she gave birth to.

Amaterasu nodded, show a rare face of hatred on the person being talked about.

"With that out of the way... can you explain why Issei's a boy that has the body of a girl?" Kuroka asked.

"I... actually do have an explanation for that." Eve admitted.

Everyone looked at her, and she looked at Kurenai for help, giving an embarrassed blush.

"You guys know how Eve was born from Adam's rib, right?" He asked.

"Yes." Everyone answered.

"Well, it turns out by doing that, Eve had some kind of... error in her reproductive code. While she can give birth fine, if she were to have a boy, because she came from a male rib, the end result... I think you know where I'm going with this." Kurenai explained.

Issei's eyes went wide, while everyone else just had their jaws drop.

"Wow, then I guess you and Adam not having kids was a good thing." Lilith realized, giving an awkward chuckle.

"Are you sure it's only boys?" Vali asked.

"Yes, because Issei's sister was born as a girl and is as normal as any girl would be." Eve answered.

That suddenly got everyone's attention.

"I'm sorry, but... did you just say _my_ sister!?" Issei shouted in surprise.

Issei's parents and Amaterasu all had their expressions go flat as they realized what they had forgotten to say.

"Oh... that should have been one of the first things we should have said after the flashback." Amaterasu said.

The Sun Goddess chuckled awkwardly at that, clearing her throat.

"Her name's Homura Akane, and she's currently living with me. Some of those times your parents told you that they were going out of town was to go visit her. She's been wanting to meet her brother, and now we have no more excuses." She continued.

"If that's the case, then how about we meet her now?" Issei suggested.

"That'll have to wait, because she's been traveling around Japan's archipelago for the last few weeks. Though it won't be much longer before she can return." Amaterasu explained.

Issei gave an awkward chuckle at that, nodding his head.

"OK, there's only one thing left ask... do either of you know why Issei can use the Blazing Dawn, which no one can explain?" Kelsey explained.

Eve blushed a bit at that, and then held out her hand... releasing her own Blazing Dawn's light from it.

"He inherited it from you? Wait, how'd you get it!?" Lilith exclaimed.

"I'm... not sure, but I got it after Jesus passed away. Maybe it went to me because I was a Human made by God like he was?" Eve assumed, not sure herself.

Lilith paused for a moment before putting a finger to her chin.

"The Red Dragon bonded to one with the power of the Blazing Truth associated with God, and the White Dragon bonded to the power of the Morning Star associated with Lucifer... this link can't be a coincidence. Question is why this is the case?" She wondered aloud.

"Who knows? At the very least, we now have some kind of explanation for why I have the Blazing Dawn, rather than none at all." Issei replied.

After that, the Sekiryuutei took a deep breath as he looked at his parents.

"After everything that I've just learned today... I only have one thing left to say to you two." He said.

"W-what is it?" Eve asked nervously.

He got closer to the two of them, and then... hugged them close.

"Here's your real welcome home." Issei smiled.

Everyone went "Aww" at the sight, while Eve returned her son's hug with happy years in her eyes, and Kurenai... just Issei on the head.

* * *

Within the sunny beaches of Okinawa, the sight of a girl with ruby-red eyes and the same crimson-red hair as Issei, which was styled in the same way, only in a smoother and silkier manner that actually fit a girl. She was incredibly buxom, only a bit smaller than the likes of those such as Lilith and Eve.

She wore a light pink T-Shirt, with a red, short-sleeved jacket without a zipper, and an orange hoodie. Her shorts were the same color, and her shoes were red sneakers with some orange, and white laces.

"I've already gone everywhere I wanted, guess it's time to head back." Homura smiled, folding the map she was holding.

Right at that moment, she got a text from Amaterasu.

"Hmm? That's weird, what could she be texting me right now?" She wondered, opening the text.

**_From Amaterasu:_ **   
**_"Good news Homura... your brother knows the truth, which means you can finally meet him! I'll set the meeting up when I see you back in Kyoto :D"_ **

Homura gasped, screaming at the top of her lungs, and surprising everyone that was nearby her. Realizing what she did, the redheaded Heroine blushed in embarrassment, waving hello to the crowd.

"Best! Timing! Ever!" Homura exclaimed.

Grabbing her suitcase, she quickly ran to the nearest airport as fast as she can, booking a flight to Kyoto as she did.

* * *

Lilith walked into the room, seeing Vali release a sigh as Issei rubbed her head.

"Oh no... what's wrong?" She asked.

"Issei, please tell her for me..." The Hakuryuukou asked.

"Sure." He replied.

Moving himself from under Vali's head, and placing a pillow in place of his lap until he came back, he stood by Lilith.

"Hearing that her grandpa ruined my childhood? It kind of killed her mood." He answered.

Lilith winced at that, looking at her daughter.

"I thought I had already dealt with the worst of him, but I was wrong... I wish I wasn't his granddaughter so your disowning of him meant we weren't related!" Vali screamed in anger and frustration.

Hearing her say this, followed by the saddened look she gave? Lilith closed her eyes as she took a deep breath.

"About that, Vali. There's actually way to make that happen." She stated.

"Wait, there is? What do you mean?" Vali replied with wide eyes, getting up from the pillow.

The Devil Queen trailed off a bit.

"Actually, maybe I shouldn't say it... Kuroka might not like it if-" Lilith replied worriedly.

"Lilith, I don't have any problems with you having Vali becoming the official daughter of you and Lucifer through one of the techniques of the Naberius Clan." Kuroka reassured her.

The Devil Queen showed surprise at that, with the Black Nekoshou looking at her.

"It was my master I hated, not the whole clan. Why would I serve Vali if that was the case?" She explained.

Lilith nodded her head, seeing her point.

"OK, you know how my Ethereal Twilight used to be your grandpa's? That was through genetic manipulation. What makes this important is through a similar procedure, and because I'd have my DNA as a reference point... it's possible that I could make you me and Lucifer's biological child." She revealed.

"That's possible!?" Issei exclaimed.

Vali went into shock, and it was so intense that Issei waved his hands over her eyes and it didn't work.

"Sure it is, this is just a version of what Izanami and Izanagi did with your mom, just in a way that actually has shared genetics." Lilith explained.

"Oh yeah, she did say that." He recalled.

After a few more seconds, Vali blinked as she finally came back to reality.

"Wait, so... the Naberius Clan could make it so my genetics would say you gave birth to me and I'd stop being related to Rizevim?" Vali inquired.

Issei was confused, prompting Kuroka to near his ear.

"When he got exiled and had his powers removed? Any DNA that made him a Lucifer got yanked out, including an immunity to Holy Light."

He gave a silent "Ooh!" at that.

"Yeah, but... there is a catch that you should consider. It's not anything harmful, though it might be something you're not willing to give up." Lilith brought up, giving a look that told Vali she already knew.

"What connects me to my birth mother, right?" Vali replied.

"That's right. If you do this, you won't be related to her anymore, and no only that... you'll become a pureblooded Devil in the process." Lilith nodded.

Issei and Kuroka looked at her, wondering what she would say.

After a bit... Vali gave her answer.

"I'll do it. There's no way I can keep being called his granddaughter, and no matter what happens... there's one link to my mother that will never change, even from a change to my genetics. The most important one of all." She replied, smiling at the end.

The Lucifer Heiress smiled as she put a hand over her heart, making Lilith flash a warm smile towards her.

"You blew all those worries that I expected from you right out of the water. I'm so lucky that you're my daughter." Lilith replied, hugging her close.

Vali gave a happy blush at that, while Issei and Kuroka smiled at her.

"Ingvild and the others will all have a field day when I tell them about this." The Devil Queen stated.

"Why would they?" Vali asked.

"Because they all went through the same thing when they got named the Heirs of their Clans, though for a different reason... and don't ask how it was possible. That's a secret I'm not gonna talk about." Lilith explained.

Vali gave a weird look at that before shrugging, deciding not to ask about it.

"Oh, speaking of which? I finally got word from Ajuka about what happened Issei's Evil Piece did to him." Lilith revealed.

"Really?" He asked.

"Yeah, it seems that the reason you had Lucifer wings the other day? That was just cosmetic. If you don't believe me, then try unfolding your wings and proving it." Lilith replied.

Issei blinked before trying... only finding nothing was happening. Pushing himself again, nothing happened.

"Eh?" He blinked.

"See what I mean? Ajuka's theory is because you and Vali had a mental link before you regained your true form, and because of your Half-God nature leaving its dormant state, the Evil Piece had synergy with them to replicate a Lucifer's wings." Lilith explained.

Issei looked at his back in surprise, and then...

"Wait, so I'm not a Devil anymore?" He asked.

"Nope, though I think your body can still create wings, so you'll just need to figure out your own design in that area. As for your Evil Piece itself? You're only partially bonded to it, enough to be considered as such while using its powers... although Ajuka thinks that boost between you and Vali might stick even after we do this due to you having a 100% synergy rate as King and Queen, you can have it safely removed whenever you want." She confirmed.

"Issei, this could mean you're the breakthrough Ajuka needs in his next stage of Evil Piece development. One that could make it optional for people to turn into Devils." Vali realized, looking excited.

"That's right, being forced to become a Devil has been a slight deal breaker for some if you're not an Angel, Demon, or Fallen." Issei realized.

Before they could talk about things any further, Kuroka suddenly screamed.

"Put everything on hold! Ingvild's match just got moved up, and it's about to start in 30 minutes! We need to get to the stadium right now!" The Black Nekoshou warned.

"Crap, gather everyone let's head over!" Issei realized.

"Issei, do you mind recording the match for me? I'd like to get this done sooner than later." Vali requested.

The Queen of Lucifer gave a thumb's up.

* * *

Everyone was cheering as the Rating Game between Ingvild Leviathan and Ereilie Glasya-Labolas was going strong, the two in a battlefield based on a destroyed city, with two damaged eight-story buildings acting as their bases.

Irufea was seen rushing at Kaleidoscope, who gasped as she saw the Leviathan Knight rushing towards her.

" **Flame Shake!** "

Spinning around, the Glasya-Labolas Bishop saw flames spiraling at her. At that moment, she chose to respond by forming two unique containers that she began shaking.

" **Graffiti Canvas!** "

And with that, the colorful mist of spray paint escaped said containers. The mist became red, and became a heavy cloud, blocking the flames.

"Phew... that was close." Kaleidoscope sighed in relief.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
And Kaleidoscope puts up a great defense! The Knight of Lucifer's been completely countered!**

**【** **Titania** **】**   
**I wouldn't jump the gun there Naud, look closer at Irufea's flames.**

The flames continued spiraling until they took the shape of a Dragon, and simply weaved around the colored cloud of pain, making Kaleidoscope gasp.

"And Knight takes Bishop!" Irufea announced.

Snapping her fingers, the Bishop of Glasya-Labolas Bishop screamed as the flames struck her.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Lady Ereilie's Bishop. Retired!**

_[Ingvild Leviathan: 8 | Ereilie Glasya-Labolas: 7]_

Ereilie's eyes widened as she heard her Bishop had been defeated.

"Crap... I've gotta find and destroy that Monolith, or Ingvild's going to decimate my team!" She said to herself.

"Hey, speed queen!" Aarushi exclaimed.

Looking behind her, Ereilie immediately sped up as Aarushi flew at her, unleashing heavy bursts of Prana that the Glasya-Labolas Heir struggled to dodge.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Titania, do you have a guess on who will win this Rating Game?**

**【** **Titania** **】**   
**Based on what I'm seeing so far, I'd say that Ingvild is the more likely contender. While Ereilie has the speed, the problem in her case is even if she finds the Monolith, taking it down will be hard without the right opening. Not only that...**

In the room of the building where Ingvild's Monolith was, the sight of Nanami sitting by it with a shield around it could be seen, with Nanami concentrating as she sat on her knees in a meditative stance.

A barrier made by Telos Karma's power was also seen surrounding both.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Ah, that's right. Ingvild chose a good guardian to watch over her Monolith, so breaking through might be tricky.**

From a hole in the building on Ereilie's side, her Queen was watching as Aarushi tried to overwhelm her.

"Time to rev it up." Midnight said.

" **Motor Mayhem!** "

A motorcycle based Sacred Gear formed besides her, making the audience explode as they saw it. Turning around, Midnight saw a pink-haired Pawn run by, trying to avoid a charging Ladora heading her way.

"Lotus, I need a jump ramp!" Midnight exclaimed.

"R-Right!" Lotus stuttered.

Lotus' eyes briefly gained a lotus flower shape in them, and held her hands towards the hole in the wall.

'There we go.' Ladora thought.

" **Samsara Storm!** "

The Glasya-Labolas Pawn's Sacred Gear activated, and gave Midnight a path for her cycle to drive across. Revving her engine, Midnight screamed as she zoomed across it, using her Angel and Devil powers as extra fuel to boost her speed.

"Get ready, Pawn of Ingvild Leviathan!" Midnight screamed.

Aarushi heard her voice before turning around, see her driving towards her as her engines roared.

"I think you were a bit too hasty to come at me with only a single road to drive on!" Aarushi replied, holding out her hands.

" **Transcend Wave!** "

A huge ripple of Prana blasted out towards Midnight, and right as it was about to hit her...

" **Balance Breaker: Shift Riding!** "

The motorcycle jumped into the air, back flipping as it shifted into a helicopter, shocking the Daeva as she dodged the attack. Before she could even react, Midnight's Sacred Gear smashed into her, sending her flying into her base.

"Alright, time to finish this-" Midnight stated.

She was suddenly blasted by a surge of water, knocking her outside as Ereilie barely managed to run away from it.

"Midnight!" She shouted.

"Damn, guess I was a bit careless there..." Midnight coughed, pushing her cycle back up.

Ingvild giggled a bit, holding out her hand.

"For more reasons than you think." The Leviathan Heiress replied.

Midnight was confused by what she meant, until Ingvild finally revealed her hidden trump card... a familiar sphere that was often seen being used by Rias Gremory.

"Wait a minute, that's-" Midnight gasped.

**「** **Bungou Stray Dogs: Opening 2** **」**

" **Attribute Thief: Power of Destruction!** "

The crowd began shouting in surprise, unable to believe that the Leviathan Heiress had managed to gain that ability.

**【** **Titania** **】** **  
She managed to copy the Gremory Heiress' power!?**

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Holy guacamole! I didn't see this coming, and since there's plenty of strong abilities she can copy, I bet she only used one of the spare aces she had prepared for this moment!**

Rias felt her eyes shake upon hearing Ingvild say her signature ability's name.

"When could she have copied my powers? I never let her touch me!" Rias questioned, holding her head in shock.

"Actually, there's somewhere she could have." Issei replied.

She looked at the Lucifer Queen confused... until she suddenly gasped, remember the beginning of the Qualifier race, where everyone was crowded in the entrance hall. That was the only place where she didn't know who was touching her.

Ingvild must have touched multiple people at the time, and gathered all of their abilities as a result of it.

"Just how many abilities did she get to copy from that?" Sona wondered.

Ingvild threw the sphere forward, unleashing it in the form of a wave, catching Rias' eye as she saw it. Midnight screamed as her Sacred Gear was shattered apart in an instant, followed by her being retired as the attack swallowed her up.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Lord Ereilie's Queen. Retired!**

_[Ingvild Leviathan: 8 | Ereilie Glasya-Labolas: 6]_

Ingvild smirked at that, looking at her Pawn.

"Go rest up, we're about to finish this game." She suggested, winking at her.

"Understood." Aarushi replied.

The Half-Daeva rushed to a different location, turning to Ladora.

"Alright, here we go!" He smirked.

Taking a deep breath, the sight of Ladora's chest swelling caught Lotus' attention, and making her panic.

"E-Ereilie!?" She warned.

"Don't worry, I'm on it!" The Heiress of Glasya-Labolas replied.

Using her speed to burst back towards her building, she failed to notice the large hole she made in it, revealing Ingvild's Monolith inside. Seeing it come into view, Ladora jumped out of the building, surprising Ereilie as he passed her.

'What's he doing!?' She thought.

A huge burst of fire exploded near the top of her building, making everyone look as a fiery Dragon crashed through the wall, and revealed where Ereilie's Monolith was. A panicked Renee and Axel quickly saw themselves exposed.

Seeing everything set up, Ladora retracted the swelling in his stomach, revealing it was fire he gathered into his now glowing throat.

" **Dragon Blaze!** "

The Leviathan Rook fired out the flames, and the meditating Nanami sensed them coming.

**【** **Titania** **】** **  
Wait, I see what she's doing!**

Naud looked at the Fairy Queen in surprise, right as Nanami ran out of the Monolith room, positioning herself to be in the path of Ladora's attack!

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Of course! She's using friendly fire to her advantage!**

Ereilie gasped at that.

 **«"Alright Nanami, let's show everyone what we've got!"»** Pandora exclaimed.

"You've got it!" She replied.

Nanami crossed her arms as the locket of Telos Karma opened.

**«"RETRIBUTION!"»**

The Leviathan Queen's body gained a sheen as the attack her, making her grunt as she took the entire attack inside of it. Holding her hand out, she prepared her final attack as Ereilie's Rooks prepared to defend themselves.

" **Pandora's Repentance!** "

She released all of the energy as a purple beam with a yellow spiral swirling around it. Both of Renee and Axel screamed as the beam retired them instantly.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

Moments after, the Monolith behind them shattered.

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**Game over! With a flawless victory, the winner is Ingvild Leviathan!**

**【** **Titania** **】** **  
I've heard she's considered to be a female Sairaorg, but in magic instead of physical strength, and she definitely proved that today! Anyone who wants to earn victory in the Championship match has to get through her, and/or Sairaorg to do so.**

The entire crowd cheered as Ingvild landed on the ground, with all of her peerage gathering around her in a group hug.

"Congrats you guys, we did it!" She cheered.

"Yeah, now let's go all the way and reach the Finals!" Nanami exclaimed.

* * *

**There you have it, the truth of Issei's parents has been revealed! For his father, we have Kurenai, who I named after Issei and Akeno's child from EX due to him being unable to exist, and because any kid she and Rias have will have to be named with him or her being a potential Gremory Heir in mind. There's also a secondary reason is due to the name meaning "Crimson", reflecting Issei gets his hair from him.**

**However, I think we can all agree that Issei's _mother_ is the bigger highlight, consider that she just happens to be Eve! As I said before, there were various hints to her being Issei's mother, but the biggest were the fact Lilith stated she was current MIA, and how Issei managed to gain the Blazing Dawn without being related to God in any way. It's because somehow, Jesus gave her the power when he died.**

**For those who are curious? Yes, this is how the Incinerate Anthem came to be in-story, as when Jesus died? His soul survived through a flicker of the Blazing Dawn's fire that stayed with him, eventually leading to the Longinus we know today. The difference between them is the Blazing Dawn leans more to the Holy Light nature of its power, while the Incinerate Anthem instead favors its purple flames.**

**Also, that whole thing with Issei's wings last chapter? *giggles* Yep, gotcha there, nothing Devil related at all. What really happened is the opposite, and he's no longer a Devil at all. This makes sense since with how Issei has the Blazing Dawn, he's the "Light" to the "Darkness" that Vali represents, so completely turning into a Hero fits with that.**

**Now, remember how I said that what happened on Issei and Vali's birthday would be important? Issei briefly gaining Lucifer wings, the fact the two managed to meet in the same mental plane, and etc. all were the result of them forging a spiritual bond at a very important time. Both of them are very lucky that the Anti-Maou Faction planned things for shortly after their birthday, or things might have gotten messy...**

**It looks like Vali's about to take her adoption to a new level, and have the Naberius Clan remove her link to Rizevim by making herself Lucifer and Lilith's daughter as if the latter had given birth to her. This might seem a little weird, but based on what I remember about the things that Kuroka's master did to his peerage, I don't think it's unreasonable for them to achieve something like this.**

**Believe it or not, one idea I had for this story before I made it was for Vali to be a pureblooded Devil, and have Albion be a Sacred Gear that Rizevim put into her as part of his plans to weaponize her. For obvious reasons, that idea got axed in favor of Issei and Vali having a deep connection through their Dragons, but the part about her being a full Devil still lingered in my head. This is how I decided to finally realize it.**

**Shuriliu and Ingvild have won their matches, which leaves only Eneely and Aariliyn to decide the last Devil to join the Quarterfinals, which will be the last Rating Game in this arc. The rest will happen in the latter half of Season 4, as the rest of this arc will focus on the coming battle with Loki... who seems to be up to something that involves all three of the Worst Gods, which is _not_ a good sign.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

* * *

** Bust Size of New Female Characters ** **:**

**Morrighan - 90 cm**

**Kallima - 85 cm**

**Coriana Andrealphus - 105 cm**

**Aarushi Fahari - 94 cm**

**Lilitifa Vepar - 84 cm**

**Eve Elohim - 110 cm**

**Homura Akane - 109 cm**

* * *

** Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter ** **:**

**【** **Slithering Threads** **】**   
**The bloodline ability of the Decarabia Clan, which allows the user to create strings, threads, or anything similar from anywhere on their body. This is very versatile as it can be used to create traps, defenses, attacks, and even making fashionable clothing.**

**【** **Evil Wisdom** **】**   
**The bloodline ability of the Shax Clan, which allows the user to cover one of their eyes/ears, their nose, mouth, or heart to temporarily remove their sight, hearing, touch, smell, or ability to speak for as long as they cover the respective area(s) with their hand.**

**【** **Sensational Salsa** **】**   
**The bloodline ability of the Agrat Clan, which allows the user to strike an opponent, and fills their sensory glands with a sensation of their choice.**

**【** **Alluring Mist** **】**   
**The bloodline ability of the Andrealphus Clan, which allows the user to release a mix that places them under a hypnotic effect of their beauty and allure, which they can use to pull them into a trance. As shown by Coriana, this effect can be strengthened by the actions taken to increase their appeal.**

* * *

** Pairings List ** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating  
Ddraig/Albion - Married  
Tiamat/Fafnir - Married  
Ophis/Great Red - Married  
Saji/Sona - Dating, and is Saji's main love interest  
Saji/Momo - Dating  
Saji/Ruruko - Dating  
Gasper/Valerie - Dating  
Kiba/Tosca - Dating  
Hina/Nanami - Dating  
Shuriliu/Coriana - Dating, and is Shuriliu's main love interest  
Shuriliu/Her Peerage - Dating  
Rias/Akeno - Engaged  
Rossweisse/Vidar - Rossweisse hasn't met Vidar, while Vidar may have experienced love at first sight  
Sairaorg/Kuisha - Dating  
Jeanne/Cao Cao - Dating**


	32. Chapter 32

**OK, before we begin today's chapter, there's something important that I'd like to bring up. *clears throat* As of last chapter, I think you've all began to notice that Issei's importance has been continuously growing, especially with the revelation that his mother has been Eve all this time. So, as a result of this, you might be wondering... where does he currently stand in the story?**

**As we've finally gotten far enough for it, allow me to answer that question. While the protagonist spot will always belongs to Vali in this series, we're getting ever so closer to the moment Issei will at least be her equal in this story! This is Legend of the Heavenly _Dragons_ after all, so while the Heiress of Lucifer will always be stronger, it won't be long before they're in the same lague.**

**Then we have Ingvild's situation, since she can copy almost any of the Devil bloodline abilities. Like last chapter had Titania mention, her skills are basically what Sairaorg would be if he was a woman, and his inability to use magic was replaced with having physical strength that was considered weak by Devil standards. Basically, while she is powerful, that strength is aimed in a single direction that others can plan for.**

**Lastly, to anyone that's wondering what Issei's real last name is due to how Eve's last name is Elohim, but Homura's is Akane? The answer to that is it's Elohim, with Homura's last name being something like with Venelene, but for a different reason. Heroes have bloodlines blessed by a certain God, and the Akane bloodline is the one that Amaterasu blessed.**

**Issei's genetics are more closely tied to his mom, and he's never trained to be a Hero due to the circumstances Rizevim caused, so he got her surname. Homura on the other hand was unable to inherit the Blazing Dawn from Eve, and gets almost everything from Kurenai, which caused her to take the name similar to how most Devil Heirs would. The same doesn't apply to Kurenai, as he was allowed to change it upon marrying Eve.**

**Now, let's get back on track for today's start notes.**

**For today's chapter, the match between Aariliyn and Eneely is finally here! We've only seen a brief taste of what she and Hina can do throughout Season 1 and Season 2, but now we're about to see the Mammon Heiress and her peerage duke it out against Eneely's, who owes Vali's group for preventing Akari from becoming a Stray Devil back in Chapter 11.**

**We'll also be seeing the results of the procedure that Vali's undergoing with the Naberius Clan's aid to finally rid herself of being related to Rizevim, which as I said in the last chapter, will turn her into a pureblooded Devil in the process. There are a few other surprises in here, both big and small, so I hope you enjoy what I've thrown in as we get ever closer to this arc's inevitable showdown with Loki... especially due to how it'll go :)**

**So, without any further delay, let the chapter... begin!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

 **[]** \- Ddraig Talking

 **«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

 **「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

 **【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

 **⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

** Hero Faction **

**A collective of lands that are the homes and training grounds to the Heroes, the race of Half-Gods tied to the Shinto Pantheon, and one of the two large groups of Humanity with any Supernatural involvement that's not due to having a Sacred Gear, having a Deity for a parent, or being reincarnated by someone in the Christian Pantheon, with the other being Magicians.**

**The Hero Clan's origins first began during the time of the 10th century, originating through the Samurai and Ronin of old. During this time, Amaterasu met with a swordsman that possessed a strong will, and decided to bless him with her blood. The action caused her blood to fuse into his veins which made him Half-God, and gave him the Incarnate Flame ability, creating the first Hero of the Akane bloodline.**

**Following this, all of the other Shinto deities began doing the same, including Izanagi and Izanami, which drew in martial artists and ninja into the mix. However, as modern times came, it became clear they would have trouble being gathered en masse within Human society. To amend this problem, Amaterasu gave them a series of lands far out from most Human settlements for them to live in.**

**Eventually, these blessed Humans branched off from the Samurai, Ninja, and martial artists they had come from, who were continued by those among such titles that hadn't been blessed. Needing a new name, Tsukuyomi decided to call them "Heroes" after the legends and stories based on their actions in protecting Japan over the centuries, thus giving birth to the Hero Faction.**

**Those born as Heroes have a superhuman level of strength, durability, and speed, while having a level of healing that allowed even organs to repair any damage they received. Despite these traits being good, it takes training for them to reach the full peak of their development. Also, like most supernatural beings with ties to Japan, members of the Hero Faction most often learn to use Chi among the three primordial energies.**

**A notable tradition within the Hero Clan is that all names given to children are meaningful to represent the faith parents have in their children's potential, as the kanji in Japanese names have strong meanings to them. Another reason for this comes from how an ability is tied to one's name, acting as a guarantee that child shall have at least that ability upon their birth, especially if one must marry into another family.**

**Surprisingly, those of the Hero Clan are very broad in potential partners, long before the Alliance ever formed. Evidence to this is best shown through Issei's presence in Kuoh Town, which was under Cleria Belial's watch at the time, and believed to be why Amaterasu agreed to join the Alliance so easily. There are even families of Heroes living among normal Humans, with their children unaware of what they really are.**

**With their unique history, the Hero Faction is a huge reminder than anyone can rise up if they work hard and put in the effort to get stronger.**

* * *

**_ Season 4, Loki Arc: Chapter 2 - Fights and Families _ **

In the area of Hell belonging to the Naberius Clan, the sight of Vali lying on a table with monitors checking her condition was seen, with the some of the Naberius Clan's Devils readying themselves for the procedure to make her the official daughter of Lucifer and Lilith.

"So, how does this work exactly?" Vali asked.

"Using a genetic sample, we go through your genetics passed down from the previous generations, and then break apart certain areas while reconnecting others. This is why this procedure only works with family, and not strangers." Lady Naberius explained.

"Oh, so that's how the exiling process works... hey, wait a minute." Lilith added.

Vali blinked a few times, noticing there was something that she couldn't put her finger on, and then widened her eyes.

"Hold on, if that's true... then how could I be related to you and Lucifer in the first place? If you had him exiled from the Lucifer Clan, then he shouldn't have anything for his son to inherit, and therefore no way for me to gain the powers I have." She questioned.

Lady Naberius paused for a moment, and soon began laughing to Vali's confusion.

"Apologies for the laughter Princess Vali, but I didn't expect to hear something like that." She apologized.

"Uh... OK?" Vali replied.

Clearing her throat, Lady Naberius began explaining things.

"The explanation to that is simple. Whoever the Devil that gave birth to Rizevim's son might be, she was carrying him _before_ he was exiled, so all of Lucifer and Lilith's DNA had already been passed on before he lost his own." She clarified.

"Oh, now it makes sense." Vali realized.

Right at that moment, the Heiress of Lucifer felt the Naberius matriarch put a hand to her forehead before looking right in the eyes.

"I'm about to cast a sleeping spell on you, just so you don't feel anything. Best of all? When you wake up, the worst you'll feel is simple drowsiness, and you might not even get that." She warned her in advance.

"Go head... I'm ready." Vali replied, taking a deep breath.

And with that, the sleeping spell knocked her unconscious as the Naberius Clan began their work, using a magical device that was scanning some of Lilith's blood to target deep into where her body's genetic coding was.

Lilith chewed on a strand of her hair as she watched, feeling nervous over the fact that she'd be Vali's biological mother very soon.

* * *

The MHC, ORC, and Student Council soon returned to the newly christened _Elohim_ Mansion, still talking about the match they had just witnessed.

"I still can't believe how powerful Ingvild is." Issei remarked.

"Makes sense to me, as she seems to be the opposite of Sairaorg. Where he's got insane physical strength without any real magical abilities, Ingvild's got massive reserves of magic only Vali could rival, but her physical strength looks to be that of a normal Human's." Kuroka explained.

Rias was currently distracted by the thought of Ingvild's one attack, which had stayed in her mind since she saw it.

'That form as a wave could be useful.' She thought.

Issei suddenly remembered something, and tried to leave the room, however...

"Kurenai, your son's home!" Tiamat called out.

Ddraig chuckled as his partner suddenly paled, and slowly turned to see his father come in with a powerful looking sword in his hands.

"Whoa... cool sword." Irina praised.

"This is the Mikazuki, or the sword of the Crescent Moon as some call it." Kurenai revealed.

"You mean this is one of the many legendary swords?" Xenovia asked.

Issei looked confused by that.

"Legendary Swords are nigh-unbreakable swords. All of the Holy Swords and Cursed Swords are Legendary Swords that either have a holy or dark attribute to them, which is why certain people were needed to create them." Tiamat explained.

"Guess that makes sense." The Sekiryuutei replied.

Only moments after did he remember his living tank of a father was about to train him using it, making him shudder.

"I'm sorry Issei, your father is just concerned for your safety and wants to make sure you have every bit of your heritage to rely on." Eve apologized, a slight sweat drop on her left cheek.

As that was happening, Kunou realized something.

"Hey, doesn't Issei have those two cousins from his school?" The Kyuubi Princess asked.

"Yeah, why do... you..." Bikou answered.

It took a few minutes for everyone to suddenly realize what she was referring to, and their eyes widened. Looking at Kurenai, the redheaded Hero nodded.

"That's right, both Katase and Murayama are Heroes as well." Kurenai confirmed.

A slight bit of initial shock flashed by the group, but it quickly settled due to recalling Kurenai had relatives.

"That actually explains why they're such champions at Kendo." Saji realized.

"Murayama's is tied to Izanami's bloodline, while Katase's is tied to Izanagi's bloodline. As neither is actually related to Eve, how they're really related is Murayama's mother is my younger sister, while Katase's father is our younger brother." He explained.

At that moment, Kurenai grabbed Issei by his collar.

"Now, if you'll excuse us? We'll be borrowing our son for a while." He smiled.

Everyone saw the scarlet-haired Hero drag Issei away, making him reach out in a panic as he screamed in a tone that begged them to rescue him... and no one was brave enough to try.

"I hope when he's done, he'll forgive us." Asia begged.

* * *

Homura was seen sitting in the airport, eating some takeout she bought while she waited for her flight to arrive as she texted with Amaterasu.

"Do you... have a... picture of him?" Homura said, typing her words.

At that moment, she finished typing the message before sending it over, waiting only a minute before the Shinto Goddess of the Sun sent her an image with Issei's true form on it.

"Whoa, I didn't think we'd look that similar." She remarked.

『"Attention to all passengers on Flight 385, we are now ready to board. Grab your belongings and head onto the plane."』

Homura immediately stood up.

"Alright, time to finally go home." The redheaded Heroine smiled.

* * *

The sound of beeping monitors was heard as Lady Naberius moved her glowing finger off the sleeping Vali's body, and sighed in relief.

"Finished." She breathed out.

Removing her sleeping spell from Vali, the Lucifer Heiress groaned as she began opening her eyes as she shook off the drowsiness that still lingered. Taking a deep stretch that made her huge breasts bounce as she sat up, Lilith walked up to her.

"How long was I out for?" Vali asked.

"Around two and a half hours. During that time, Ingvild beat Ereilie without a single retirement on her side. That girl's serious about keeping her promise to you." Lilith answered, giggling at the last part.

Hearing that, Vali laughed a bit before smiling a little. Feeling around herself, she tried to see if anything was different.

"Nothing feels any different... did anything change? Am I the same, or is there a change that's not noticeable to me?" Vali asked, lightly squeezing her breasts.

"Definitely the latter, Vali." Lady Naberius confirmed.

The silvery-white haired Devil looked as Lady Naberius looked at her, and revealed just what else had changed aside from her becoming a pureblooded Devil through an analysis chart.

"Because your more closely related, you've got a lot more magical power now." She revealed.

Hearing that from the Head of the Naberius Clan, the Lucifer Heiress held up her hand, and began channeling her Sacred Darkness through it. The amount she used as meant to be the size of her head...

What she instead got was enough that it managed to flare out to the length of her own body length!

"Whoa!" She exclaimed.

"Yeah... it feels like my heart just went into my throat." Lilith breathed.

Vali soon dispelled the darkness.

"There's also the chance you may have inherited some powers from your mother, but the main thing you'll want to hear? There's absolutely nothing left in you that's linking you with that evil monster, so... congratulations, Vali."

Vali smiled at that before getting up, and running towards Lilith to give her a hug.

"Thank you." Vali said, shedding a happy tear.

"I should be the one saying that, for finding me, and coming into my life." Lilith sniffled, tearing up from the moment.

* * *

Within the training room of the Elohim Mansion, a huge number of explosions were heard across the reinforced walls of the training.

However, if one were to physically go inside of it, they'd see a blue barrier that made everything inside of it resemble one of the lands within the Hero Faction's territory, with Issei looking like a younger form of his true form through its effects.

"Ow!" He winced, rubbing his butt.

"Come on, I know this is rough, but this is necessary if we want to have you truly fully draw out your powers as a Hero!" Kurenai stated, holding the Mikazuki at him.

Issei groaned, grabbing Murakumo as he got back on his feet.

"I know I should have asked this when we began, but... why are we in this barrier, and what's with it making me younger?" Issei asked.

Kurenai decided to give him a brief break, pointing to the crest of a crescent moon.

"This is a focused illusion that Tsukuyomi made by synchronizing some of her magic with Tiamat and Fafnir's powers. This way we get years' worth of training for your body and mind in a single day, the reason why it's making you a child is because at a younger age, the process will go faster because they aren't as developed as teenagers are." He explained.

"Really? This was all Aunt Tsukuyomi's doing?" Issei asked in surprise.

"Yep, being a Goddess of the moon, illusions are her specialty. Though the level you're seeing in here? She needed Tiamat and Fafnir's extra power to make them as real as the result we have in here." Kurenai confirmed.

Issei could understand that. From what Issei recalled studying on occasion, Tsukuyomi and Susanoo shared the spot as 11th Strongest Being, yet such realistic illusions? With that kind of ability, she would actually be among the Top 10.

"You sure this kind of training is necessary?" Issei asked.

"I am, the kind of training a Hero goes through reflects the origins we have tied to ancient martial artists, the first Ninja, and the original Samurai and Ronin of Japan's 10th century. The training that I endured actually made me need to vomit, broke my bones, and pushed me near death..." Kurenai revealed.

The Sekiryuutei gulped, shaking a bit.

"Yet the rewards outweighed that, especially the ability for my organs to heal themselves." He smirked.

Hearing that, Issei's jaw dropped.

"Are you serious? That's actually an ability Heroes have!?" Issei asked.

"It is, and it's probably the only reason I managed to survive the battle I had with Rizevim when he destroyed our home... I still regret that it didn't managed to kill the bastard." Kurenai verified.

The Sekiryuutei gasped at that.

"You actually fought him?" Issei asked.

"Left some permanent damage against him as well. He should have scars hidden everywhere under that robe he wears, so I doubt he has the same speed or strength he once did. Problem is that doesn't affect the magic he likely excels in." Kurenai confirmed.

Vali's Queen took a deep breath, amazed his father managed do that.

"Lilith told me about the kind of blow that Juggernaut Chimera gave you, and minus the charred body, it's a lot like the kind of damage that Rizevim gave me. It was my training that let me just walk it off instead of being near dead." He emphasized.

Hearing what his father said, Issei took a deep breath and held out Murakumo as he readied himself for more.

"Alright, let's continue then." The Sekiryuutei stated.

Kurenai smiled at that, holding the Mikazuki out once again as their break ended. With a loud roar, Issei felt his father's Incarnate Flame slam into him, causing the Red Dragon Emperor to scream from the force.

Needless to say, for the next few hours that would happen during Vali's time at the Naberius Clan, he experienced years of hellish training.

* * *

While the members of Vali's peerage waited for their King and Queen's return, they heard the doorbell go off, getting their attention.

"Yuuma, it's me." Penemue announced.

"Oh, my mom's here." Yuuma remarked.

Heading to the door, she opened it up to see a slightly disheveled Penemue yawning, surprising her a bit.

"Whoa... what happened to you?" The Fallen Princess asked.

Penemue gave a slight glare towards the sky, and Yuuma instantly realized what it was.

"Dad's studies again?" She stated.

"Yeah, and through one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard no less..." She confirmed.

Heading to the kitchen, she grabbed herself a drink before she sat down on the couch with everyone, letting out a deep breath in an attempt to relax.

"Recently, your dad's been trying to research if there are other worlds possibly out there, hoping they inspire new inventions or artificial Sacred Gears for him to make. That's usually something I don't mind, but the other day? Well... he stated that his efforts got him some info from such a world, and it's what it was that's got me in a sour state." She explained.

"What was it?" Kelsey asked.

She slumped into the couch more, putting a hand over her eyes.

"He claims that it was another world's so-called God of Breasts, or _Chichigami_ as he stated. Now my perverted husband's statement has become a full-blown rumor!" Penemue revealed.

The girls all suddenly went red in the face, while the guys just gave awkward stares, even the normally stoic Arthur.

"I agree, sounds like he just made that up." Kunou replied.

"Why's my dad such a weirdo at times?" Yuuma groaned.

"That's not the worst of it... he claims that he's completely serious about this and that he's not making it up, which I'm not in the mood to deal with." Penemue sighed.

She took another drink, and soon just laid down on the couch, making Yuuma pet her head.

Unfortunately, her rest wasn't long as she heard a loud bursting sound that made her shot up.

"What was that!?" She asked worriedly.

"Sorry about that, Issei's parents are training him downstairs. The sound shoots up here every once in a while." Yuuma apologized.

Penemue sighed in relief.

Right at that moment, Issei crawled upstairs, looking all battered and beaten from the training he just endured. His father soon followed, and hoisted him back onto his feet before helping him the rest of the way.

"Dad... please tell me mom's training won't be like this." Issei begged.

"I don't have to, she's way too gentle to put you under the kind of training I did, and she has no need to." Kurenai answered.

Penemue's eyes widened as she sat up and pointed at him.

"Hold up... is that the real Seiji I'm seeing?" She asked, looking at her daughter wide eyes.

"Yep, that's him." Yuuma confirmed.

Right after saying that, Eve walked into the room carrying some food, making Penemue's eyes go completely white in shock as she recognized her. Issei looked at his mother, feeling some relief as he saw her gentle face.

"Here, this should help you get your strength back." Eve smiled.

"Thanks mom." Issei replied.

Quickly eating the food that she brought in, Yuuma immediately caught her mother as she fainted into her arms.

"E-Eve is... Issei's mother? How is that..." Penemue stuttered.

Right at that same moment, the Lucifer Clan's magic circle appeared in the room, showing Lilith and Vali walking out of it as the latter's face beamed with joy.

"We're back!" Lilith greeted.

Hearing the Devil Queen's voice, Issei instantly looked to see Vali before he rushed over to hug her.

"Vali! Thank goodness your back!" He cried.

"W-whoa! Settle down Issei, I'm not..." Vali replied before she trailed off.

Only then did she see his bruises.

"My god, what happened to you!?" She asked worriedly.

"My father happened... used one of Tsukuyomi's illusion to give me years' worth of boot camp! I had my mind go through years of roughing the worst of things without you by my side to lessen it!" Issei explained, still cried.

Vali's eyes widened in shock before she gave him a sympathetic look, hugging him closer.

"Don't worry, I'm here now. Though I'm very proud of you for getting through it all and getting all the stronger for it." She comforted him.

Right after saying that, she began massaging his body, making him relax as all the knots and tensions in his body finally melted away. As the White Dragon Empress continued working her boyfriend's stress out of his body, Yumina walked up to her.

"So, how'd things go for you?" Yumina asked.

"Thanks to the Naberius Clan, I'm now officially Lucifer and Lilith's biological child and a pureblooded Devil, and may have a few new tricks." Vali revealed.

"Can't wait to see what they are, and how much stronger you've become." Yumina replied with a smile.

* * *

The following day came, with everyone gathered at the stadium for the match between Aariliyn and Eneely.

Before the match began, the sight of Lilith bringing everyone into the waiting room for both competitors was seen, as the one Pawn of the Vassago Heiress wanted to thank Vali's peerage for rescuing her a month ago.

"You saved her one Pawn from becoming a Stray Devil?" Kelsey said in surprise.

"We did." Vali confirmed.

Right as they got near the waiting room, the sudden sight of a shadowy mass forming got everyone's attention. The shadow soon changed to take the form of a woman that clearly looked like Lucifer as a woman, having a much different appearance from Vali. She had hair that reached to her hips and tied into a partial ponytail with a red ribbon, which matched the color of her eyes.

Her outfit consisted of a black short sleeved T-Shirt with a white vest, paired with roughed up jean shorts and a silver chain around the right pocket area. She also had brown boots on her feet, and black gloves with only the pointer finger, pinkie finger, and thumb being fingerless.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" She greeted.

Yumina smiled, rushing up to the Devil and glomping her, confusing most of the group.

"Mom, I haven't seen you in months!" Yumina exclaimed.

"Wait, did she just say mom!?" Kunou shouted.

Lilith giggled at that, soon turning to give the mandatory explanation.

"Everyone, this is one of the 12 Founders of Hell, and Yumina's _real_ mother... Lucifuge Rofocale." The Devil Queen revealed.

Aside from Vali, who had already known the truth... everyone gasped.

"That's right, I'm the original Lucifuge that all others came from... including that traitor that was my only son." Lucifuge confirmed, glaring as she said the last part.

"Wait, then why has Yumina been saying she's Grayfia and Sirzechs' daughter!?" Irina questioned.

Rias cleared her throat, getting everyone's attention.

"Allow me to explain that. Because of the bond Lucifuge has to Lucifer, all of the members of the Lucifuge Clan know when a new Lucifer is born so a new Lucifuge can be born for them. As no one knew who Vali was..." Vali explained.

"I get it, the fact Grayfia had married my brother was a perfect excuse to say she was his child because everyone would believe she had intended to birth a Gremory Heir, rather than another Lucifuge." Rias realized.

"That's right, my big sister just played along, with only a select few knowing the truth. Even Millicas knows I'm not actually his sister, and he doesn't mind since he's already got a sisterly bond with his Aunt Rias." Yumina confirmed.

The Gremory Heiress gave a bashful blush at that.

"Out of curiosity, who's your father then?" Issei asked, realizing he never asked Vali about that.

"My husband is Mephisto Pheles." Lucifuge answered.

Lilith whistled at that, getting everyone's attention as they turned towards her.

"Let's focus on the visit for now?" She suggested.

"Oh yeah. We don't have long before their match begins, and we lose the chance to meet with them." Yumina realized, giving an embarrassed chuckle.

They opened the door, and when they did... they got a surprise at what they saw.

Standing in the room where six Devils like Lucifuge, with an equal gender ratio between all of them.

"No way..." Lilith breathed.

"I'm guessing you know all of them?" Issei assumed.

"More than that Issei, all of them are what Lucifer was to Lucifer for the other Maou." Vali revealed.

Issei's eyes widened, realizing he was seeing the original Nahemah, Agrat, Eisheth, Alastor, Abaddon, and Adramelech before him. Looking towards Lilith, everyone saw Nahemah give her a big smile.

"Hey there Lilith, it's been a while." She greeted.

The Mother of all Devils chuckled before holding out a hand to shake with hers, which Nahemah accepted.

"Glad to see your all doing well. I'm guessing Lucifuge invited you all here?" Lilith asked.

"That she did. We're set to be the judges for what you've got planned in the Championship Battle." She answered, giggling a little.

Agrat walked over to the group, looking at them.

"If my knowledge is right, you're quite familiar with my daughter, are you not?" Agrat asked.

"Oh, you mean Kiryuu's your kid?" Bikou inquired.

She nodded her head.

"Just as Lucifuge was able to indirectly know Vali was born and had Yumina in response, something told us we should all have more children ourselves. The Civil War ended up proving our suspicions." Eisheth revealed.

"None of the Heirs at the time sided with them, but with the exception of the Lucifuge Clan, all of them still got involved with the slaughter. My son Bedeze was the only Head that survived it. For all the other Heirs and Heads, they were all killed... and that's why the Maou Clans got such discrimination as they had." Abaddon added.

Kuroka's eyes widened, releasing a sigh that got everyone's attention.

"That's how Vali managed proved my innocence. Because those reincarnated by Evil Pieces become one's retainers, abusing or killing anyone in your peerage is a severe crime with harsh punishments, so for the Maou Clans to do that to the Clans that served them? It's no wonder they got discriminated." The Black Nekoshou explained.

All of the reincarnated Devils gasped at that.

"She's right, and while the Lucifer Clan didn't manage to do anything to the Lucifuge Clan, the fact Rizevim was sided with them was enough for them to get the same treatment by the Elders using guilt by association." Lilith added.

Adramelech soon walked by her.

"Hope we didn't take too much of your time, go wish Aariliyn and Eneely luck before the match starts." He stated.

"See you later." Alastor waved.

With that, only Lucifuge was left among the Heads of the High-Class Extra Devils.

"Come on everyone, let's not keep them waiting." She smiled.

* * *

Inside of the waiting area, both peerages were putting on their team uniforms as Lilith and the others walked in, getting their attention.

"Sorry for the delay everyone." The Devil Queen greeted.

"Delay? I get the feeling you had something much more than a mere delay." Eneely smirked.

Lilith chuckled at that.

Akari took a moment before noticing Vali among the group. The moment she did, she walked into view, and a majority of the MHC recognized the Stray Devil they saved.

Noticing them, the one called Akari walked into view, making most of the MHC recognize her.

"I'm guessing this is the one you saved before me and Kelsey joined you?" Irina assumed.

"That's right." Vali answered.

"Nice to properly meet you, and you are?" Issei asked.

The Vassago Pawn bowed to them.

"My name is Akari Shiina, and... I just want you to know I can never thank you enough for what you did, to think I could have become a monster if you hadn't been there that night." She greeted, showing her gratitude.

Vali smiled, putting a hand on her shoulder, getting the Pawn of Vassago's attention.

"No problem, but if you really want to thank us? Just promise to do your best for Eneely once you get out on the field." The Lucifer Heiress encouraged.

"R-right!" Akari agreed happily.

Right at that moment, a knock was heard on the door.

"You have 5 minutes left, be ready to head to your respective gates to start the match." A Devil alerted them.

"Got it!" Eneely replied.

Each Heiress looked at their respective team with a confident look.

* * *

After both sides walked out onto the field, sending out a flurry of cheers, Naud stood alongside his guest announcer. No one could see who it was just yet, other than the fact it was a woman.

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**Alright, is everyone ready for the last match to decide the competitors in the Quarterfinals!?**

The crowd cheered to give their answer.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Good answer! Now, before we begin... I have an announcement to make, and only then will I reveal who today's guest announcer is! Are you all ready?**

The crowd listened close.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
As a result of the Naberius Clan's efforts, Vali Lucifer is now officially the daughter of Lord Lucifer and Lady Lilith, which has also made her a pureblooded Devil! For anyone that's saying anything to her about being part Human? I'd correct yourselves now, especially since she now has the benefits of a pureblooded Devil and those advantages she had as a Human!**

Most of the Elders froze, with Zekram immediately grabbing a DevilPad to delete anything like that before they looked stupid or got laughed at.

'Lilith, you did this on purpose!' He growled.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
With that out of the way, let's reveal my guest for this match! She's someone Lilith and Adam have known well for millennia, and as of recently, she's been revealed as the true identity of the Red Dragon Emperor's mother! I give you... Eve!**

**【** **Eve** **】** **  
H-hi there everyone...**

Everyone suddenly went silent, unable to believe their eyes. Not even Zekram was immune to this as he dropped the DevilPad from the shock.

"She's the what!?" The Elders exclaimed.

A few moments passed after this revelation, and after it was heard... the crowd immediately cheered.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Look at that Eve, it seems everyone's excited to see you.**

**【** **Eve** **】** **  
Y-yeah, it seems so.**

Pushing his finger out, the Devil of the Gamigin Clan smirked.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Now, time to reveal what kind of Rating Game this match is!**

Swinging his hand behind him, the screen soon revealed the hazard symbol for generic caution on it.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
This is a hazard battle!**

**【** **Eve** **】** **  
Is this something like obstacles in the Qualifiers?**

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Correct, that's exactly what this is! All across the battlefield there are dangerous hazards and obstacles. If you aren't careful, the hazards will defeat you instead of your opponents, so it isn't unlike facing two peerages simultaneously.**

This caught both heiresses' attention.

"Hmm... a battle of caution, I guess we'll need to be ready for anything. This could even include the same obstacles from the qualifiers." Eneely realized.

"Not to mention, the initial hazard means everything in this match." Aariliyn thought aloud.

As they were thinking, the battlefield in question formed around them, and they quickly realized what kind of battlefield it was... a forest fully of dangerous creatures that were clearly hostile to Devils.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Now, let the Rating Game... Begin!**

Once the signal went off, a bunch of vicious plants launched themselves at each peerage, prompting each King to react.

" **Cosmic Render!** "

Eneely thrust her palm out, causing waves of pink energy to fling out of it, and distort the dimensions around the plants. In seconds, they were cut into ribbons and slime, grossing out the Vassago Heiress.

"Yeah, it was good I didn't eat before this match..." She remarked worriedly.

With the ones near Aariliyn, the team grouped around the golden-haired Mammon, who immediately slapped the ground.

" **Mithril Fortitude!** "

Stalagmites around up, creating a wall around them, and piercing through all the plants.

Once the main threat was gone, the stalagmites softened into mud, and she turned towards her peerage, who turned all their focus to her.

"Eneely's a secondary threat while we have these hazards in our way, so let's deal with this first." Aariliyn stated.

The Mammon Heiress' teammates gathered around her, while she began carving a visual plan on a rock, with everyone watching from start to finish. Once she had carved everything...

"Adramelech, Geirdriful? I want both of you to be our eyes in the sky. Beruka, Bafeel, and Elysui? Scout ahead with your abilities, and then I want Elysui to report back to me. Nicolae, Seireinne? Both of you will guard the area around me, with Hina staying by my side." Aariliyn ordered.

"Right!" They all nodded.

The entire team got into their positions, while Eneely set up her own team's strategy on her side of the field.

"Manael, I want you to go with Glacier into the sky, but don't engage any other fliers unless they clearly intend to strike first or you have an opening to retire them. Elkhun, I want you to take Candy and Finn to scout the area on the ground. Akari, you'll go with Krieg, Blitz, and Lesley to try and intercept Aariliyn's team. Mikoto and Hotaru? You two will stay to guard me from anything else." Eneely defined their plan.

They all nodded, and spread out to complete their tasks.

* * *

Near the side of the battlefield where Aariliyn's team was, Elysui was seen on the trees, camouflaging herself against the trees like she was a Chameleon through her Clan's signature ability.

After moving around a bit more, it became clear the creatures on the Rating Game field responded to sound.

"Beruka, Bafeel... these things are visual detectors. I'll draw their attention away for you to get through." Elysui whispered, looking at the Furcas siblings.

"Right, we'll await your signal." Bafeel replied.

Both Knights lowered their helmets, and Elysui immediately jumped into view as the monsters lunged to attack her.

" **Shade Assassin!** "

Her Sacred Gear activated, causing her body to disperse into shadow particles upon being hit, and scattering to hit the creatures. Before any of them knew it, they were all shaking in their movements as if their motor functions had been disrupted.

"Let's go, Altobrau!" Beruka shouted.

"You too, Kanebriss!" Bafeel exclaimed.

The Pale and Red Horses of the Apocalypse whinnied at that, and the two Knights charged ahead, stabbing their spears through all of the monsters.

Once that was finished, Elysui's body reformed.

"All the creatures have been eliminated." Elysui confirmed, readjusting her neck.

"Did you get that, Aariliyn?" Beruka asked, tapping his ear.

〖"I did, and we're advancing right now. Good work you three."〗 The Mammon Heiress confirmed.

With that, she and the others all rushed ahead.

* * *

Deep in the skies, Geirdriful was with Terfinnes, keeping an eye out for anything.

"Geirdriful, do you see anything?" Terfinnes asked.

The Valkyrie was about to shake her head, but then pointed out towards the distance, where Manael was seen flying around with Glacier by her side. Both of them hid by the trees so neither of the Vassago Pieces would notice them.

"Eneely's Queen... she's got a lot of long-range attacks, and it would be a huge problem for us if she stayed in the game." Geirdriful mentioned.

"I guess we'll need to take them out now, even if it's risky." Terfinnes agreed.

Looking at her fellow Rook, she nodded her head.

"I'll focus on Glacier, so you deal with Manael." Geirdriful suggested, readying her sword.

Terfinnes nodded, and then...

Manael was suddenly hit as he appeared before her, making Glacier's eyes widen.

**【** **Eve** **】** **  
What just happened!?**

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
That was the power of the Adramelech Clan as work, which allows the manipulation of things through magnetic force... including the user's own body if they know how.**

The Half-Angel soon regained her bearings before turning towards the Adramelech Heir.

" **Rogue Satellite!** "

Many devices that made up her Sacred Gear formed in the air, which she prepared to fire at Terfinnes.

" **Electromagnetism!** "

However, Manael's plans immediately went array once they began sticking to her.

"Uh oh... bad idea." Manael realized.

"Don't worry, I'm-" Glacier shouted.

Geirdriful immediately rushed into view, slashing her sword against the Yeti, who screamed before he crashed into the ground.

"No!" The Vassago Queen screamed.

" **Polaris Strike!** "

Focused magnetism suddenly zaps Manael, who fell in the area her teammate had landed.

"We better move now." Geirdriful realized.

Both her and Terfinnes moved out of the way, right as the beams from Rogue Satellite fired off, hitting the Vassago Bishop and Vassago Queen with its power, and leaving a large crater in the area.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
One of Lady Eneely's Bishops, and her Queen. Retired!**

_[Eneely Vassago: 10 | Aariliyn Mammon: 9]_

Terfinnes took a deep breath... only for him to suddenly be caught by sticky webbing, making him gasp. Seeing his teammate bound by the webs, Geirdriful's eyes widened in horror.

"That webbing! Akari must be using her Paradigm Arachne, but where is she?" The Valkyrie realized, looking around.

"You're too late to find out!" Akari answered.

On the ground, the Vassago Pawn's position could be spotted.

At the moment, she was wearing a metal spider-like backpack that had eight sharp limbs sticking out, each with a thread of spider silk coming out of them. Her face also had six circle markings under it that were the same color as her eyes.

"Now, let's make sure you don't _attract_ any more chances for your team to win." She smirked, pun intended.

Using all eight of her arms, she pulled Terfinnes to the ground, making the Mammon Rook fall near the jaws of something resembling a Venus Fly Trap... and then fell right in.

He retired instantly.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
One of Lady Aariliyn's Rooks. Retired!**

_[Eneely Vassago: 10 | Aariliyn Mammon: 8]_

Hearing what happened to Terfinnes, Aariliyn gritted her teeth.

"This could be bad..." Aariliyn realized, knowing one of her strongest retainers was out of the battle.

"I have an idea." Nicolae replied.

She turned to the Vampire/Fallen hybrid, and listened as she whispered it to her.

* * *

With the members of Akari's group, the Vassago Pawn jumped near the rest of her teammates, flashing eight victory signs with all her hands.

"Nice job taking out one of her main aces." Candy praised.

"Thanks, but I think we all know that the Valkyrie will spot us if we don't hurry." Akari replied with urgency.

"Right, let's-" Finn agreed.

She suddenly stopped, looking somewhere as she got her teammates attention.

Whistling a bit, she summoned a Kraken from a Magic circle, which immediately reeled back to spray out a water torrent. It smashed a bunch of trees down, revealing a panicked Aariliyn hiding behind them.

"Crap!" She shouted.

"Looks like they took a risk, and now she's wide open." Finn stated.

"Take her down, now!" Krieg shouted.

Right at that moment, Aariliyn ran away, prompting Elkhun to hold out her hand and chant a spell.

" **Spinning Breeze!** "

A huge gale fired out, launching Aariliyn into the sky, and land around the group that was now surrounding her. Weakly looking at them, she gave a worried look.

"So, any last words before we win this game?" Blitz asked.

"Just this one." Aariliyn replied, suddenly smirking.

All of them raised their guards at that smile... only for some dark mist to release from her body, and reveal the Devil they cornered had actually been a disguised Elysui all along!

"Psyche!" She exclaimed.

Eneely's peerage all gasped in horror, realizing what had happened.

"We've been duped!" Krieg shouted.

The sound of music suddenly went off, getting their attention as Seireinne walked into view, piloting a Sacred Gear that was floating sphere-shaped speakers.

"I live this part." Elysui smiled.

"Alright everyone, are you ready!?" She cheered, raising her hand up.

The crowd all cheered.

**"Seireinne!"**

**"Seireinne!"**

**"Seireinne!"**

Hearing all of the people cheering for her, the Mammon Bishop sang a loud note.

"Alright then, here goes!" She answered.

" **Miracle Symphonia!** "

A sudden barrier of sound was made, trapping all the members of Eneely's peerage that had surrounded Elysui inside of it.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Well, well! This is interesting!**

**【** **Eve** **】** **  
It looks like we're about to see Aariliyn's peerage thin out the numbers while she goes after Eneely herself with the few she didn't bring with her. Take a look at where she is.**

Looking on the battlefield, everyone saw the Mammon Heiress with Hina and her two Knights rush towards Eneely's base.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Well, looks like this are about to get interesting, and fascinating!**

Knowing that Aariliyn intended to bring the battle to her, the Vassago Heiress looked towards her two Knights, who immediately raised their swords in responses.

"If you want a battle, then I'll give you one." She declared.

* * *

Reaching the area where Eneely's base was near, Aariliyn's group soon saw her and her Knights walk into view.

"I don't know how long you'll hold the rest of my team, but let's you and I settle this here." The Vassago Heiress challenged, cracking her fingers.

"Fine by me." Aariliyn agreed.

Mikoto and Hotaru immediately rushed ahead, and then...

"Now Hina!" She shouted.

Hina nodded before she tapped the ground with her hands, forming a field of vines that scattered the seven. Aariliyn was by herself under a vine dome to stay protected, while the Mammon Knights were with Eneely, and Hina with the Vassago Knights.

"Crap, how'd I forget Aariliyn's Queen is the Innovate Clear user?" Eneely remembered, surprised at her mistake.

Looking at the Mammon Knights, both opened their helmets briefly.

"Greeting Lady Eneely, we are Beruka and Bafeel Furcas, and these are our trusty steeds Altobrau and Kanebriss." Beruka greeted.

"It will be an honor to trade blows with you." Bafeel continued.

"Well, if we're going to be fighting for me to reach your King, then I'll make sure to honor you with a worthy defeat!" Eneely replied, holding her palms out.

Spatial distortions formed within them.

* * *

Mikoto cut across the vines flying her way as Hina held her hands out, with Hotaru breathing fire from her mouth, and cutting through the rest with her flaming katana.

"Come on, just a bit more..." Hina grunted.

"Mikoto, use Tactic 45!" Hotaru shouted.

The Vassago Knight nodded, and immediately stepped a certain way, confusing Hina a bit as she was knocked back. This gave Hotaru the chance to form a miniature sun overhead of the Innovate Clear wielder, who's eyes widened at the sight of it.

"Now, time to defeat you!" Mikoto exclaimed.

Turning to the charging Knight as the miniature sun fell, she held out her hand.

**«"INNOVATION!"»**

Mikoto's sword suddenly morphed into the shape of a spring, confusing her... right as she was bounced right into the sun Hotaru had screamed.

"Mikoto, no!" She exclaimed.

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**One of Lady Eneely's Knights. Retired!**

_[Eneely Vassago: 9 | Aariliyn Mammon: 8]_

Seeing her opening, Hina immediately swung a hand forward, making her vines launch at Hotaru.

"Wait! I'm not... this is so unfair!" Hotaru screamed.

She was immediately retired as the vine shot right through her body.

"Mikoto, no!" She exclaimed.

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**One of Lady Eneely's Knights. Retired!**

_[Eneely Vassago: 9 | Aariliyn Mammon: 7]_

The Queen of Mammon soon collapsed onto her knees, panting a bit.

"Glad that's over with." Hina said to herself.

* * *

Eneely slammed a distortion across the area, making Altobrau and Kanebriss whinny in pain. Their riders were panting as they regained their bearings, with Eneely having a confident look on her face.

"Iolava was knocked out from the start due to his bad match up, but I'm not losing here." She stated.

"She's so formidable..." Beruka panted.

He looked at his sister as she nodded her head, knowing what he was implying without any words, and immediately agreeing to it.

**「** **Dragon Ball Super: Genki-Dama** **」**

"We cannot lose here, so... let us reveal our full capabilities!" Bafeel declared.

Both of their auras flared, catching Eneely's attention.

" **Dullahan Dupe!** "

Their armor and one of their two lances shot into the air, suddenly gaining movement from their magic.

"Come to my side, Esatheria!" Beruka called.

"Come to my side, Webschtein!" Bafeel called.

Suddenly, two magic circles appeared, and from them... the White and Black Horses of the Apocalypse charged through, with the armors grabbing one of the two lances and landing on them.

Everyone in the crowd gasped as all four Apocalypse Horses stood side by side, with Beruka and Bafeel on two, and their armor riding the rest.

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**This is absolutely crazy, but amazing! The Furcas siblings have all Four Horses of the Apocalypse on their side! Not even that, but they've created a way to ride all of them at once!**

**【** **Eve** **】**   
**Wow, that's amazing... guess Aariliyn had a real knack for gathering rare powers into her peerage.**

Eneely's eyes widened at that.

"I could handle just the two, but four of them? I might be biting off more than I can chew here... though I can't let myself be defeated here!" She stated.

At that moment, Hina opened a spot in her vine barrier.

**«"REJUVENATION!"»**

Beruka, Bafeel, and their steeds all felt their wounds heal, making Eneely sweat a bit.

"Great..." The Vassago Heiress remarked.

"En Garde!" The Mammon Knights exclaimed, readying their lances.

All four of them charged.

Seeing them head for her, Eneely prepared all the power she had left, distorting space to a point that her own appearance looked warped to everyone that was watching her.

" **Dimensional Collapse!** "

The entire area around her exploded, making everyone believe she had taken them out... only to see rocks flying. The Vassago Heiress gasped as she turned, seeing Aariliyn out of her protective dome, and having made a cover of rocks around her.

"No way, you planned for this from the start!" She realized.

" **Apocalyptic Aversion!** "

The Furcas siblings and their armors rushed by on their horses all united for one attack, leaving Eneely frozen in place.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

After a moment, the Vassago Heiress fell to the ground and began to glow.

"Sorry Iolava... it looks like we both lost." She apologized.

Upon her body fully disappearing from the field, Naud immediately picked up his microphone to announce the results.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Game over! The winner is Aariliyn Mammon!**

Right at that moment, the entire crowd cheered, right as Aariliyn fell onto her back. She smiled brightly, pumping her hands into the air.

"I... did it." She smiled.

She soon fell unconscious, her chest rising up and down as she began a well-deserved rest.

**【** **Eve** **】** **  
She had some hiccups, but Aariliyn had a solid strategy and alternatives, but if she didn't? Her peerage definitely had their own spare ideas she could lean on if she needed to, and she didn't give up no matter what. This is a victory she and her peerage can be proud of.**

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**Right you are Eve, and now that all of our matches complete, we have our Quarter-Finalists decided!**

Everyone saw images of Rias, Sairaorg, Niruili, Leelexe, Vali, Shuriliu, Ingvild, and Aariliyn appear on the monitor, showing the last 8 competitors in the Rating Game tournament.

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**These eight have come far, and now it's a matter of who will reach the top! However, for right now... it's time to add a twist that none of you saw coming! We're rearranging the placements on the tournament brackets!**

This caught everyone by surprise, as it became clear the opponents everyone would be facing were about to chance.

**【** **Eve** **】**   
**You've based the tournament on war simulation to a degree, so is this representing bad info or an enemy leaking wrong info intentionally?**

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**Correct, as the Anti-Maou Faction fell for this during the Civil War, meaning anyone who planned a strategy in advance? It's useless unless luck gives them the same opponent they would have faced. This is the only time we'll do this, but even once is the different between victory and defeat.**

He took a moment to clear his throat.

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**Alright, let the bracket switch begin and show us the real brackets for the remaining of the Rating Game Tournament!**

All eight spots began to spin, hiding everyone's photo's.

Everyone watched with baited breath, knowing they could gain or lose an advantage, all depending on which two pictures appeared... and then after a moment, the results appeared on screen.

『MATCH 1: VALIANA LUCIFER VS AARILIYN MAMMON』

Vali sighed in relief, as she no longer had to deal with overcoming Shuriliu's powers for now, if at all. Aariliyn on the other hand... she looked a bit more troubled.

『MATCH 2: LEELEXE BELPHEGOR VS RIAS GREMORY』

Rias gave a big smile, as if she had fought with Sairaorg... he'd probably beat her. Leelexe was the same because of how Niruili's main ability was a good counter against hers.

『MATCH 3: SHURILIU ASMODEUS VS INGVILD LEVIATHAN』

Shuriliu groaned, knowing that Ingvild's mostly female peerage limited some of her usual options. Ingvild didn't really see much of a difference in her case.

"Wait, then that means I have to face..." Niruili realized.

"Yep." Terhaka confirmed.

『MATCH 4: SAIRAORG BAEL VS NIRUILI BEELZEBUB』

Sairaorg was excited that he'd be getting to face off against one of the Maou Heirs even sooner, but for Niruili... she cried as she realized this was likely the nail in the coffin for her tournament run.

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**And there you have it! It looks like when we begin the Quarterfinals, it'll be Vali and Aariliyn that'll be starting things off for us! Just who will win the Final match after how this development has shaken things up? Stay tuned, because you don't want to miss it!**

The crowd cheered once again, drowning the entire stadium with their applause.

"So, we'll be fighting Aariliyn next... while it might not be as tricky as fighting Shuriliu, I know Hina's definitely gonna make things tricky for us." Issei mentioned, remembering how she was considered one of the strongest Humans.

"Regardless of who we fight, if we want a chance at victory... we've gotta go beyond 100% from here!" Vali replied with confidence.

The entire MHC looked at Vali, showing their determination.

"What are you guys all doing?" Kunou asked, confused by the scene she saw before her.

Irina giggled at her response.

* * *

Deep within Hell, the sight of the artifact Lord Bael gathered began to glow, showing the small energy Loki from before as it gave a creepy smile and chuckle at what it saw.

"It's nearly ready. Soon enough, you will reap the harvest of the poor choices you've sown Odin, and be powerless to do anything! The Great War, it was never any end of the world. Ragnarok has yet to come, and it will happen, starting here..." Loki promised.

He began to laugh, with it slightly echoing throughout the area.

* * *

**Looks like the fight with Loki's on the horizon, and he's got some help waiting for that very moment, though I think it's fairly obvious who said help just happens to be. Anyways, the Quarter-Finalists have been decided, meaning now's the moment where the real challenge in winning the tournament has begun, especially with the sudden switch.**

**I actually gave a big hint that everyone's spots would get switched up through Ingvild's promise, as with how the standings were before, she and Vali would have been forced to fight in the Semifinals after she beat Shuriliu, but now they can actually meet there if Sairaorg doesn't make it. With how the Maou Heirs are all Ultimate-Class, there's a possible chance for any of them to beat Sairaorg in a Rating Game.**

**Speaking of Vali, the Naberius Clan have made it official! Lilith is now considered her mother in the biological sense, and the process has turned her into a pureblooded Devil, but without removing any of the benefits she had from her Human heritage. This combined with Issei's small training session with both his parents means they've got a lot more power for the fight with Loki.**

**Also, we just got the reveal that Yumina is actually the daughter of Lucifuge and Mephisto Pheles, something I had planned due to how Issei first assumes Millicas to be Rias' younger brother in BorN's second episode, and because of how their relationship is more like siblings despite he's actually her nephew. Adding onto that, for anyone that's curious? There are actually two clans that come from Mephisto, but you won't see them for a while.**

**We've also had the first appearance of not just Lucifuge, but the other Heads of the Extra Devil Clans among the High-Class ranking, who are some of Lilith's few allies in holding the Elders back. I've also finally managed to explain why they didn't get any flack like the Maou Clans, and that was because of they were victims, and attacking a Clan full of their retainers was the perfect way for the Elders to twist things in their favor.**

**Oh, and since you might have be wondering this ever since the last chapter 's Concept Talk was about the consciousnesses that each Longinus has sealed inside of them? Ingvild _does_ have the Nereid Kyrie, but she doesn't know this, and she can't actually use it either. If she could... Issei and Vali would have some problems because of the effect it has on Dragons, so it won't appear until around the time Rizevim becomes important.**

**Now, for the last thing I'll say before we end today's chapter? Until she and Issei meet, I'll be showing at least one scene with Homura per chapter as she returns to Kyoto, as I think it helps set the anticipation for their eventual meeting. While it will happen during this season, it won't be until the next arc. As such, these segments also serve to help me flesh her out more prior to said meeting.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

* * *

** Bust Size of New Female Characters ** **:**

**Lucifuge Rofocale - 108 cm**

**Nahemah Na'amah - 109 cm**

**Agrat bat Malhat - 107 cm**

**Eisheth Zenunim - 106 cm**

**Seireinne Alocer - 105 cm**

**Bafeel Furcas - 86 cm**

**Geirdriful - 94 cm**

**Elysui Orobas - 91 cm**

* * *

** Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter ** **:**

**【** **Paradigm Arachne** **】** **  
An armament-type Sacred Gear that causes its host to gain the qualities of a spider.**

* * *

** Pairings List ** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating  
Ddraig/Albion - Married  
Tiamat/Fafnir - Married  
Ophis/Great Red - Married  
Saji/Sona - Dating, and is Saji's main love interest  
Saji/Momo - Dating  
Saji/Ruruko - Dating  
Gasper/Valerie - Dating  
Kiba/Tosca - Dating  
Hina/Nanami - Dating  
Shuriliu/Coriana - Dating, and is Shuriliu's main love interest  
Shuriliu/Her Peerage - Dating  
Rias/Akeno - Engaged  
Rossweisse/Vidar - Rossweisse hasn't met Vidar, while Vidar may have experienced love at first sight  
Sairaorg/Kuisha - Dating  
Jeanne/Cao Cao - Dating**


	33. Chapter 33

**Before we begin this chapter, I need to say... I made a small goof in the last chapter ^^; *chuckles embarrassingly* I had Homura set to fly to Kyoto directly, but when I looked for where she could land, I found out that there aren't any airports there. In fact, watching HERO made me notice this even more, which is likely why Issei and the others took a subway train to get there.**

**Don't worry, this doesn't mean I'll be editing the chapter, I'll just have Homura make the same error in-story, and part of the segments I mentioned will include her trying to figure out how to get back to Kyoto from where her flight actually took her. Adding onto that, a few things I should have mentioned about Homura that I'll clarify now? She's currently 15-years old, and she had to live with Amaterasu because of the forged Hyoudou identities.**

**If you remember Volume 20, it was revealed Issei's parents had two miscarriages before they had Issei, and that was applied here... which became a problem when Homura was born. See, when Kurenai and Eve found each other after they had to split up from Rizevim's attack, they unknowingly made Homura in the process. To avoid exposing their disguises as such, they had to let Amaterasu raise her in Kyoto.**

**And now that I've clarified that, let's get to the actual start notes.**

**This is it everyone, after a two chapter wait, the battle against Loki will finally begin! We'll also finally get to see Yumina fight (on-screen that is), because the battle with Loki's gonna take a lot of man power, more than our three main groups can handle. Basically, this will be the Juggernaut Chimera Fight where the main threat is weaker, and our twin Dragons aren't the only fighters for a majority of the battle.**

**We'll also be getting a start on development between Rossweisse and Vidar, as they're the only pairing that hasn't actually had any progress. There's also going to be a bit more limelight on Saji with his other girls, as they haven't had the date he promised them, since the Juggernaut Chimera putting them at real risk of dying ended up accelerating them to the dating stage.**

**However, where this chapter will really shine? It's that this is where Zekram and the other Elders finally take an active role as antagonists in the story, since they haven't really acted on the threats they made in the Diodora arc. This is why Lord Bael gathered those fragments a while back... to give Loki the means of entering Hell, because he'd be caught and intercepted by much those much stronger than him if he entered the normal way.**

**Get ready everyone, if Loki wants to destroy the entire world, then it's time our heroes show him how they defy fate!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

 **[]** \- Ddraig Talking

 **«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

 **「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

 **【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

 **⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

** Boosted Gear **

**One of the Longinus, holding the spirit of Ddraig, the Red Dragon Emperor and son of Great Red, inside of it, which gives the person who wields it the title "Sekiryuutei" to differentiate from all of his titles, and his own power. Ddraig was turned into this Sacred Gear by God to stop him during the Great War by sealing most of himself into his left claw, as he was too powerful for even him and Lucifer to defeat.**

**Unlike most of the Longinus, a user may need sufficient training to use the Boosted Gear to the fullest, especially those who lack any kind of supernatural heritage to aid them. It's said this is because if enough power is charged, it could potentially shred someone too weak to handle it into nothing by the sheer fact they're trying to contain more power than they can handle.**

**The Boosted Gear's main powers are extreme offense, gathering as much power as possible by doubling it every few seconds with the "Boost" ability, and the eventual penetration of defenses through the "Penetrate" ability. When using the power gathered by the Boost ability, it normally stays within the body until the user deactivates the Sacred Gear until they need it again, but there are two special commands to use the power in other ways.**

**First is the "Transfer" command, which allows the wielder to give a set number of boosts to someone else, or focuses them on a certain area of the body, such as their arms, legs, or even their eyes, which all have various effects. And second is the "Explosion" command, which undoes a set of boosts to amplify one or more physical attacks within a one-minute time frame.**

**Alongside the powers above, there are some abilities that are considered taking the Boost to a higher tier. The second-tier form of it is called "Double Escalation", which creates a green aura over the wielder's allies that, at the cost of making them unable to boost their power until dispelled, doubles their strength, making it useful in a situation where there's too many people to use Transfer on.**

**Then there's the third-tier level is known as the "Accretion Overbooster", which works by channeling the maximum amount of boosts the wielder's body can handle, stressing it for a brief moment of power before it taxes them too much, then leaving them fatigued for a bit. After the wielder recovers, they can't use another Boost for a few minutes. If enough boosts are made near an enemy, their bodies can shut down from the strain.**

**Finally, the Boosted Gear's ultimate ability is Ddraig's fabled god slayer breath, and the ability that made the Sacred Gear become one of the Longinus: the "Blazing Inferno of Scorching Flames", which is a powerful fire that can consume anything if Ddraig wants it to, including Gods and souls. However, to this day, not a single possessor has managed to unlock this ability for their own use.**

**There have been over 100 possessors of this Longinus in total, with the strongest being Belzard, who managed to defeat two Longinus wielders in his time and was the first to try to end the curse of the Juggernaut Drive. In the present day, the current possessor of the Boosted Gear is Issei Elohim, the Queen of Vali Lucifer and a Hero of the Akane bloodline.**

**After ending the curse, Issei Elohim has been named by Great Red as the first wielder to share the title of Red Dragon Emperor with Ddraig.**

* * *

**_ Season 4, Loki Arc: Chapter 3 - Harbinger of Ragnarok _ **

Homura was seen eating a watermelon, taking out a map as she stood in the Osaka airport as she showed a confused look.

She had mistakenly believed that Kyoto had an airport, and that she'd be able to fly straight there, when she was actually heading to Osaka instead. The mix up had her lost, and it would be too embarrassing to ask Amaterasu to pick her up, leaving her on her own.

"OK, let's see... I think I'm here? Wait a minute..." She said to herself.

As she left to go outside, the sight of someone in a Chevrolet Truck noticed her walking by, noticing her confused look.

"Hey miss? Are you struggling to find your ride, or looking for someone?" He asked.

"Huh? Oh, neither of those actually. I just came from Okinawa without being aware there's no airport in Kyoto, so I'm trying to figure out where to go from here." Homura clarified.

The driver blinked at that, but quickly realized her error.

"You went on a trip across Japan I'm guessing?" He asked.

"That I did, so do you know where I need to be going?" Homura asked, a sweat drop on her face.

"I do, and I've gotta make a delivery on that direction anyways, so how about I give you a ride?" The truck driver offered.

"Really? Are you sure it's no trouble?" Homura asked.

"Yeah, no trouble at all." He reassured her.

"Well, then that's a had offer to refuse." The redheaded Hero smiled.

Seating herself in the back of the truck, the driver began driving to the Osaka International Airport, where she could take the subway train to Kyoto.

As she sat in the back, Homura began taking a few souvenir pictures with her phone.

"Hope you don't mind my curiosity, but what's a girl your age doing out here by yourself? I'd understand better if you were with your family, but you're clearly by yourself here." He asked.

"Well, my Aunt knows I'm responsible, so she was alright with it. She even encouraged me to do this by myself." Homura answered.

"Your Aunt? Wait, as in you don't live with your parents?" The truck driver inquired.

"Not yet anyways. My parents weren't planning to have me, and it was a bit hard to support us at the time, so they let my Aunt raise me since she can't children themselves. I get visits from them every once in a while, but it can't be often because of my older brother." She clarified.

The driver hummed a bit.

"Ah, I'm starting to understand things better. Your family moved somewhere they expected to raise a single child, but around the time they moved in, your mother didn't realize she was having you." He guessed.

"Yep, but the good news is that before I flew back from Okinawa, my Aunt told me they've finally overcome what kept us separate. That means I can finally join them and meet my brother." Homura confirmed, smiling a bit.

The truck driver blinked at that.

"Wait, you've never met your own brother?" The truck driver asked.

"Nope, he might have not even been aware I existed before recently, so there's also that." Homura giggled.

The driver gave an awkward sweat drop at that, unsure of how to reply.

As the drive continued, Homura continued looking at the sky, looking at the image of Issei she had on her phone.

"But I'm sure when we do meet, we'll get along great." She smiled.

* * *

Currently, at Kuoh Academy, Tiamat was currently standing at the front of the room with Rossweisse, getting the attention of most of the boys who thought she was hot, and even the girls respected how young she looked.

"Hello everyone, I'm your class' new teacher, feel free to call me Rossweisse." She greeted.

'I still can't believe that Rossweisse's taking the place of our old teacher.' Issei thought with a smile, currently in his disguise body.

Motohama's glasses shined, making it clear what he was doing.

'Bust 96, Waist 61, Hips 89! The time for sexy young teachers is here!' He thought excitedly, blushing a bit.

Murayama suddenly coughed, making him flinch back to normal.

"To all of the male students here? While doing anything funny to female teachers on its own is bad, if you were to do anything of the sort with Rossweisse, you'd really get into some serious shit." Tiamat warned.

"Why is that?" Katase asked.

"Simple, because Rossweisse is the same age as all of you." She answered.

That made everyone freeze in place.

"That's right, you heard me. She graduated with a Magister Degree when she was only 12 years old, meaning that unlike a certain few students in this classroom... she's not a slacker, and she won't let you be either." Tiamat verified, glaring at a few students she knew had bad grades.

Vali giggled a bit, noticing the reactions of the male students, with the female ones instantly looking to their new teacher as a role model.

'Looks like class will be interesting from now on.' She thought.

"Alright, now get ready for class, because you're not gonna teach yourselves." Tiamat stated.

* * *

Once school was over for the day, Vali stretched out her arms before giving a relaxed breath and smiling.

"Vali, did something good happen?" Katase asked.

"Why do you ask?" Vali inquired.

"You've seemed a lot happier as of the last few days, enough that everyone can see it on your face... well, everyone that's a girl at least." Murayama explained.

Blinking a few times, Vali giggled a bit.

"Wow, that obvious?" She remarked.

"Alright, to answer your question, something good did happen." The silvery-white haired Devil admitted.

Issei looked their way, smiling a bit.

"You know my adoptive mother, the one with black hair and the voluptuous figure during Open House?" Vali inquired.

"Yeah, she left a clear impression." Murayama replied, sweat dropping at the memory.

Vali closed her eyes, and then revealed it.

"Well, the other day... I learned something that changed everything. She's actually my biological mother." Vali revealed, bending the truth slightly.

The kendo club's captains had their eyes widen in shock.

"She's your what!?" Both shouted.

Vali nodded her head, while most of the class gave a similar reaction.

"Turns out when I was young, a bad flood hit where I was born, and I got swept away. For justified reasons, my parents didn't think I survived, while a young couple found me. Realizing I was alone, took me in as their daughter until I lost them." Vali explained.

"By pure chance, the ones that we knew as her adoptive parents ended up adopting her because she reminded them of their deceased daughter, with no one any the wiser... until a recent trip to the doctor with a blood test that is." Issei replied.

Vali sniffled a bit, feeling happy tears well up.

"I thought I lost my parents in a way that could never be undone, yet all this time... they were here all along, and I never even knew." She stated.

Giving a sweet "Aww~" in response, the kendo duo hugged their friend.

"We're happy for you." Murayama smiled.

"Yeah, it's the happy ending you deserve after everything you've gone through." Katase agreed.

The White Dragon Empress blushed a bit, soon remembering something.

"Speaking of other good news, I believe Issei has something to tell you?" Vali mentioned.

The two looked at their cousin, making him get a bit nervous.

"Oh, uh... my parents are about to adopt a child, so I'm getting a little sister any day now. That means you two are getting a new cousin." Issei revealed.

"You're getting a sister!?" Motohama and Matsuda repeated.

Issei chuckled, nodding his head in confirmation, eventually leaving his two cousins screaming in excitement, catching Rossweisse by surprise as she nearly dropped her papers.

"Girls, please avoid doing that from now on!?" Rossweisse requested.

"Sorry about that." They apologized.

"Well, since you've gotten my attention, I have something I'd like everyone in a club to be aware of." Rossweisse stated.

That got everyone's attention.

"As you know, the Student Council elections will be happening next week, so everyone with Third-Year club leaders need to decide their replacements soon. I expect everyone will make the right decisions for both their clubs and the school's new council members." She revealed.

Hearing that, Issei and Vali made faces of surprise.

* * *

Deep within Hell, the sight of explosions was seen within the Japan-sized city known as Lucifaad, which doubled as the territory of the Maou Clans territory. Specifically, they were occurring inside the area that was the Leviathan Clan's territory.

" **Power of Destruction!** "  
" **Creation Wave!** "

Ingvild screamed as she unleashed the two forces towards Nanami, crossing them like a double helix.

**«"BARRIER!"»**

Nanami put up a powerful barrier to take the attack, making Pandora grunt from her pendant as she did her best to stand against the attack.

The Leviathan Heiress screamed as she managed to push herself a step further, surprising the Telos Karma wielder as she was launched back, despite not having her barrier broken from the overwhelming force.

"Holy crap!" Lilitifa exclaimed.

"I'm not sure if I should be impressed by the force you hit me with, or how my barrier didn't break in the slightest." Nanami remarked.

The Leviathan Heiress panted a bit before looking at her.

"While our standing against Vali is still too far away, I think we can definitely say you and Ladora will be our best defense against Shuriliu's jamming tactics." Ingvild replied, smiling as she wiped herself with a towelette.

She soon crossed her arms under her breasts.

"But that alone won't be enough, especially if I want to keep my promise of fighting Vali in the Finals. I know she'll make it, but for us to get there, there's one opponent I know we need to push ourselves to beat." She replied.

"That's right... Sairaorg will likely win against Niruili, and even if she bests him, we're still in trouble because her power is a good counter to your Clan ability." Shirai mentioned, sighing a bit.

"Don't forget he has Regulus, and I get the feeling that we've yet to see what he can fully do. Then we have his sister's Venusian Feather. Worst of all, there's also the fact Kuisha managed to defeat Iolava's entire peerage on her own." Arufieil reminded them.

Ingvild nodded her head.

"It makes sense they're so strong. The kind of stuff they've gone through means they have every reason to metaphorically punch ever naysayer in the face, and would jump at the chance to physically do so if they could." She replied.

Shirai chuckled at that before flashing a smile.

"Guess you really want to win that chance to fight Diehauser, don't you?" The Yuki-Onna asked.

Hearing that, Ingvild sighed a bit.

"You've been with us for the least amount of time, so I don't blame you for not realizing it. Truth is that I'm sure I'd never be able to win against him. I only said that because what I want will happen if Vali and I meet in the Finals." Ingvild clarified.

This got her Bishop's attention.

"Ingvild, are you saying what you've really wanted since the start is..." Shirai gasped, starting to piece it together.

"That's right, what I want... is to face Vali in the Championship match, a battle between the current Lucifer and Leviathan of this day and age. I want to honor how my ancestor inspired the Devil King to create the Devils, so with Vali's dream representing the change we need... I want to be the one who helps usher it in through a battle between us." Ingvild confirmed.

She stood up, looking towards the sky.

"When I first heard of Leviathan from my mother, I wanted nothing more than to be like her. To be a strong and confident woman. However, due to our clan's reputation at the time... it seemed like none would acknowledge me. Even worse, I found out that just like Sairaorg couldn't use magic, my physical condition was just so weak that it was no different than a Human without any supernatural influence or knowledge, which made me nothing like the rest of my clan." Ingvild explained.

Her Bishop watched as she closed her eyes, with Shirai feeling sad at what she heard.

"When the Leviathan Clan was hit during the Civil War, the only reason I got chosen as the Heir despite that... was because my magic skill was stronger than any of the other potential heirs, and that I just had to become a wizard-type heir. It seemed like magic was all I was good for, and I resigned myself to that... until the day I first met Vali." She continued.

At that moment, Ingvild recalled some old memories from the last two years.

* * *

_Within the ponds of her home's garden, Ingvild laid sideways on a lawn chair, snacking on some macarons. As she just stood there, she heard a scream from one of her retainers, quickly turning her head to see Irufea scramble into the area._

_"I-Ingvild! I just got news from Lady Lilith herself, and she wants you and the other Maou Heirs to meet her at the center of Lucifaad immediately!" She shouted in a panic._

_"The Devil Queen wants us? Did she say why we need to visit her?" Ingvild responded, blinking a bit._

_Irufea vigorously nodded her head, making her King wonder just what kind of news it was. In all the time she knew Lilith, she had never done something like this._

_"Apparently, one of Grigori's Cadre visited her with a Devil... one that claims she's her great granddaughter!" She explained._

_The Leviathan Heiress' eyes widened at that, making her almost choke on the macaron she was eating, and then slapped her cheeks to confirm she was not dreaming, hallucinating, or anything similar._

_"No way, so that rumor that he managed to conceive a child before his exile was..." She realized._

_"I can't verify that, so get over there right now! Lady Nahemah's already on her way to take you over as we speak!" Irufea shouted._

_With that response, Ingvild rushed to the front of her Clan's Mansion._

* * *

_Arriving at the main building of Lucifaad, the Leviathan heiress walked inside, looking around as various maids and butlers stood in a line, giving their greeting positions right as she bumped into someone, who was quickly revealed as a younger Niruili._

_"Ow!" Niruili groaned._

_"S-sorry Niruili, didn't see you there." Ingvild apologized._

_The Beelzebub Heiress rubbed her head, right as the other Maou Heiresses finally showed up._

_"Wow, even you came Ingvild?" Aariliyn remarked._

_"Aariliyn, do you think anyone would just wave off a claim that we might just have a new Heir to the Lucifer Clan?" Ingvild questioned._

_"Yeah, good point." The Mammon Heiress agreed._

_A loud throat clearing was heard, getting the attention of all five as they saw Lucifuge walk into view, making them all pale._

_"This way, it's time to meet the new Heiress of the Lucifer Clan." Lucifuge declared._

_All five teenage Devils nodded their heads before following her into another room, where they saw Lilith waiting for all of them. It only took a few seconds after that before they saw a certain silver-haired Devil they would eventually become good friends with._

_'Oh, my god... that hair color!' Shuriliu gasped._

_'It's silvery-white... the same color as Lucifer's! This is real!' Leelexe exclaimed._

_The Leviathan Heiress paled._

_"Hi there, it's nice to meet you." Vali greeted, waving her hand._

_Before anyone could properly react, Vali suddenly blushed as Shuriliu rushed over, lightly groping Vali's large breasts._

_"Ho, ho! Your boobs are huge for someone your age, that definitely means you've got Lady Lilith's genes in your-" Shuriliu stated, giving a blushing smile in excitement._

_The Asmodeus heiress quickly went blue in the face as Lilith grabbed her head._

_"I... I'm not touching her, see?" Shuriliu sweated as she rose her hands up, feeling the Devil Queen's signature aura._

_"Never grope my daughter again." Lilith warned._

_"Wait, did you just say daughter?" Leelexe blinked._

_Lucifuge giggled, while Vali blushed as she covered her chest, inching away from the Asmodeus Heiress while she had the chance._

_"Yes, I just adopted her." Lilith explained._

_"My name is Valiana Lucifer, but you can just call me Vali." The Hakuryuukou replied._

_Aariliyn held up a finger, clearing her throat._

_"I'm confused, why adopt her? More importantly, what about her parents?" She asked._

_Vali's eyes began tearing up, and causing Aariliyn to gasp._

_"O-oh god, I'm so sorry..." She apologized._

_Lucifuge walked near the other Maou heirs, getting their attention._

_"She doesn't give a damn about her father, though it makes sense since he's that bastard's son, but... she saw her mother murdered by him right before her. When Penemue told us about this, we almost didn't believe it due to how positive she looks." Lucifuge explained._

_"Wait, you mean her grandfather actually tormented her?" Niruili gasped._

_"Torment? No, that's far too kind..." Lucifuge shook her head._

_Whispering what happened to them all, the five Maou heirs gasped in horror, looking at the half-Devil girl standing near Lilith._

_"My god, he's not as bad as the stories say... he's worse!" Ingvild exclaimed._

_"I guess it shows even the most horrible people can end up making the kindest of souls... however, she's never truly known her heritage due to how she was raised all this time. We'd like you to help her during the time she's staying here in Hell." Lucifuge requested them._

_"Sure thing, we'll help her however you need." Leelexe agreed for all five of them._

_The Belphegor Heiress walked up to her, offering a hand._

_"Nice to meet you, I'm Leelexe Belphegor." She greeted, giving her a friendly smile._

_Vali took her hand._

_"Glad to meet you Leelexe." The Lucifer Heiress smiled._

_After that, the others followed._

_"My name's Ingvild Leviathan, welcome to Hell." Ingvild bowed._

_"Call me Niruili Beelzebub!" Niruili giggled._

_"I'm Shuriliu Asmodeus, and I apologize for that earlier groping. Just got carried away in trying to verify you were actually related to Lucifer and Lilith." Shuriliu said, waving at her._

_"And Aariliyn Mammon is my name, I hope we'll be good friends." Aariliyn greeted._

_Vali smiled at the five who would be her future friends, while Lilith and Lucifuge both watched the scene with smiles on their faces._

* * *

_Around a year into Vali's training in Hell, and another year before her fateful reunion with Issei, Vali had become close friends to her fellow Maou heiresses, having trained with them, had fun with them, anything close friends would do. Right now, all of them were in the hot springs of a bath house belonging to the Paimon Clan._

_Shuriliu was flushed from the feeling of the water, Aariliyn was listening to music using waterproof headphones, Leelexe was sleeping as she floated on the water, Niruili was seeing how long she could hold her breath, Ingvild was just sitting normally, and Vali was laying her arms and chest on the side of edge of the hot springs._

_"I still can't believe how strong all of you are, you'll probably be strong rivals when we can finally partake in the Rating Games." Vali smiled._

_Hearing that, Ingvild gave a slightly down look, and while the others were distracted... decided to sit near her, and ask her a question. Noticing she got closer, Vali's gaze moved towards her._

_"Vali, if I remember correctly... you're here fighting for a dream. To change this land, and because of a promise you made long ago. Am I right?" Ingvild asked._

_"Yeah, why do you ask?" Vali inquired._

_"Well, uh... what if, and keep in mind that this is just hypothetical, what will you do if you can't do that? What if you don't have what it takes, or you don't have the talent, skill, and etc. to make it a reality?" Ingvild asked._

_Vali was surprised by that, with Ingvild's expression looking somber._

_"Would you just give up? Would you... quit, and accept that's the farthest you can do, before trying to find another path?" She inquired._

_It took a moment, but eventually..._

_"No, because I'd never give up. Even if it took forever to make it happen." Vali answered, a smile on her face._

_Ingvild was surprised by that, looking at her._

_"Why not?" Ingvild asked._

_"Because I was lost for so long, having no idea where I was, or where to go. Then with just one encounter, my meeting with Issei, despite he was the Sekiryuutei that I may one day be forced to fight... I felt a light appear in the darkness, and that light that saved me. If we hadn't met, I wouldn't be standing here and talking with you, or met my half-sister, my peerage, and everyone else that's important to me." Vali answered._

_Ingvild looked away, letting the words sink in._

_"They're all so important to me, but it only happened because I met him... because I met Issei on that fateful day. That's why, I'm never going to go back on my promise or stopping in my attempts to restore the land that my father created. That feeling I got from that day... I want to share it with everyone! No matter how many times I fall or how long it takes, and even if it's hard in the end? No matter what... I'll keep going, because I can't afford to let down everyone that's supported me." Vali explained, a happy look on her face._

_Blinking a bit, Vali quickly realizes she had babbled on without intending to._

_"Oops, sorry about that. I didn't mean to talk so much without letting you reply." Vali apologized._

_"No, it's OK." Ingvild replied quietly._

_She stood up and grabbing her towel, leaving a confused Vali to watch her walk off._

_"Just going to grab some milk." She reassured her._

_However, she instead went into a secluded room of the bath house, curling herself into a ball within the corner as her eyes started to water._

_"I don't get it... how does she do it? How does she keep going without hesitating? After all she's lived through, there's no way I could say that she's just young and naive... she's already lived in the real world, and faced real horrors, yet she's managed to keep her idealism! We both went through the same things, and yet her dreams haven't died or been lost in her grief, so how she just keeps moving forward!?" Ingvild questioned._

_She gritted her teeth, shedding tears as she tightened her grip on herself._

_"Just what is it that she has that I don't!? Have I just been wrong all this time? Did I just leave those dreams behind because I felt I had to quit? Have I just let myself give up and wasted all that time because I felt I was just going to fail!? If that's the truth, then why has nothing given me proof? Is life just trying to torment me!?" Ingvild questioned angrily. If I can really go for it, then... for just once in my life, give me a sign!" Ingvild demanded, screaming her lungs out._

_She hid her head as she curled up, and then..._

_"Ingvild!" Leelexe shouted._

_Hearing the Belphegor heiress, she wiped her tears and the stains they left._

_"What!?" She shouted back._

_"Come outside, you won't believe this!" The Belphegor Heiress answered, an unexpected excitement resounding through her voice._

_Ingvild got up, and then walked outside... causing her eyes to widen at what she saw._

**「** **Date A Live: Opening Theme - Piano Version** **」**

_Up in the sky, a bunch of lights were seen flying around like shooting stars if they could move in spirals, and changed colors across the sky. Various other Devils were seeing the sight excitedly._

_"I've heard of this before. They say this only happens when the right conditions happen on Earth and Heaven at the same time, causing beautiful showers of light to fly across the skies of Hell. The chances of seeing it are so rare that they named this phenomenon the Miraculous Glow." Niruili revealed, watching it with sparkling eyes._

_"The kind of thing you could only see once in a lifetime..." Ingvild whispered._

_She suddenly gasped, realizing what she had just begged for a moment prior... a sign on what Vali was right to think the way she did._

_"As if... it's a light hidden in the darkness." She said, remembering Vali's answer._

_This sight before her... was that very sign she asked for, one unlike any other, and one she'd likely never see again._

_"I let myself feel I couldn't move forward beyond what I was, but that was wrong... that's what you realized, wasn't it?" Ingvild asked her great-great grandmother._

_With such a grand sign, the Leviathan Heiress smiled as she created her resolve._

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

_"No more holding back, I'll become strong, and I'll become strong enough to show my thanks to you one day... and become someone that when you fight, shows all of Hell your resolve." She promised herself._

* * *

Shirai's eyes shook with shock, while Lilitifa blinked a few times in surprise.

"I remember seeing that, but... I had no idea that's what inspired you reach for the goals you have now." Lilitifa breathed.

"Did you succeed?" Shirai asked.

Ingvild smiled before winking, answering with a shush motion.

"You'll find out soon enough, but now you know why I'm determined to meet Vali in the Finals... because I'm fulfilling a promise to myself." She stated.

Her entire peerage smiled at that, with Nanami walking up to her.

"Alright, then let's see you try to handle taking one of my Longinus Smashers." Nanami suggested.

"Ooh, you're gonna regret that." Ingvild smirked with excitement.

And with that, Team Blizzard of the Ocean Serpent resumed their training for their Quarterfinal Match against Shuriliu.

* * *

Meanwhile, back in the Elohim Mansion, the training that the ORC was doing suddenly stopped when Rossweisse shared the news she told Issei and Vali's class. The remaining members of the MHC and the Student Council were also present, showing the same reaction to it.

"Oh shoot, I completely forgot about that." Rias recalled.

"I was more expecting of it, as I've had to keep my spot as Council President each year. This time I know that the reigns will be passed on to a successor." Sona sighed, feeling a bit of sadness over the end of her role.

Since Kunou wasn't at that level of school yet, she was confused about the whole thing.

"Why is this important?" Kunou asked.

"Hmm... I'd say it's like you or your sister eventually taking over for your mom, but for a building in a city instead of its entirety." Vali explained.

"Oh!" Kunou replied, nodding in understanding.

After that, a small chuckled was heard from Bikou, getting the Kyuubi's attention and confusion.

"We're the only ones not doing this because our club leaders are still Second-Years, makes us feel like third wheels." The Monkey Man remarked, finally quelling his laughter.

"Guess I'll need to start considering my options while we focus on our coming match with Leelexe." Rias stated, rolling her eyes at Vali's Rook.

She looked at her peerage, wondering who she should consider.

'Valerie will be graduating with us, so she's out by default. Xenovia could work despite her gullibility if I choose the right VP to aid her. Kiba's had the best experience, and could work well with his sister, or even the reverse. Gasper, Shirone, and Tosca... no, I don't think any of them are ready for such a position just yet.' Rias thought.

'I know that Tomoe, Ruruko, and Reya will enter the running since they still can. For Tsubasa, she only joined due to being in my peerage, and likely won't run again. For the position of President and Vice President, it'll be Saji and Momo, though the question is who's better for which position?' Sona thought.

Yumina clears her throat, getting everyone's attention.

"Before you start thinking too hard, I think we should consider if anyone in the ORC and MHC are considering a role in the Student Council?" Yumina suggested.

"Oh, that's right. The Student Council's not a club." Issei recalled.

After hearing that, Vali looked at her peerage.

"Do any of you want to try running for a position on the Student Council?" Vali asked.

No one in Vali's peerage said anything.

"Then I guess the MHC won't be getting smaller until graduation." She giggled.

Rias gave the same look, and getting the same result as no one showed interest.

"Really, none of you?" Issei asked.

"Had this been later in the year, I might have considered it. There's no way I'd be able to win any position because of how new I am to the school." Xenovia admitted.

"Right, you did transfer in around the time Summer Break happened." Issei realized, seeing her point.

Sona looked at her boyfriend and her white-haired Bishop, getting their attention as she walked closer to the two of them.

"What are you going to do with Student Council elections?" She inquired.

"I guess... I'm going to try for the position of Student Council President, because I'd like to contribute as thanks for what Sona's given to me." Saji decided.

Sona blushed at that and began stuttering.

"Uh... are you alright?" Saji asked worriedly.

"I-I'm OK, t-that just caught me a little off guard, but it was... r-really sweet!" Sona stuttered, her eyes spiraling as she gave a blushing smile.

Momo smiled, looking at her King.

"Then I'll run for the position of Student Council Vice President, as he'll need someone capable to watch his back." She decided.

"H-hey!" Saji shouted.

"You know very well what I meant by that." Momo teased.

Issei giggled at the scene, crossing his arms under his breasts.

"Never a dull moment." He smiled.

Right at he said that, everyone heard the sound of the doorbell ringing, getting Eve to stand up.

"I've got it." She smiled.

She opened the door, revealing the sight of Vidar standing before her.

"Oh, hello there. Who are you?" Eve asked.

"Greetings to you Lady Eve, I am the Norse God Vidar, and I came to visit the Valkyrie known as Rossweisse." He greeted.

Rossweisse immediately paled at that, feeling her legs buckling at the mention of his name.

"Lord... Vidar?" She wheezed out.

Everyone saw a few of her hair strands get messy like Sona used to get whenever Serafall started to overwhelm her. This got everyone to turn to Rias, who shook her head.

"Don't ask me, I don't know either." She admitted, knowing Odin was still a sore subject for her Rook.

Vidar soon noticed her, and walked up to her, with the Valkyrie still freaking out as if she expected the third son of Odin to do something...

Instead, he simply patted her shoulder.

"Eh?" Rossweisse blinked, a bit confused at his choice of action.

"Relax, this isn't some kind of speaking in Odin's place or you being in any kind of trouble. In fact, this visit was all my own, because I wanted to see if you were interested in dating me." Vidar smiled.

Rossweisse suddenly blushed as everyone's eyes went wide.

'A god just asked her to be his girlfriend!' They all thought, seeing a scene that none of them ever expect to witness right in front of them.

It took the Valkyrie Rook a few minutes to reboot her mind, and then finally react.

"W-w-w-what did you say!?" Rossweisse asked, slightly in disbelief from what she just heard him say.

"That I'd like you to be my girlfriend." He asked.

"Y-you've got to be joking me, or this is some joke from that prune faced pervert! There's no way a God would consider a plain old Valkyrie like me as a potential romance partner!" She stuttered, catching a few by surprise.

Despite how well she knew her, Vali rubbed her eyes at the sight of something she had never seen from Rossweisse.

'Either she's really nervous, or Odin's actually that much of a negative impact on her.' The silvery-white haired Devil thought, still a bit shocked.

Vidar sighed at the mention of his father.

"My old fart's still causing problems for woman even now. I'm honestly appalled at what he did to you after my brother Thor filled me in. Honestly, I'm thinking that me, him, and Baldur should go kick his ass later on." He remarked, looking annoyed.

"Eh!?" She exclaimed in surprise.

Before the blushing Valkyrie could react, Vidar grabbed her hands, looking her in the eyes as she didn't move.

"I came here because when I first saw you during the tournament's first Rating Game, you were the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, and it surprised me no other man ever noticed. Whatever my dad has made you think, I'd honestly like the chance to properly fall in love with you... if you'll give me the chance." He said honestly.

Rossweisse felt her heart starting to race, seeing the honest glint shining through his eyes. Vidar truly meant every word he said.

She had always been wondering if she'd ever find love due to how her childhood went, having studied endlessly because of her legendary parents, and wanting to make proud of everything she inherited from them. At first, after graduating college, she wondered if her focus on that cost her... yet Brynhildr told her tales how she was sure she'd never find love before Sigurd completely destroyed that line of thought.

Right now, looking at the God standing before her... the Valkyrie Rook was sure that she had found the same man that was what her father had been for her mother.

"Marry me..." She breathed, unaware of what she said.

The others all immediately gasped and blushed at the reply she still didn't realize.

"Whoa, pretty bold to immediately want to be my fiancé, though I'll take it," Vidar chuckled, right as Rossweisse's eyes widened.

"Uh... I don't know why-" She stuttered a bit.

"Let's at least go on a few dates before we fully tie the knot. At the very least, you're now my fiancé." He smiled.

The third son of Odin leaned his head forward, giving Rossweisse a deep kiss on the lips as he pulled her body close, leaving her large breasts to press on him as she found herself kissing him back without any resistance.

After a minute of their passionate first kiss that lit her heart on fire with pure joy and bliss, he pulled back while she stayed frozen in place.

"I'll see you when we both have free time, until then my beautiful Rose." Vidar smiled.

With that, he left via a magic circle, while everyone immediately stared at Rossweisse over what just happened... right as the Valkyrie Rook fell onto her back, and crashed against the ground.

"Whoa, that was a... thing." Saji remarked, scratching his head.

"Congrats to you Rossweisse, you didn't just finally get yourself a lover, but engaged to one of the best God Bachelors out there!" Vali praised.

Despite still frozen in position, everyone could see the happy tears flowing out of Rossweisse's expression.

"Guess we'll have to call it a day for practice, because it doesn't look like you'll be able to focus on training for a while." Rias chuckled, looking at her Rook's downed form.

Everyone gave a small laugh at that.

* * *

The following day, the leaders of every faction within the Alliance were gathered in the meeting area stationed in Hell, with Lucifuge appearing on behalf of Lilith due to circumstances keeping her away.

As they were newcomers, Lugh and Ra were blinking around at the sight of the meeting hall.

"Wow... I still can't believe all of you meet up here on a regular basis." Lugh remarked, taking his seat on the Celtic Pantheon's section of the meeting table.

"You get used to it after a few meetings." Cassiel shrugged.

Lucifuge had her gaze focused on Ra, making the Egyptian Sun God feel a bit uncomfortable.

"Is... something wrong?" He asked.

"No offense to you or anything Ra, but I thought Aten was coming?" Lucifuge asked.

"He was planning to, but something came up that kept him from coming physically, so I was sent in order for him to get the information as I hear of it here." Ra explained.

"Ah, the fabled link to him you earned when you defeated Apophis 400 years ago." Cassiel remarked.

Clearing her throat, Lucifuge got everyone's attention.

"Alright, the Christian Pantheon and it's for divisions, Shinto Pantheon, Greek Pantheon, Norse Pantheon, Celtic Pantheon, Egyptian Pantheon, and Magician's Guild... hold on, where's my husband?" She asked.

The sight of a magic circle forming was quickly noticed, with everyone looking to see a disoriented Mephisto covered in slime.

"Sorry, one of the Magicians had a situation with a failed potion." He apologized.

"Oh good, you're not covered in slime." Lugh sighed in relief.

Taking his seat, Lucifuge clapped her hands three times to get everyone's attention.

"OK... I officially declare this meeting started. We'll start by getting our new additions through the Celtic and Egyptian Pantheon's up to date." She stated.

"You sure we shouldn't want for the Hindu Pantheon about this? I get why the Hero Faction isn't here, but..." Lugh inquired.

"The Hindu Pantheon already tends to know about stuff, and we're positive they'll accept. Only problem is doing so without having to deal with their apparent man child. Susanoo went for that reason." Amaterasu replied.

Lugh and Ra both let out sighs, knowing very well how much of a bastard Indra tended to be at times.

"Ironically, being so lazy means he's pretty patient." She chuckled.

Clearing his throat, Zeus instantly got everyone's attention.

"Right, well... first of all, I think you'd best be informed about the Devil Elders. They've been a problem that's the one main blockade the Christian Pantheon is facing due to our enemies in the Khaos Brigade." Lucifuge began.

"I don't get it, aren't most of the Elders part of the first Devils that Lucifer and Lilith created?" Lugh questioned.

"Lugh, I think you know best how little loyalty to a creator or a God works, especially considering two of your faction's races are very hostile to the other. Not to mention, one of them is divided into two classes favoring the leadership of a certain gender." Ra reminded him.

"Oh yeah... the Vampires and Werewolves haven't gone and declared war, if only because of me and the other Celtic Gods." Lugh mentioned in embarrassment.

Nodding her head, Lucifuge continued.

"Long ago... they began doing things that Lucifer didn't notice. In fact, you could easily say they might have been one of many factors in causing the Great War. The worst of it... had he and the Maou actually survived the war, then they could have stopped it. Hell's in such a mess that the true reason we've been having this tournament is to cross through all the red tape, and finally create a way to take them out!" Lucifuge explained.

Azazel put a hand on her as she began to breathe, leaving Lugh and Ra surprised, with everyone else let her take a moment to calm down.

"You need one of us to take over?" Azazel offered.

"No, I'm fine. Just get a little steamed up whenever I talk about that. Lilith's got her act together a lot better than I do." Lucifuge reassured them.

Everyone nodded their heads, silently agreeing with her.

"Anyways, they've been using something we sought to destroy. They've even likely been allowing things like Diodora's attack alongside the Anti-Maou Faction, and have more plans all based on a single thing... making sure Vali never wins the tournament, which has the means to finally destroy their hold. I'm certain that if it means they can stop Vali's success, they're willing to betray us without even swapping sides... and I'm fairly sure they'll get more discreet about it." She finished.

Ra and Lugh looked nervous about that.

"Do you have proof about this?" Ra questioned, sweating slightly.

"The worst kind of it. Long ago, we were hoping to make peace much earlier through the union between Cleria Belial and Yaegaki Masaomi, especially since they had a child together... unfortunately, Cleria learned about something the Elders they didn't want known. Before we knew it, things ended with the both of them dead, as Zekram convinced Heaven and Hell's sides to kill then." Lucifuge confirmed.

This caught Gabriel's attention, looking at her in confusion and shock over what she just heard.

"Wait, that's what killed Yaegaki!?" She asked.

This suddenly made Lucifuge freeze, slowly turning towards the leader of Heaven like she had seen a ghost... and not the good kind.

"No way... are you saying Heaven didn't even know what killed him?" She inquired.

"We never knew, as Cleria's death alongside him gave us little reason to view it beyond a lost opportunity and an investigation without any leads." Gabriel confirmed.

This caught all the leaders off-guard, terrifying them... especially Gabriel after she realized what it meant.

"Back during the Summit, it seemed like each of us had a single guard that betrayed us, but... is it possible that there are traitors among all our factions who've been hiding in plain sight at a level that we don't even see things are wrong, or cause situations like this to occur?" Cassiel questioned, sweat dripping off her face.

As he slightly but on his thumb, Azazel realized something.

"Something tells me we have to get these Elders out of the way if we want to get answers. Maybe the Khaos Brigade's last attack failed, but like we thought before, aside from the obvious... who's allied to them without us even knowing it?" He questioned.

Before anything more could be said, everyone heard the door slam open, making them turn to see a panting Brynhildr bent on her knees.

"Brynhildr, what's wrong!" Odin shouted, looking at her.

"Mighty All father, we have an emergency!" She shouted.

Right as she said that, a sudden barrier formed around the meeting room, suddenly teleporting everyone away before they could react, but right before Odin was sent off.

"This magic circle... Loki!" Odin screamed before he vanished.

* * *

At the stadium area, everyone was gathered together as the eight finalists and their peerages stood together as they waved to the crowd, with the eliminated participants standing nearby. Tiamat and Fafnir were currently making an announcement together.

"Everyone, as you're all aware, these are the eight that will be fighting for the gold, but we're also honoring those who made it to the tournament at all!" Tiamat announced.

"So, let's give a round of applause for the efforts of Riser Phenex, Eneely Vassago, Seekvaira Agares, Sona Sitri, Iolava Amon, Amalya Astaroth, and Ereilie Glasya-Labolas!" Tiamat announced.

The seven defeated Kings and their peerages smiled as the crowd did just that.

"Alright, with that said... how about we get things ready, and-" Tiamat suggested.

Right at that moment, a series of explosions went off around the stadium, making everyone get into a panic. Everyone in the arena's center showed surprise, with Fafnir instantly putting himself on alert.

"Everyone, get out of the stadium right now! Hurry!" Fafnir ordered.

"Get to safety, they might continue!" Tiamat shouted.

Without hesitating in the slightest, the entire crowd fled, but once they did... the stadium's arena began to quake.

"What's going on here!?" Amalya demanded.

She got her answer when the arena suddenly rose from the ground, with Asia scream as she suddenly tumbled off.

"Asia!" Vali screamed.

"I've got her!" Vidar shouted.

A blur suddenly shot by as the third Son of Odin rushed by, catching her as they landed back on the arena in mere seconds.

"Don't worry, you're safe now." Vidar reassured her.

"T-thank you." Asia said gratefully.

Rossweisse looked surprise at the fact she was here, if only due to his visit from yesterday.

"Vidar, why are you-" She asked.

"I brought your mother to warn the faction leaders about something, but it seems like that they've all fallen into a trap that's related to this. A trap that's been made by-" Vidar explained.

"Me!" Loki exclaimed.

Everyone felt more of a rumble as the arena finally stopped rising, setting a huge tower of stone as a battlefield.

Right after it stopped, the sight of a diamond like magic symbol appeared, catching the attention of everyone connected to the Norse Pantheon as Loki himself finally appeared a few seconds afterward.

"Well, hello there my young Devils, glad you could join me." Loki smirked.

"I should have known that one of the three bastards among the Worst Gods is behind this crap!" Venelene growled angrily.

Loki had a vein form on his head from that comment, but ignored it as Vidar stepped into view.

"Here me Loki, you may be a God of Mischief, but that gives you no right to cause problems here! Leave now before your actions are considered unforgivable!" Vidar warned, motioning his body as if preparing for the worst.

"Oh please, you think you can stop me? As powerful as you are, even as a son of Odin, you're no match for someone like me!" Loki smirked.

Rossweisse growled a bit.

"As much of a spoiled brat as he's always been." Rossweisse stated.

Loki extended his hand out.

"2000 years ago, the world faced its end, but it refused to follow its chosen fate! Now, seeing the great all father mingling with lesser mythologies? That makes me makes me suffer indescribable torment! If he continues this alliance, then it'll be that much harder for me to successfully put Ragnarok into motion!" Loki exclaimed.

"You should know very well that Ragnarok already happened through the Great War! It's already failed, so stop dragging the rest of the world into your stupid genocidal delusions!" Rias stated.

Loki laughed at that, making everyone glare at him.

"You can take your logic and shut it, you devil bitch! Unlike most of this world's Gods, I see the truth, and refuse to accept this illusion you all live in! Ragnarok is coming, and nothing you do will stop it! A truth I will show you here and now!" Loki shouted.

He released a bright light above him, causing Fenrir to drop into view as he roared at the group. Following the powerful wolf's arrival, two more lights appeared, showing the arrival of his runts, Hati and Skoll.

"Fenrir, and his runts Hati and Skoll!" Vidar warned, seeing Fenrir stare at him.

" **And they're not the only ones!** " Someone hissed.

All of the Dragons gasped as they recognized that voice as a huge light formed behind Loki, showing none other than the fabled Midgard Serpent, sometimes known as Jormungandr, that all knew as the infamous Midgardsormr.

Despite what some would say, he wasn't considered a Dragon despite having a slight resemblance to one.

 **("Midgardsormr, how dare you side with Loki! I thought you gave up on causing Ragnarok after your awakening!")** Albion exclaimed angrily.

" **I lied! After all... like father, like son!** " Midgardsormr hissed.

Quetzalcoatl growled a bit.

 **«"And that's why we never called you a Dragon King, or even officially considered you a fellow Dragon."»** Quetzalcoatl spat in anger.

Tosca groaned a bit, readying her Sacred Gear.

"Well, at least it can't get any worse from here." She remarked, making a few gasp as they heard her.

"You idiot, saying that always makes things worse!" Venelene shouted.

The Gremory Pawn immediately slapped her hands over her mouth, paling as she realized what she let slip from her mouth.

Loki laughed as he revealed a familiar symbol showing Trihexa, and once he did, an entire army of Gogmagogs showed up. It didn't stop there either, as it was followed by... both his sons and grandson multiplying until there were hundreds of the wolf trio, and five huge serpents!

"This is definitely worse!" Ereilie exclaimed.

Fafnir looked at everyone, and it became clear that for right now at least, they alone were what stood against Loki and victory.

"Everyone, I know it might look hopeless, but right now... our families and all of Hell are counting on us to keep Loki from destroying everything. So, let that be exactly what we do!" He shouted.

"That's right! We will fight, and will we win!" Tiamat exclaimed.

"Right!" Everyone exclaimed.

Vidar instantly motioned his hand out, revealing a familiar weapon to the shock of Loki and his multiplied army.

The signature weapon of Thor, the great Mjolnir.

"How are you using that!?" Loki demanded.

"Thank Thor for that! He knew something was fishy, and had all the Valkyries lend their magic so I could temporarily use it since I knew I'd be able to get here faster than he could." Vidar answered.

Seeing this, everyone who had a Sacred Gear readied themselves for battle.

" **Balance Breaker!** "

The twin Dragons rose their hands up, covered their bodies in auras of their respective Dragon's skin and eye colors.

" **Diabolus Dragon: Lucifer!** "

" **Dragon Deification: God!** "

They assumed their Scale Mails, while their familiars took their Dragon forms, and everyone else readied their powers and weaponry while the Norse God of Mischief laughed.

"Amass all the power you want! The Twilight of the Gods is fast approaching, and this is your end!" Loki roared.

"No, it's not over! Now's the time for you to see just how weak your fate and Ragnarok is against the world that's still living!" Vali exclaimed.

With that line alone, everyone charged against Loki's army.

* * *

**And the battle's begun! Just like before, the 15 peerages who made it to the tournament are fighting together, but this time they're truly fighting as one. Even better, Tiamat and Fafnir are _finally_ joining the battle on-screen, which they've been unable to do since this story began! There aren't any excuses to keep them out of the fight this time, especially with how next chapter's planned to go.**

**I'm sure a few of you might be wondering about why the Student Council Elections and Club Leader succession is happening earlier in the story. My reason for this is due to something I have planned for the story, but won't be applied Season 5 and/or 6. Wish I could say more about it, but like I've said before for a lot of things, that would be a major spoiler, so you'll have to wait a little longer.**

**The other reason is because of Season 2 for the original Love Live series, as it shows the succession of the Student Council before the Second-Years' school trip that I'm fairly sure is happening around the same point the Second-Years of Kuoh Academy go to Kyoto for their own trip. With that in mind, there's precedent for certain schools to do it earlier or later than others, and I just moved Kuoh's to an earlier point in time.**

**We've also gotten some deeper backstory on Ingvild, which shows there was a time she really had her sin of envy represent itself in something along the lines of a massive inferiority complex. I won't say if she actually succeeded on becoming strong beyond magic, but since it's a given that Vali will make it to the Finals, I have to surprise you all in the form of which Devil Heir will end up fighting her in the Championship Match.**

**Now, some of you might be wondering, with me mention the ORC and Student Council will have successors soon, does that mean they're going to start appearing less in the story? While not just yet, since I want to clear up any loose ends before they show up less, that _will_ eventually the case. I'll reveal the main reason for this next chapter, because I'm about to make a decision that will shock you all.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

* * *

** Bust Size of New Female Characters ** **:**

**Shirai Miyuki - 90 cm**

**Arufieil Nahemah - 105 cm**

**Brynhildr - 108 cm**

* * *

** Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter ** **:**

**None**

* * *

** Pairings List ** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating**   
**Ddraig/Albion - Married**   
**Tiamat/Fafnir - Married**   
**Ophis/Great Red - Married**   
**Saji/Sona - Dating, and is Saji's main love interest**   
**Saji/Momo - Dating**   
**Saji/Ruruko - Dating**   
**Gasper/Valerie - Dating**   
**Kiba/Tosca - Dating**   
**Hina/Nanami - Dating**   
**Shuriliu/Coriana - Dating, and is Shuriliu's main love interest**   
**Shuriliu/Her Peerage - Dating**   
**Rias/Akeno - Engaged**   
**Rossweisse/Vidar - Engaged**   
**Sairaorg/Kuisha - Dating**   
**Jeanne/Cao Cao - Dating**


	34. Chapter 34

**Before we begin, big announcement everyone, as of Chapter 33's publication on FFN... this story's finally hit the 100,000-view mark! Thank you all for the support in getting the story this far in only 3 months since its release! With such a grand achievement, I think the news I said that I'd reveal in the last paragraph of the previous chapter's end notes has found the perfect time to be said!**

**Everyone, I'd like you to know that once we reach Season 6 of this story, the story will end... because it's the first of a trilogy! *smiles at your likely shocked reactions* That's right, as of now, Legend of the Heavenly Dragons has been transformed into what I call the "Heavenly Dragon" Series, and this is just the first of many stories that you'll be seeing from it!**

**The trilogy part of the series will be the three main stories, with Volumes 1 through 12 being adapted into this story, which we're already halfway through. The second story is planned to be called: "Journey of the Heavenly Dragons", and adapt Volumes 13 through 21. Finally, the last story is planned to be called: "Dawn of the Heavenly Dragons", which I can't say anything about besides it starts around the events of Volume 22.**

**Other stories among them will be include an adaption of SLASHDØG, as Vali's involved with those events, and it's where she and Lavinia learn they're half-sisters. There's also a plan for Hina and Nanami to get their own story, because there's another series by Ishibumi that I'm fairly sure might be connected to the DxD universe, and would be the equivalent of that story... despite I know nothing about it right now ^^;**

**While there could be other stories I'll plan, the four I've mentioned about are the only ones that I've officially decided on for the moment. So, I hope you're excited for this news, because the fact I decided this shows just how much I love writing this story! *cheers* With that in mind, let's actually get to the start notes now, because this is the chapter where the fight with Loki finally begins.**

**So, to start things off? Let me remind you that this battle is comprised of** **15 peerages with 8 Longinus wielders, and the addition of Yumina, Tiamat, and Fafnir. Meanwhile Loki's got his children, Fenrir's runts, and Midgardsormr... which he multiplied into an army of copies using Trihexa's power, alongside the Khaos Brigade's usual Gogmagog army. They're facing a God, and while it might not be as directly hard as the Juggernaut Chimera, they gotta worry about Loki setting off Ragnarok as well.**

**Not to mention I'm about to pull a mighty twist with Loki, though I think it's one most of you would do as well since Loki's not exactly the most liked god, one of those DxD villains that most people prefer to keep as the villain. Not the main point though, so now... time for this battle to come to an epic finale! Will Ragnarok commence as Loki wishes, or will our heroes punch out destiny like they did with the Juggernaut Drive?**

**Let's start this chapter and find out!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

 **[]** \- Ddraig Talking

 **«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

 **「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

 **【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

 **⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

**Divine Dividing**

**One of the Longinus, holding the spirit of Albion, the Red Dragon Empress and daughter of Ophis, inside of it, which gives the person who wields it the title "Hakuryuukou" to differentiate from all of her titles, and her own power. Albion was turned into this Sacred Gear by God to stop him during the Great War by sealing most of himself into her wings, as she was too powerful for even him and Lucifer to defeat.**

**Unlike most of the Longinus, a user may need sufficient training to use the Divine Dividing to the fullest, especially those who lack any kind of supernatural heritage to aid them. It's said this is because if enough power is divided, it could potentially shred someone too weak to handle it into nothing by the sheer fact they're trying to contain more power than they can handle.**

**The Divine Dividing's main powers are extreme defending and calculation, stealing as much power from an enemy by dividing it every few seconds with the "Divide" ability, and the eventual reflection of attacks through the "Reflect" ability. When using the power gathered by the Divide ability, it normally stays within the body until the user deactivates the Sacred Gear until they need it again, but there are two special commands to use the power in other ways.**

**First is the "Release" command, which allows the wielder to use some of the energy they've divided into their energy or magic pool, allowing them to either restore their energy, stamina, or their magic capacity. And second is the "Implosion" command, which undoes a set of divides to amplify one or more magical attacks within a one-minute time frame.**

**Alongside the powers above, there are some abilities that are considered taking the Divide to a higher tier. The second-tier form of it is called "Half Dimension", which creates a blue aura over the wielder's enemies that, at the cost of making them unable to boost their power until dispelled, halves their strength, making it useful in a situation where there's too many people to use the Divide on to, or their allies are too weak against a certain foe.**

**Then there's the third-tier level is known as the "Compression Divider", which works by hitting an enemy with as many divides as the wielder's body can manage, stressing it for a brief chance of weakening an enemy before it taxes them too much, then leaving them fatigued for a bit. After the wielder recovers, they can't use another Divide for some time. If enough divides are used on an enemy, their bodies can be erased from existence.**

**Finally, the Boosted Gear's ultimate ability is Albion's fabled god slayer breath, and the ability that made the Sacred Gear become one of the Longinus: the "Ethereal Luminescence of Erasing Light", which is a powerful light that can consume anything if Albion wants it to, including Gods and souls. However, to this day, not a single possessor has managed to unlock this ability for their own use.**

**There have been over 100 possessors of this Longinus in total, with the strongest being Elsha, who managed to defeat two Longinus wielders in his time and was the first to try to end the curse of the Juggernaut Drive. In the present day, the current possessor of the Divine Dividing is Valiana "Vali" Lucifer, the daughter of Lucifer and Lilith, and the current heiress of the Lucifer Clan.**

**After ending the curse, Vali Lucifer has been named by Ophis as the first wielder to share the title of White Dragon Empress with Albion.**

* * *

**_Season 4, Loki Arc: Chapter 4 - Destroyer of Ragnarok_ **

"Amass all the power you want! The Twilight of the Gods is fast approaching, and this is your end!" Loki roared.

"No, it's not over! Now's the time for you to see just how weak your fate and Ragnarok is against the world that's still living!" Vali exclaimed.

With that line alone, everyone charged against Loki's army.

"Kill them all!" Loki ordered.

As the two forces readied to clash, using the fact they were on a Rating Game field without bases to their advantage, the Pawns all called their shared ability.

" **Promotion, to Queen!** "

All five Midgardsormr instantly unleashed their deadly flames at the group.

"Hina!" Nanami called out.

"Right!" Hina responded.

Clapping her hands together, a vine stretched out of the ground, and lifted Nanami into the attack range.

"And here's a little Innovation!" Hina shouted right after.

Nanami smiled at that, holding out her hands.

**«"BARRIER!"»**

**«"INNOVATION!"»**

Nanami unleashed her barrier, but Hina activated her own Longinus' powers to reshape it, turning into a wall that absorbed all of the attacks.

Seeing the blockade before them, all the Fenrir, Hati, and Skoll began to ram or bite into the barrier; the Gogmagogs quickly followed, unleashing all their weaponry against it. Luckily, the Telos Karma barrier managed to hold strong against it.

"Amalya, we need a plan." Yumina stated to her.

"Let me see..." She replied.

Forming a magic screen, she darted her eyes as information came up, and nodded her head.

"Tiamat, Fafnir? You deal with Midgardsormr and his copies! Vali? You, the Kings, and all the Queens will face off with Loki, along with anyone that has a Longinus, or a Sacred Gear good for dealing with a God! Rooks? Smack down the Fenrir forces! Bishops and Knights? Focus on either the Hati or Skoll army! Finally, all of the Pawns? Take the Gogmagogs, and Promote to the pieces besides a Queen if needed!" Amalya shouted.

"You heard her, this bastard's gonna regret his attack, and pay for it with his life!"

"Let's do it!" Everyone exclaimed.

 **「** **Bungou Stray Dogs: Season 2 Opening** **」**

Grabbing onto her pendant, Nanami charged all the power she gained, and then held it outwards.

**«"RETRIBUTION!"»**

The energy fired out, becoming a wide wave that knocked all the attacking forces back. Using that moment, Issei and Vali held their hands out, creating a distortion in the area.

**["DOUBLE ESCALATION!"]**

**("HALF DIMENSION!")**

The entirety Devil Youth force and their peerages charged straight ahead, with the Pawns taking the lead.

"Alright, let's take these freaks what we're made of!" Akari roared.

Venelene flipped in midair, taking her Lion form as Regulus rushed by her, and turned into his Sacred Gear form. Rising up, she slammed the axe against the ground.

**«"QUAKE!"»**

" **Tectonic Meteor!** "

The entire Gogmagog force was shaken as the land burst apart, allowing all of the Pawns to gather with their usual teammates. A few of the Gogmagogs managed to get through, jumping at Zelarei, who simply tapped his forehead.

"Sorry, but you've forgotten something." He stated, pointing at them.

At that moment, they all turned around in a panic, believing one of Midgardsormr's clones was about to fall on them... except there was nothing. That gave Venelene the chance to smash them with a spin swing.

"Nice once!" Venelene praised with a toothy grin, and a thumb's up.

"Not a problem, but I believe your fellow Longinus users will need you?" Zelarei mentioned.

Her eyes widened at that, and she instantly rushed towards Loki.

"Hope she'll be OK." Hannah remarked, using her Sacred Gear to copy some of the Gogmagog's powers.

At that moment, her arm turned into a pair of missile launchers, and she rushed ahead to fire the ammunition inside of them. Blitz and Candy joined her, with the latter taking the lead.

"Time to give you all a sticky situation!" She screamed.

" **Syrup Fiend!** "

A gooey gelatin like substance began sticking to all of the Gogmagogs close to them, getting Hannah's attention as she tasted it.

"Wow, didn't know there was a Sacred Gear that made delicious stuff like this." She praised.

Candy blushed at that, followed with a whistle that signaled Blitz to jump into the air, and then dive towards the syrup as he tapped the sides of his shoes.

" **Rush Hour: Slipstream Form!** "

His shoes changed shape, allowing him to ride across the syrup without sticking to it, and then accelerating at speeds that after passing through all of the Salathavean Golems... caused them to explode!

Landing on the ground by the two, he held out a hand for both of them to give a fist bump.

* * *

Fenrir's sons, and all of their clones, instantly charged as the Bishops and Knights readied themselves. Eleanor looked across the area, quickly nodding her head as she created a plan.

"Everyone, they're about to lunge at us! Jump to back and to the right!" Nia warned.

Following her advice, they did.

"Beruka, Bafeel, Liban! Group them all together, and we'll take down most of them in one shot!" Nia advised.

"Understood!" Beruka replied.

The Furcas siblings rushed ahead, whistling for the aid of their second pair of steeds as their armor detached to become their riders. The wolves tried to bite the two Knights of Mammon, they quickly saw Liban meet their gaze, and increased the gravity around them by tenfold.

One of the downed wolves opened their mouths, and prepared to fire at the Crocell Devil, who simply smirked as it neared him.

"Sorry, but my birth has given me the means to defend against the weakness you're exploiting!" He stated, starting to glow in response to his claim.

" **Refraction!** "

A golden hexagon formed in front of him, causing the attack to hit it and then redirect itself at the wolf army.

"Get ready Bishops, it's our turn now!" Coriana announced.

They all shouted as they readied their spells, with the Asmodeus Bishop's choice of spell being hundreds of ice spears that she launched in three waves.

"Stand back everyone!" Veves shouted.

"We're about to nuke this field!" Rulun announced.

All of the Bishops and Knights within their hearing range all flinched at that, and immediately listened as the two slapped their hands together. It took only a few moments before their auras raged out with their power.

" **Airborne Aviary Assault!** "

Veves' aura shot out, splitting into a small army of magical energy birds that flew across the skies, with her eyesight linking to them. Charging a spell in her hands, they all began to do the same.

"Rulun, we're in position!" She shouted.

"Got it!" He replied.

Digging his hands onto her shoulders, she screamed as her aura began to flare about.

" **Malevolent Multiplier!** "

The number of birds in the sky suddenly multiplied by a massive amount, soon having 50 times their original number.

"Alright, here goes!" Veves shouted.

" **Aerial Raze!** "

The energy birds all fired off a powerful wind spheres towards the ground, which multiplied in the same manner after being fired. Needless to say, it was like a fusion of a tornado and hurricane raging over the battlefield against the wolf army.

"Holy shit!" Shirai screamed in surprise.

"Oh yeah... Venelene, Regulus, and Kuisha are _definitely_ not the only threats on Sairaorg's team." Irufea said, trembling at what she just saw.

After the initial chaos, everyone saw some of the Hati and Skoll clones managed to survive the intense attack that just hit their army. Veves and Rulun looked a bit surprised at this.

"I guess Fenrir's kids can't take hits as well as their dad." Suzuki remarked.

* * *

All of the Fenrir clones readied themselves, with Gandoma smashing his fist together as he saw them.

" _So, we're fighting monsters with god slaying fangs. How should we start things off?_ " He grunted, cracking the knuckles embedded in said fist.

"I've got a plan, but they'll need roughing up first." Caliber replied.

Guina looked excited at that, screaming loudly as a bunch of armor pieces moved throughout the air.

" **Armament Boost: Berserker!** "

The armor attached to her body, taking a red and black shape with sharp bony designs. With her eyes glowing red, the Agares Rook roared like a feral animal, and then immediately charged forward at speed that caused her attacks to immediately knock all of the Fenrir clones unconscious.

"Impressive, now let's get in there!" Sectaas replied.

" **Nightmare Amassing!** "

Sectaas suddenly clutched his arms, roaring as his veins lit up, turning a glowing light blue before he became a bit more ripped than even Sairaorg and Kurenai, albeit at the cost of speed and all of his magic being used to create his massive muscles.

"Take this!" He roared.

He threw his arm, making it stretch out like a crane's main structure, with his physical force exploding onto them from the magic within his veins. After watching for another two minutes, he immediately began chewing on some gum.

"I'm ready, now all of you get out of my way if you don't wanna become Swiss Cheese." Caliber warned.

Everyone listened as he blew a bubble, and infused a magic circle into it, before taking it out of his mouth. Reeling it back, it began to glow before he chucked it forward.

The Fenrir clones were almost immediately struck by something as it popped.

"That's why they call me Caliber, because I can improvise a lot of things into bullet using my magic." He stated, taking out a new piece of gum.

"Wow... Sectaas breathed.

At that moment, all the remaining Rooks unleashed their long-ranged weaponry against the Fenrir forces.

* * *

The Dragon Kings stood face to face with five of the Midgardsormr clones.

"How many do you want?" Tiamat asked.

"You can have three, two's not exactly that uneven when you consider how freaking huge this guy is." Fafnir replied.

Tiamat smirked, cracking her knuckles.

"Alright, then it's time to lay the smack down on this slimy snake." Tiamat said excitedly.

Fafnir chuckled at his mate before they rushed ahead.

" **It's useless, even you can't defeat me in these numbers!** " Midgardsormr exclaimed.

"Well then, let's see if that theory is true!?" Fafnir challenged.

In just mere seconds, one of the two Midgardsormr that Fafnir chose to fight screamed as Fafnir dug his jaws into his neck, and used his right claw to smash the other one to the ground alongside it.

Roaring in anger, both of them blasted their fire at him, pushing the Golden Dragon Monarch back a bit. Fafnir retaliated by screaming loudly, unleashing his signature metal breath against them, causing the storm of shrapnel to smash against their scales.

" **Die, Tiamat! Die!** " Three of the Midgardsormr clones screamed together.

They lunged at her, only for them to instantly feel large scars form on the sides of the left and right Dragon, while the middle serpent had Tiamat's tail smash across its eye, blinding it a bit.

"You're forgetting, I'm the 8th Strongest in this World!" Tiamat warned with a smirk.

Suddenly, the three Dragons wrapped their bodies around her, squeezing tightly as the Blue Dragoness began laughing at them.

" **You're dead now!** " Midgardsormr laughed.

All three of them hit her with their fire breath, at point-blank range no less, however...

"Wow, are you seriously that stupid of a snake?" Tiamat asked.

Two of the Midgardsormr felt Tiamat's wings slam into their heads, knocking them to the ground, while the last one instantly felt Tiamat break free, making his eyes widen in horror.

"I'm the sister of Ddraig, among all of the elements a Dragon can wield... fire is the last thing that could ever harm me!" She exclaimed.

Smashing her head onto the third Midgardsormr, it fell down, soon being met by the other two Fafnir was fighting.

"Let's take this traitorous Dragon to the grave!" Tiamat shouted.

"Blast them into Tartarus!" Fafnir agreed.

In that instant, both of them roar loudly, their bodies instantly emitting visible rage, and their eyes going completely white.

They had both entered one of the Dragon's many special powers... the Outrage state.

" **I won't let-** "

Midgardsormr never finished that sentence as the two Dragon Kings Both unleashed their signature breath attacks against the five serpentine Dragons, instantly blazing them with blue flames and golden shrapnel

 **「** **Insert Song End** **」**

It wasn't long before all five of the Midgardsormr clones vanished.

* * *

Loki watched the sight of his forces being overwhelmed, glaring a bit.

"Stupid teenage angst, why is it so disgustingly cliché that it always shows up in a major battleground?" He sneered.

"Lord Loki!" Vidar exclaimed.

The Norse God turned to see him holding Mjolnir, with all the Kings and their Queens by his side.

"You have two options here! Either stand down now and simply face your crimes, or refuse this mercy and face your death here and now!" Vidar warned.

Loki laughed, making Vidar growl at him.

"My crimes? Please, as if I've actually done anything wrong! Not to mention you'll never be able to kill me!" Loki shouted.

"You're right, but they can." Vidar smirked, motioning around him.

At that moment, with the exception of Valerie due to her powers being a better fit for healing in the current war zone they had been trapped in, the seven Longinus wielders among the 15 peerages joined his side.

"With _they_ being seven of the eight Longinus wielders fighting under the Alliance, and one of them even has the Murakumo on hand!" Vidar exclaimed.

"And yet I'm unimpressed." Loki replied.

"Really? Then how about you prove we're nothing to worry about!?" Nanami challenged.

"You're all talk!" Loki shouted.

He unleashed a swarm of beams, only for Saji to take the lead, and have his Balance Breaker's tentacles eat up his attack.

"What!?" Loki exclaimed.

"Aw, what happened? Didn't plan a comeback?" Saji mocked.

Using the chance, Vidar screamed as he smashed Mjolnir into Loki's body, making him scream as he was knocked back... only to shrug it off.

"No way!" Vidar gasped.

Loki prepared to unleash a devastating attack, only for a few beams to strike him from behind.

"You've gotten sloppy Loki." Rossweisse stated, a magic circle in her palm.

At that moment, Rossweisse suddenly felt a dark aura as Loki appeared behind her, drawing more of Trihexa's power.

"Such outstanding arrogance!" He roared.

He struck the Valkyrie Rook in the chest, knocking her towards the ground.

"Rossweisse!" Vidar shouted.

He dove at his fiancé, catching her at the cost of feeling the impact in her place, which didn't matter much due to his durability as a God. Seeing what happened, Rossweisse blushed a bit.

"T-thank you..." She replied, blushing a bit.

Seeing what Loki had done to her Rook, it wasn't long before Rias screamed and she unleashed her Aura Break, pushing Loki back as she fired off a boosted Power of Destruction blast.

Her attack managed to strike him hard, making him scream as the lower half of his right hand was left a mangled crisp.

"Damn it, you little bitch!" Loki screamed.

The Norse God prepared an attack, only to scream as a hook stabbed his damaged arm.

"No... you... don't!" Leelexe shouted.

"Eat this!" Ingvild screamed.

All of the Maou heiress aside from Vali slammed a combined attack against him, knocking him back.

" **Longinus Smasher!** "

The trio of Longinus Smashers smashed across Loki's body, making him scream as he was further knocked back.

"Don't forget about us!" Sona smiled.

"Time for you to feel the deadly hellfire of my flames!" Riser shouted.

"Let's bend and break this God!" Eneely exclaimed.

The other Devil Heirs all aided their attacks, right as their Queens readied themselves for a combined attack.

" **Firebolt Strike!** "

" **Primal Abyss!** "

" **Take!** "

" **Mirror Alice!** "

Once again, Loki was struck back as all of the Queens slammed their attacks against him, and pushed him towards the ground. As he stumbled across the battlefield, the Norse God watched as the twin Dragons finally landed in front of him.

"So, this is your so-called Ragnarok? Because it looks like the only world ending is yours." Vali remarked.

"Just give it up, the fact we're able to handle you as a team shows your power as a God isn't absolute in the least. In fact, maybe this is just how weak you really are, and any power you've claimed is an illusion." Issei warned.

Hearing that comment, Loki released a shrilled scream before releasing a sudden surge of power.

"This power is... oh no!" Shuriliu gasped.

She used her signature ability to check Loki's power level, and saw it was too erratic for it to have any set area. It was as if it something inside him was causing all his power to fluctuate beyond his limits.

"Guys, I'm not so sure he was fighting at his strongest!" She screamed.

At that moment, the two Dragon Kings saw the real Midgardsormr tunnel out of the ground, bringing the real Fenrir, Skoll, and Hati with him before they all rushed towards Loki, he immediately held out Trihexa's symbol on it.

"I don't care what I have to do at this point! Ragnarok is destined to happen! Even if it kills me, I will have you all dead before it ever begins!" Loki roared.

Another four Trihexa symbols appear on the other four, and then a dark tendril extends out of Loki's.

The tendrils crash into their symbols, and all four of them roar loudly, shaking the entire realm as everyone fell to the ground. Following that, a powerful snowstorm blew across the field.

"Oh no! Everyone, we need to stay together! I think he's about to try something while we can't see!" Vidar warned.

Unfortunately, no one could hear Vidar due to the intense winds blowing. They could only watch as they saw a silhouette, the signal for what Loki was about to do.

The mark on Loki's form quickly swallowed his children and grandchildren, and then enveloped himself in a mass of energy. All that power condensed together before it contracted and burst out to reveal some kind of ghastly Dragon/Wolf hybrid.

"Vali, this is..." Issei realized.

"Just like Diodora, but with more people and Trihexa fragments." She confirmed with worry.

Loki laughed as he rose up his hands, laughing heavily.

" **Yes, the power! I feel like I could rip the world apart by just screaming at the top of my lungs!** " Loki shouted loudly, radiating with energy.

The mutated Loki roared, blasting out a huge burst that knocked everyone back.

"That lunatic's using five fragments of Trihexa! If he wasn't a God of Mischief, then I'd say he was crazy!" Ereilie exclaimed.

" **And now, you shall all die!** " Loki cackled with insanity.

" ** _Destruction Laser Rain!_** "

He screamed into the sky, blasting out beams from a ton of magic circles his body made, which quickly began to fire down as a storm of energy beams, quickly preparing to kill everyone in before they could do anything.

"No... everyone will be..." Vali gasped.

She screamed loudly, causing her aura to start flaring out in response, and surprising Issei as he saw it.

"I won't let you do this!" The silvery-white haired Devil shouted angrily.

Right as the beams were about to strike, and everyone braced themselves... they suddenly stopped as if they were hitting something. As Vali kept screaming, Issei felt a strange flow of power move past him.

" **What!?** " He screamed in shock.

The surge of power exploded out from Vali, releasing an intensity that surprised everyone.

" **Ethereal Twilight!** "

" **Overflow!** "

The Hakuryuukou's signature ability was released, but at a level of size and strength that no one else had ever seen her unleash before now. Loki's attacks were immediately overwhelmed, and he was knocked back.

"Vali, what was..." Issei asked.

"This is the power that I gained from my mother, the signature ability God blessed her with, to use her body's natural limits to amplify her strength to unbelievable levels. A power she calls... _Overflow_." Vali explained.

She briefly recalled the moment she first used the power after her visit to the Naberius Clan.

* * *

_The Lucifer Heiress was trying to figure out what kind of power she got from her mother, squinting as if trying to notice anything different. Literally speaking of the Devil herself, Lilith walked by her to grab something from the fridge, right as Vali's darkness suddenly flared near the ceiling._

_"Oh crap! Go down, go down, go down!" She panicked._

_"Wait, that surge... can it be?" Lilith gasped, watching the surge as it died down._

_After Vali managed to contain it, she walked over to her._

_"I can't believe it, but considering that Kelsey was able to inherit Adam's power... no, I'm sure this is the case." Lilith remarked._

_The Lucifer Heiress looked at her mother._

_"Mom, what do you mean?" She asked, a bit confused at what was happening._

_"Vali, that power you just used? It's the ability that I was born with, one meant to represent the paths of the Sephirot where the Crystal Furry wielded by Adam were the ten domains they linked with, an ability I named the Overflow." The Mother of all Devils answered._

_"Overflow?" Vali repeated._

_Lilith nodded her head, and soon out a hand on Vali's shoulder._

_"I'll need to explain how it works, but this ability is something that will help you greatly in the days to come." She replied._

_And from there, the Devil Queen began doing just that._

* * *

Right as her brief moment of reminiscing was over, Loki got back on his feet before unleashing an angry roar at the twin dragons.

" **Damn you... damn you both! The two who claim to have destroyed their fates and ended their eternal war between one another, just because of some stupid love for one another? You've crossed the line now, so I'll make sure to murder the both of you first!** " Loki screamed in fury.

He roared as more Gogmagogs and clones of Loki's fused components swarmed the battlefield again, with all of them charging up attacks to us simultaneously.

"Looks like a big one's coming!" Issei realized.

"Don't worry, I think we can handle this, or rather... Yumina can." Vali replied, looking at the Lucifuge Heiress.

Upon hearing her name, she nodded her head.

"You've got it!" Yumina exclaimed.

Right at that moment, Loki's forces all fired off a united attack against the group, and right as they did... she threw out her hand, showing a confident smirk on her face.

" **Overlay!** "

A dark vortex with a red and blue tint within it formed before all of the attacks, gobbling them all inside of it.

" **What? What is this!?** " Loki demanded, a shocked expression on his face.

"Time to get this started, you ready for this Shadow-Yumina?" The Lucifuge Heiress shouted.

Right at that moment, Yumina's shadow rose from the ground.

Everyone who could see it noticed the shadow had no legs, but still resembled her body's outline, only she had glows and glowing spheres for eyes. The eyes made an angry look as Shadow-Yumina got into a battle stance.

" _I'm ready, now let me have it!_ " Shadow-Yumina replied, an excited tone to her scratchy voice.

 **「** **Sonic the Hedgehog: Solaris Phase 2** **」**

Pulling the portal towards her, Yumina tossed it towards her shadow before it went inside of her, and then slithered across everyone else's shadows.

" _Hope you don't mind me borrowing these!_ " Shadow-Yumina apologized.

" ** _Shadow Synchronizer!_** "

Yumina soon clapped her hands together, and held them before her chest with closed eyes... before opening them.

" **Overlay: Release!** "

Shadow-Yumina began merging with everyone's shadows, growing massive in size and taking a more monstrous form. After becoming big enough that she could be seen from the battlefield, the Overlay vortex burst out, tinting her stomach with a dark glow of red and blue.

Feeling the power, glowing energy released itself across her body in the form of horns, leading to Shadow-Yumina roaring before hitting Loki's forces with their own power.

" **Impossible!** " Loki screamed.

The Norse God of Mischief was knocked back again, with his entire copy army destroyed only moments after.

"What the hell!?" Kelsey exclaimed.

"The power of the Lucifuge Clan, which gives their Shadow a life, allowing to fight by their side. The ability's name is _Astral Phantom_." Sona stated, amazed she was seeing it in person.

"And that other power she used, that Overlay thing?" Irina inquired.

"It's also a Clan ability, one shared by the Mephisto and Pheles Clans, which allows the former to absorb physical or weapon-based attacks to combine with their own abilities or weapons. For the latter, they absorb mental or magical attacks. Because Yumina's father is Mephisto Pheles, she has both versions in one." Vali explained.

Shadow-Yumina dove into the ground, immediately using her body as tendrils to constrict Loki's movements.

"Me and Shadow-Yumina won't be able to hold him down for long! Take him down Issei, Vali!" Yumina screamed, falling onto one knee from the strain.

Looking at each other, the twin Dragons nodded.

"Here we go!" They both said in unison, raising their hands towards the sky.

**["ACCRETION OVERBOOSTER!"]**

**("COMPRESSION DIVIDER!")**

Loki instantly felt hundreds of Divides hit him at once, making his body flicker like it was just an illusion. At the same time, Issei's power flared as he screamed like he was trying to force his lungs to shatter the limits of his voice box, with Vali gaining similar power from the divides.

"Get ready to fall, Loki!" Issei declared.

Loki roared at them violently, rushing at the two, empowered by pure rage. In response, the Dragon Emperors charged towards him at full speed.

"Everyone, don't let the remaining Gogmagogs get anywhere near them!" Yumina shouted.

They all cheered before resuming the fight once again.

As the two Dragon Emperors charged, Loki roared out a powerful beam that prompted Issei to take the front.

" **Incarnate Flame!** "

Issei's willpower smashed through Loki's attack, pushing the mutated God back.

" **Crimson Flare!** "

Issei rushed by, creating an explosion of crimson energy as Murakumo cut through Loki's body, making him scream as his aura began to leak out dark energy.

" **Damn you, Red Dragon Emperor!** " Loki roared as he turned to face him.

"Alright, now's the time for me to use my new signature technique. Mom... this is named in your honor." Vali said softly.

She closed her eyes to prepare it, recalling a brief memory.

* * *

_A 4-year old Vali was seen covered in bruises, sniffling for a reason likely related to all the tyranny that Rizevim put her through._

_While she sat there, a hand suddenly tapped her shoulder._

_"Here, this should help you feel better." Vali's mother smiled, holding a bowl of spaghetti to her._

_Seeing the pasta dish before her, the young Lucifer Devil immediately smiled, and began savoring every bite she could. Vali's mother smiled at her daughter, rubbing her head._

_"I know things are hard right now, but don't give up. We'll a find a way one day. Until now, make sure you keep on shining as my little starlight." She encouraged._

_"Starlight?" Vali repeated._

_Vali's mother giggled at that, hugging the young Devil close to her._

* * *

Flashing her eyes open, the power of Overflow was unleashed as the sky above her was covered with thousands of magic circles. Everyone's eyes widened as they saw this.

"Holy!" Issei shouted.

 **["Shit!"]** Ddraig exclaimed.

Swinging her right hand out, all of the magic circles began firing down a rain of her twilight power, which immediately smashed onto the Norse God's body.

 **("Vali, are you sure this structure will hold under this attack?")** Albion asked.

"Loki is the one who created this field, so I'm pretty sure it can't break unless he dies or undoes it himself." Vali replied.

After enough of Vali's attack smashed down, Issei rushed ahead.

"Show him you power, Murakumo!" The Sekiryuutei exclaimed.

He swung his sword down, unleashing a storm of electrified winds against Loki, who instantly screamed as he began running across the air. Using his chance, he blasted a strong laser breath at Issei.

" **Incarnate Flame!** "

Issei held out his hands, using his willpower flames as a shield.

" **Light of the Morning Star!** "

She fired her spheres of light towards Loki, with Issei dashing to avoid getting hit by them, which in turn smashed into Loki dead on. Using the moment his guard dropped, the Red Dragon Emperor immediately thrust his blade through Loki's chest.

" **That... won't... kill me!** " Loki raged.

They were both pushed back by the intense force, making them grunt as they grabbed each other's hands.

" **Blazing Dawn!** "  
" **Ethereal Twilight!** "

They launched their signature techniques, prompting Loki to scream louder as he channeled all of the power of Trihexa's fragments in him, which actually overwhelmed them before they could fuse their attacks!

Both of them gasped before they were knocked back, skidding across the ground to everyone's horror.

"We need... to push further, we can't... let..." Issei panted.

"That's right... if don't put a stop to... this, then Loki gets... exactly what he wants!" Vali panted.

Both of them soon feel their energy enhancements extinguish, making them both panic as their DxD forms dispelled. Loki laughed as he rushed at them, extending his claws.

" **I win!** " He screamed in victory.

The two stared at the sight, but tightened their grips on each other's hands.

**["ISSEI!"]**

**("VALI!")**

The two both rushed ahead, surprising Loki as they jumped into the air right towards him.

" **Dragon Deification: God!** "

" **Diabolus Dragon: Lucifer!** "

Both clashed against Loki, neither having their armor form as Loki laughed, pushing them back ever so slowly.

" **There's nothing left you can do!** " Loki mockingly cackled.

The two grunted, with every taking the occasional glance to see their fight, and hoping for their victory.

"Yes... we... can!" Issei grunted.

"Loki, it's time you learn... just why the world refuses to end!" Vali shouted.

They both scream, and this time, their DxD forms materialize to Loki's surprise... only this time, their center gems break right open! Both their Dragons gasp as this happens, revealing something that truly shook Loki at his core.

"We're not giving up!" They both shouted.

Materializing around the two were auras shaped like their Dragons, matching their sizes as well!

"No way!" Tiamat gasped.

"Just what did they do?" Fafnir questioned.

Loki roared at them, soon bouncing away before charging at them again.

" **That still won't be enough!** " Loki roared.

Right at that moment, the Red Dragon Emperor unleashed his Blazing Dawn through the aura's mouth, smashing into Loki's body with even greater force that managed to vaporize one of his arms!

" **My arm!** " Loki screamed in disbelief.

"You'll never win against those who refuse to die!" Issei shouted.

He rushed forward before smashing his aura's claws across Loki's face like a fist, quickly followed by Vali slamming her tail down. It was at that moment the auras both grabbed Loki, and locked him in place!

" **No, let go of me!** " Loki demanded, blasting at them to no avail.

Issei and Vali instantly disengage from their auras, leaving their DxD armors as Vali grabbed hold of Issei. Appearing from the sky, the two rushed downwards, holding Murakumo together.

**("RELEASE!")**

**["TRANSFER!"]**

Loki's eyes widened as he tried to move, eventually wriggling enough to charge a blast.

" **Double Dragon Strike!** "

Murakumo glowed with their power before they shouted loudly, and released their signature abilities, which quickly fused into their merged Dragon state. It folded its body to dive like a sword, and then... cut Loki right down the middle.

Both of the twins Dragons rushing right past him, and then turned back as his body was suddenly covered with an energy slash.

" **No, this is... how could I be slain by weak mortals like you!?** " Loki screamed.

 **「** **Insert Song End** **」**

Loki's sliced body soon swelled up before exploding, causing the magic that rose the arena to fail, and make it revert back to its former size as it lowered back to the ground. Seeing his exploding form, everyone cheered.

"We just destroyed one of the Worst Gods!" Nanami cheered, hugging her girlfriend.

"I can't believe it, we really did it!" Hina smiled.

The Innovate Clear wielder soon felt her girlfriend kiss her, making her turn red, while everyone gave a cute reaction to it.

As that was happening, Shuriliu noticed something among the rubble.

"Uh... Issei, Vali? Am I just seeing things, or are your DxD armors are still here?" She asked.

"Huh?" Issei blinked.

Everyone looked to see that she was right. Despite neither of them wearing their armor, the DxD versions of their scale mail hadn't vanished.

"Weird, I don't see anything that explains this. Only logical explanation? Whatever made you manifest those auras might be responsible." Amalya theorized, checking her Akashic Calculative.

"Then I think we should take these with us, see if your brother has any idea what this is about." Sona suggested.

Amalya nodded her head in agreement.

"Speaking of which, how did you make those auras in the first place?" Irina inquired.

The twin dragons blink at that, only to shrug.

"Wait, so you don't even know how you did it?" Kelsey questioned.

"No, we don't. I think what we pulled might have been a once in a lifetime thing. Regardless of how we managed to use it, those auras came out at the right time." Vali explained.

Kelsey shrugged, knowing their group already had a tendency to deal with crazy stuff.

"Everyone!" Lilith shouted.

All 15 peerages turned to see Lilith rushing over, panting heavily as she finally stopped to catch her breath.

"Is everyone alright!? Especially you Vali, please tell me you're alright!" Lilith rambled, all jumbled from her panic.

"M-mom, I'm fine!" Vali stuttered, feeling Lilith shake her in worry.

* * *

Watching from a magic circle, Zekram growled as all the leaders Loki sent away reappeared in the meeting hall, trying to make sense of what just happened.

"I can't believe this! They managed to kill Loki, a freaking Evil God!?" The Uvall Elder roared.

"Just perfect, that was a complete waste on your end, Mr. Bael." The Paimon Elder started, giving a mocking glance at Lord Bael.

Hearing that, he slammed his fist down.

"Excuse me!?" Lord Bael screamed in anger, channeling his Power of Destruction.

All of the Elders began yelling at one another, finally forcing Zekram to swing his foot down on the table... which broke it into pieces. Everyone suddenly shut up and listened after that, not wanting to piss him off.

"Silence, all of you! Regardless of what happened, the fact is with this failure, we can no longer act as we once did without risking ourselves. We'll need to be more discreet with how we do things... and how we take down the Lucifer heiress. Only when the right opportunity comes can we consider having either of the remaining Worst Gods act." He stated, scowling at them.

Crumpling a picture of her that was placed on the table, he turned around to look at a certain Devil in the room.

"Diehauser, keep an eye on things for us." Zekram ordered.

"As you wish." Diehauser replied, revealing that certain Devil to be him.

The head of the Belial Clan left the room, and once he was far enough away, he held a magic circle to his ear.

"Roygun was right, what should we do next?" He inquired.

* * *

Lilith dispelled her magic circle as she finished talking with Diehauser.

"Zekram, soon enough you'll see the hope I've put my faith in will stop you... I swear it." Lilith promised.

"Mom?" Vali replied.

Lilith turned around, showing the Lucifer Heiress alongside everyone else on the battlefield, who had been brought over to the Elohim Mansion.

"Oh, sorry about that." She apologized.

Yumina walked in, handing out drinks to everyone before the Devil Queen continued.

"I'll admit that while Loki's attack in itself caught us by surprise, I think you deserve to know how it happened, seeing as all of you were dragged into that mess against your will. More importantly, you should know why it ever got that far." Lilith stated.

"Oh man, I hate it when people say something ever gets too far... it always means something bad." Ereilie whimpered, shaking a bit.

The Mother of all Devils took a brief drink before resuming.

"Well, the first thing to share is that Loki's invasion set off no alarms. Do you know why that's the case?" The Devil Queen inquired to everyone.

That caught many by surprise, but a certain trio of female Devils already knew.

"Because, Loki... was allowed to invade Hell, invited right through all of our security systems." Lilith revealed.

This caught everyone by surprise.

"You can't be serious! How could any achieve that!?" Iolava shouted in denial.

"Aren't you forgetting Diodora?" Lilith reminded him.

The Amon Devil went silent.

"Exactly, now shut up and listen to my story." Lilith warned.

He instantly sat down, sweating nervously.

"As for who did it, I think some of you recall who the main people you saw that may, or may not have been fond of your dreams?" She questioned.

"Well, I remember the Elders didn't like Sona's dream to build-" Amalya remarked.

Pausing a bit, she gasped.

"That's right Amalya, the Devil Elders are exactly who are responsible, because dreams like Sona's? To them... if it doesn't fill their pockets or they feel it'll empty them, then they will destroy or manipulate it to suit their desires." Lilith verified.

The Devil Youths among the Rookie Supernovas began murmuring, though it was Iolava who made the first clear response.

"So, you're saying those crappy geezers are behind this? Why would they send a psychotic man child of a God to attack Hell!? Iolava screamed with rage.

"Quite simple, because most of your wishes are ones their corruption would undo once they worked around everything they needed. However, there's one wish that will completely destroy their hold on Hell if it comes true, because the wish effectively resets all the power they have." Lilith answered.

"Wait, that wish has to be... Vali's!" Seekvaira realized.

Vali gave a light blush blushed, rubbing her cheek in response as she confirmed the Agares Heiress' answer.

"I don't get it, what do they have to gain by this?" Riser questioned.

"Quite a bit, enough that the Great Devils know the truth, but... they can't do a thing. It's something only Lucifer would have been able to succeed in, had he not died before he could fix the damage. Although, the best way to explain it..." Lilith answered.

She put out a chess board, and used all her Evil Pieces, leaving all but a King on the board.

"Let me ask you an honest question, do you know why there is no King Piece in any Evil Piece set? Why a King's power up relies on their synchronicity with their chosen Queen?" Lilith asked.

"Uh..." Nanami wondered.

"To be honest, I've always wondered about that, but I just thought it was a symbolic thing." Hina admitted.

Lilith sighed, revealing the King Piece that Diehauser kept on hand, making many widen their eyes as they saw the Evil Piece that shouldn't even exist.

"That's right, there are King Pieces... or rather, there _were_ King Pieces." Lilith answered.

"I don't like where this is going..." Xuelan remarked.

"Good, that means your instincts are working." Sona answered.

Everyone looked at Sona, who they noticed didn't show the same surprise as the rest of them.

"Sona, Rias, and Vali already knew about this for various reasons. The former two's mostly being the result of their older siblings' sister complexes." Lilith explained.

Everyone suddenly chuckled at that, making the duo blush.

"Anyways, back when Ajuka was nearing the final stages of the Evil Piece system's beta phase, he created pieces based on the King because he wanted to shake up the rules of Chess. These pieces were given the power of supercharged boosts that would exceed the Queen Piece's. However, that's when we realized the problem with them... the boosts were too powerful."

"Sure, you might say why didn't we weaken them if that was the problem? Truth is we did, but it didn't matter. The usual enhancement was tenfold, and could reach a maximum of a hundredfold, so Every attempt to fix it wouldn't work. It was like they wanted to be that way, and as such... we had no choice. I ordered them to all be scrapped, and decided to let the Queen Piece give a similar enhancement in a way that would inspire teamwork and wise choices."

"Unfortunately, during the process of destroying them, and as you can see with the one I'm holding... the Elders got their hands on a few. There's a total of nine that still exist in this world, and I got this one from Diehauser, who's working under me as a double agent. Another three were distributed by Zekram to others, and we've managed to confirm Loki had one of them, which has now been destroyed. As for the last five?"

Lilith sighed, knowing this would crush most of the Devil Youths.

"Excluding Diehauser, who's never used his because he's _that_ strong... everyone above Rudiger in the Top 10 cheated their way there with a King piece, just so the Elders could line their pockets with game results they had control over." Lilith revealed.

They all gave horrified looks.

"You mean, they're using the Rating Games... for profits!?" Iolava screamed, nearly breaking the couch with his grip.

"Afraid so, and... they have every attention to keep it that way, no matter the sacrifice. It's why I've chosen to tell you about it, because if you hear this kind of stuff from me, the Elders can't do anything to write you out of the picture without raising suspicion." Lilith confirmed, her voice showing her regrets.

Tightening her fist, she closed her eyes as she looked down.

"It's why Diehauser is helping me act as a mole, because... they're the reason his niece never got to see her parents." She said with teary eyes.

"Wait... you mean Cleria Bael was-" Seekvaira gasped.

"Their relationship was never the factor of their deaths. If anything, it was a way for us to promote peace, just as the union between Shemhazai and a Devil from the Paimon Clan. Worse, during the meeting Lucifuge took in my place, she made a worse discovery... the Church didn't even know how Yaegaki died, so the Elders killed both of them of their own choice." Lilith confirmed, holding her shaking hands.

Eneely broke her glass, getting everyone's attention as Iolava stared at her bleeding hand, the Vassago Heiress not even noticing the pain due to her building rage.

"Those bastards... I knew it, they did kill my grandfather! They lied to my family!" She screamed angrily, tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry Eneely... I knew he was innocent, but I'm powerless to stop them. If I tried, then I'd be made an enemy of Hell, and they'd spin things in ways that would only help the Anti-Maou Faction recover. Heaven can't help either as we don't have evidence to Yaegaki being killed by Devils. The only way we can stop this, and the only way we can avenge the lives they ended?" Lilith apologized, bowing in forgiveness.

"Vali has to win the Tournament, which means facing us and any ways they try to hinder her efforts of winning." Amalya realized.

Most of the group looked at her, making her blush in response.

"She pretty much said it, her dream is the one among everyone's here that will ruin them. Not to mention, all of our Dreams could come true if she won, like Sona's school. The entire tournament... it isn't just her helping us get stronger for future threats, but her making a bet on our future." Amalya explained.

Lilith rose her head, nodding to verify her claims.

"I can't ask you to give up and let her win... no, it's more accurate to say I need you to give everything you have as she tries to beat you. Vali needs to show everyone by beating all opposition that she can do this." The Devil Queen stated.

"But... is that really possible? Even if some of us believe, how is that enough to-" Seekvaira questioned.

"We're not alone." Lilith interjected.

Everyone looked at the Mother of all Devils, who didn't change her expression.

"There are others out there that know the truth about the Elders, only refusing to say anything out of fear, and leaving them unaware that a majority of Devils are their allies. Her victory would finally let them stand up, because that victory will destroy the walls that have been forcing them to lie." She shouted.

At that moment, everyone gasped as the Devil Queen laid on the floor, bowing to them.

"I know I don't have the right to ask you this, because even if I couldn't stop their efforts, I still let 2000 years of pain just let their influence grow to this level, but... please lend us your strength! Let us finally free Hell, so it can be what my husband truly wanted it to be! The freedom that Lucifer built our land upon!" Lilith begged.

Hearing this, all of the heirs gave looks of support, either smiling or nodding.

"My little brother was always been one for breaking rules, so why not break the ones the Devil Queen wants me to break if it means avenging the ones that even allowed him to die?" Ereilie agreed.

"I'm not letting them get away with killing Eneely's grandpa, so you can count me in too!" Iolava exclaimed.

"You know we're already on your side." Sona smiled.

Hearing their words, Lilith teared up a bit, smiling at all the Devils Youths before her.

"All of you... thank you." Lilith sniffled happily.

Wiping her eyes, she took a deep breath before getting back on her feet.

"I'm fairly sure the Elders will be more careful with what they do from this moment on, possibly trying to rig matches so the Devils with dreams that are easier for them to manipulate will win, all while trying to make Vali lose. As such, you even if they can't kill you for it, you need to act like I never said a word about this." Lilith warned them.

"Right!" Everyone agreed.

Vali smiled, putting out her hand out in the air. Quickly following that, everyone else did the same.

"For the freedom of Hell!" Issei shouted.

"For the freedom of Hell!" Everyone repeated.

Right at that moment, Kunou suddenly ran into the room, nearly tripping over as her panicked expression was seen.

"Kunou? What's wrong?" Tiamat asked.

"T-the armor you brought home? I just saw it moving!" Kunou screamed, clearly terrified.

"What!?" The twin Dragons shouted.

Lilith paled a bit, looking at everyone before waving her hands. Everyone quickly gulped as she followed Issei and Vali to where the armors had been kept, with the two Dragon Kings following them from behind.

Needless to say, when they arrived... they were all shocked, but no one more so than the latter two.

"No... it can't be..." She gasped.

* * *

Listening to a magic circle was Jingu, who gave a pissed off expression at what Hades just told her.

"That useless deity... he just had to mess up." She growled.

Dispelling the magic circle, she walked away to meet with the rest of the Ancestral Faction Elites, as Cao Cao had called for all of them to meet up. One she arrived, she saw that Cao Cao, Georg, Leo, Sieg, and Heracles were already present.

There was another face that showed themselves there as well was someone who resembled Bikou. He was Perseus, the ancestor of the Greek hero he was named after.

"Perseus? I thought you were with the others?" Jingu questioned, surprised he was here by himself.

"The others were able to handle the rest, so they had me go ahead to let you all know they were on their way." Perseus answered, explaining his sole presence.

"Ah, that makes sense." She remarked.

Right on cue, the sight of a shadowy mass formed on the ground. The one who came out was revealed to be a boy dressed in a black school gakuran, having black hair tied into a ponytail. The color of his eyes was unknown, as he wore some wicked shades over his eyes.

"Ah, looks like they're doing really well. Nice of you to join us Connla." Leo smiled.

"Guan Yu has a certain way of finishing things, and things were going well enough that neither of us needed to." Connla replied

He walked up to Cao Cao, whispering in his ear.

"It seems the Red Dragon Emperor has a sister on her way to Kyoto, so I don't think we can act anytime soon. We may have to wait for the Tournament's Semi-Finals at this rate." He explained.

"Good point, we'll hold ourselves back a little longer." He agreed with a nod.

As that was happening, Jingu stared at his backside.

* * *

Homura was seen sleeping on the truck, smiling as she dreamt of something that made her happy, unaware it wasn't moving anymore. The truck driver scratched his head as he tried to check the engine.

"Little miss, wake up." He shouted, nudging her shoulder.

"Hmm...?" She mumbled.

The redheaded Heroine got up, showing a tired look on her face.

"My engine got shot, and I don't know how long it'll take. Thought it might be a good idea to wake you in case you felt it was best to walk from here." He explained.

"Really?" She replied.

She groaned, deciding it was best to walk the rest of the way. Pulling up her GPS, she input her location.

"Osaka's not too far from here, right?" She asked.

"Shouldn't take you that much longer, but either way? Have a nice trip back." The truck driver replied.

Grabbing her suitcase, Homura waved goodbye as she continued to Osaka.

* * *

Issei was so convinced he may have fallen asleep that he had pinch himself just to verify he was clearly awake.

Considering the result of what he was seeing? Well, anyone having the same reaction would be justified, because where the DxD armors once stood was... Ddraig and Albion in their human forms!

"Holy freaking shit!" The Sekiryuutei finally exclaimed.

Ddraig grunted a bit as he stretched, revealing his appearance was like that of Issei's, but with some differences like his father's variant on the Sekiryuutei's form. Albion gave a weak whimper as she got up, rubbing her eyes as her appearance followed the same conditions that her mate's body did.

"Ow, why do I feel so sore?" Ddraig grunted.

"I know, my body hurts everywhere." Albion replied.

Right after saying that... they took a few seconds to realize they just _felt_ something. Opening their eyes, they saw the human forms they had once used, and then looked at each other.

Putting a hand to her mouth before her eyes teared up, Tiamat took a step forward before she lunged ahead, grabbing Ddraig in a tight hug.

"Ddraig, you're... and I'm... I can't believe this." She sniffled, hugging him tightly.

"A-Albion... I can't... breath!" He gasped, raising a hand up.

Lilith ran her hands through her hair, with her left eye twitching in confusion at the supposedly impossible scene before her.

"I don't get it, what's going on here!?" Lilith begged.

In an instant, she rushed to grab Shuriliu, making the Asmodeus Heiress spin a bit as she let her go.

"Alright, alright! I'll take a look!" She said, her eyes slightly dazed.

She activated her Perfect Vision, gathering information on what she saw, then looked at the twin Dragons.

"Can you bring out your Sacred Gears?" She asked.

"Sure thing." Vali replied.

Both brought out their signature gauntlets, which is when she noticed a strange path between them.

"Hey, Ddraig? Albion? I want one of you to close your eyes and act like you're talking through the Sacred Gears." Shuriliu requested.

"Uh... OK?" Ddraig replied, closing his eyes.

 **["I did it, so what do you... hey, wait a second!"]** Ddraig asked, then realized what he was doing.

Everyone jumped back a bit, while the Asmodeus Heiress' eyes widened.

"Shuriliu?" Lilith inquired nervously.

"Well, best answer I can give you? I think that whatever caused Issei and Vali to use the DxD forms again when they shouldn't have? It caused Ddraig and Albion to split away from their respective Longinus, yet still leave a remnant of their consciousness within." Shuriliu theorized.

Lilith's eyes widened at that, looking at the two before looking at Shuriliu again.

"So, you're telling us they're no longer sealed away in their Sacred Gears, but still linked to them?" Lilith inquired.

"Pretty much." Shuriliu confirmed.

"OK, that's... totally not weird whatsoever." Lilith replied with a slight shiver.

The Asmodeus heiress shrugged her arms.

"Well, I'd say this works as a win-win. Issei and Vali still have the power source of their Longinus, and the beings that are said power source are now free. Not to mention the new connection means both sides will be able to call on the other if they ever need something." Shuriliu remarked.

Looking at the two again, she read their current strength.

"Even better? It looks like the two are as powerful as they were when sealed, so while it might be best to hide this fact from everyone? We've got a secret weapon hiding here." She added, giving a tooth grin.

Issei blinked a bit before smiling, nodding his head in agreement.

"I agree, the two of them deserve the chance to have their happiness once again." He replied.

"We're happy for you two." Vali stated to their partners.

At that moment, all of them left the room. Once the two Heavenly Dragons were alone, giving the two Dragons a chance to make up for the last two millennia, both crying tears of joy as they did.

* * *

Meanwhile, having finally reached the top of Mount Meru, the Trimurti watched as Susanoo finally showed up. He panted on the ground, feeling a bit parched.

"Remind me again why Amaterasu sent him instead of Tsukuyomi?" Shiva inquired.

"Not sure, but I think it had something to do with his laziness being a... benefit for this meeting?" Brahma shrugged.

The Shinto God of Storms walked up to the three.

"Sorry for the delay, I know I'm a little... OK, a _lot_ late." Susanoo apologized.

Vishnu cleared his throat, making the Storm God chuckle.

"Ignoring your inability to be punctual aside, no need to have share any fancy speeches or such from the Alliance, we've already made the decision to join because... one of our own is acting in ways we don't like." Brahma replied.

"Whoa, seriously? What made you so willing to accept that easily?" Susanoo questioned in surprise.

"That's the scary thing, it's Indra... he's seriously amassing a large army against Shiva because he still refuses to believe he lacks a hidden motive." Vishnu answered.

Shiva sighed, recalling how Indra began acting when the Christian Pantheon reunited.

"Actually, it might be best if you send this message over to the Alliance for us, because... this is what truly made us decide we can't let him continue on like this." Brahma requested.

"What is it?" Susanoo asked worriedly.

Brahma took a deep breath, and recalled what Indra told him and Vishnu the other day.

* * *

_Indra stood before the two Trimurti he wasn't targeting, and began saying something with a dark look on your face._

_"Those two are getting quite powerful, and fairly dangerous. A Hakuryuukou born of the Lucifer bloodline, and a Sekiryuutei that's a Hero who can use God's signature ability? Not to mention they destroyed the curse of the Juggernaut Drive? At this point, what they're becoming will end up being a problem." Indra stated, showing his usual vanity._

_"Indra, just what are you implying!?" Vishnu demanded._

_Indra chuckled, giving a dark look on his face._

_"Simple. There's only one person who truly has the right to the name of Heaven. and that happens to be me. As such, if the newly crowned Dragon Emperors grow enough to become a threat... I'll kill them myself." Indra revealed._

_Both of his fellow Gods widened their eyes in horror._

_"Are you crazy!? The last thing we need is to instigate another conflict, especially with your view on Shiva!" Brahma yelled angrily._

_"Which is why I'm the only smart one compared to you idiots!" Indra smirked._

_Both of them were appalled by that insult._

_"Let me tell you something you fools... all of the factions that are saying 'Peace', and 'Negotiation'? That's just a front. Deep in their minds, they're thinking that their mythology is the strongest, and others should just be wiped out like the shits they are. Those who don't think that? They're just old farts that have become naive from old age, and will quickly die out." Indra chuckled in a terrifying manner._

_"Just how many Gods do you think exist that fell so low because their religion invaded another's territory, and took away their believers, while lowering the beliefs they had towards them? You should just look back on each mythology, because regardless of how accurate or inaccurate they are, Gods are beings who are more honest with their feelings than humans."_

_Indra walked off, laughing to himself as the two took time to fully register what the worst of the Worst Gods just said to them._

* * *

**And that's it for Loki! Finally, after who knows how long most have had to bear with it, one of the Worst Gods has been extinguished from this world, and through Issei's signature weapon no less. No wonder it's considered a God Slayer. Also, Vali's finally gotten her power up that comes from Lilith's heritage, and it's a good one that's also let her create her equivalent to the Crimson Flare.**

**Lilith's also finally shared the truth to the Devil Youths who qualified for the tournament, and now they're all in. From here on out, no one's holding back as they bet on Vali and her team managing to overcome them. Quite the interesting twist, but like Lilith said, she needs to truly prove herself to those who are afraid to share their honest selves because of the Elders messing things up.**

**We also saw Yumina fight for the first time, and boy am I happy I chose this set of abilities for her. In hindsight, it's also a good thing I didn't have her present for the fight with the Juggernaut Chimera, as using everyone's shadows to empower her own? *chuckles* Yeah, that battle would have been way easier if she was there, and that would have lessened the intensity I managed to give it.**

**This is also why Yumina's not in Vali's peerage... at least, not yet anyways ;)**

**Not to mention... surprise! Ddraig and Albion have managed to, which Shuriliu implies wasn't intentional on our twin dragons' part, split their bodies from their Sacred Gears! This has made the both of them very happy, as after they got sealed, neither expected they'd ever get to physically hold each other again. They'll be the Ophis' in the story for now, as with such a development, it's better the Elohim Mansion hides them.**

**From this moment, things will start to escalate because we're getting closer to the Finals! That, and the choice to make this a trilogy has heavily inspired some new ideas in me. The next arc will be called the: "Journey to the Finals" arc, which is a mixture of the remaining Rating Game matches and events such as Homura finally meeting with Issei, the Student Council elections, among other things.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

* * *

**Bust Size of New Female Characters** **:**

**Veves Furfur - 98 cm**

**Albion - 110 cm**

* * *

**Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter** **:**

 **【** **Outrage** **】** **  
An ability exclusive to Dragons, but not those with Dragon-type Sacred Gears, that only activates when the threshold of their rage is breached. The Dragon is given incredible strength, and that power won't fade until the target of their rage is destroyed.**

 **【** **Refraction** **】** **  
The bloodline ability of the Crocell Clan, which allows the user to create a golden hexagon that redirects any attack that hits it into another direction. Liban uses this ability to reduce almost any chance of abusing the Gravity Jail's main weakness.**

 **【** **Airborne Aviary Assault** **】** **  
The bloodline ability of the Furfur Clan, which allows their magic to split into birds that connects with their senses, and use magic along with them. This spell's nature also works well for recon, and attacking in locations the user normally wouldn't be able to attack from.**

 **【** **Malevolent Multiplier** **】** **  
The bloodline ability of the Uvall Clan, which allows them to create up to 50 multiples of the same spell, as long it's offensive or defensive in nature.**

 **【** **Nightmare Amassing** **】** **  
The bloodline ability of the Barbatos Clan, which gives them incredible strength that puts them as one of the strongest Devil Clans in terms of physical power.**

 **【** **Overflow** **】** **  
The special ability of Lilith, and has since been inherited by Vali. It allows the user to use their body's natural limits to amplify their strength to unbelievable levels.**

* * *

 **Pairings List** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating  
Ddraig/Albion - Married  
Tiamat/Fafnir - Married  
Ophis/Great Red - Married  
Saji/Sona - Dating, and is Saji's main love interest  
Saji/Momo - Dating  
Saji/Ruruko - Dating  
Gasper/Valerie - Dating  
Kiba/Tosca - Dating  
Hina/Nanami - Dating  
Shuriliu/Coriana - Dating, and is Shuriliu's main love interest  
Shuriliu/Her Peerage - Dating  
Rias/Akeno - Engaged  
Rossweisse/Vidar - Engaged  
Sairaorg/Kuisha - Dating  
Jeanne/Cao Cao - Dating**


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You'll notice a character named Ineelana from here, who was the OC that I originally had in the spot of the Leviathan Clan's heir, who I then chose to replace with Ingvild upon her reveal.
> 
> The revision stopped before I could apply her changes to every revised chapter.

**Welcome to the 8th arc everyone! The time to bring the Rating Game Tournament up to its Final match is here, as well as bring in some other events, such as Homura finally meeting her big brother, the successors Rias chose to eventually take over the ORC, and the elections for the new Student Council! There's plenty of other events that haven't been hinted at that we'll see, so keep a sharp eye out.**

**There's also going to be some much-needed development for some characters, especially Asia, who really needs it due to literally being stuck on healing whenever a major situation comes up. Back in the Riser arc, Tiamat mentioned the troubles in teaching her defense, and with the opponents she'll have to eventually face without the others, she needs to learn how to actually fight back.**

**Oh, and as a little bonus to peak your interests without revealing any spoilers? In this arc, I've got a few things planned that you'll probably be surprised to see, but will really get your blood pumping once you finally see them... at least I think it will, as I'm not sure how that works when you apply it to writing ^^; *chuckles* Trust me, they'll be exciting at the very least.**

**Now, the one part about this arc I like the most? It's everyone's guesses on who Vali's opponent for the Semi-Final, and who among Sairaorg's side of the tournament brackets will be the one Vali meets in the Championship Match, end up being right. For the former, she's either facing her predecessor in running Kuoh Town through Rias, or one of her fellow Maou heiresses through Leelexe.**

**For her potential Championship opponents, there's the remaining three Maou heiresses through the flirty Shuriliu, the sweet yet often hungry Niruili (who'd be a challenge if she can defeat Sairaorg) and the determined Ineelana, all of which have good abilities that work well against her being a wizard-type. Then there's Sairaorg, who we already know well, along with his peerage, but faces a challenge in the Maou heiresses having a chance at beating him.**

**Without further ado, let us begin today's chapter.**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

 **[]** \- Ddraig Talking

 **«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

 **「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

 **【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

 **⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

** The King Piece **

**A very dark stain on the history of the Devils, and the Evil Pieces. Back when Ajuka was in the final stages of the Evil Piece system, he created a piece based off the King in an attempt to help shake things up in the Rating Game, which he didn't want to be like normal Chess. The ability he granted to them was a stronger version of the boosts granted by Queen Pieces, and things were fine at first, but...**

**Very quickly, it became apparent to Lilith and Ajuka that everything behind the King Piece was starting to go very wrong. Where the Queen Piece gave a powerful version of the benefits given through a Knight, Bishop, and Rook in one, the King Piece did so at a massively larger scale. The boosts given by them were heavily amplified, being as small as simply 10 times a Queen Piece, but as high as 100 times, depending on the Devils that were using them.**

**Despite his best efforts, Ajuka couldn't fix it, as if the entire King Piece itself was incredibly bugged, so Lilith gave an order to completely axe them from the Evil Piece system, banning their usage outright. It didn't take long before all the King Pieces were gathered to be destroyed, and Ajuka to create a better implementation of giving a peerage's King a boost, creating the synchronization between them and their Queens.**

**It didn't take long before the King Monument was built, and the knowledge of the King Pieces was erased to the public. Unfortunately, as Lilith would quickly discover... she found that not all of the King Pieces had been destroyed, as the Devil Elders managed to get their hands on a few, which they quickly used to manipulate the games to their advantage.**

**What was meant to be meant for sport was quickly turned into a profit for them, giving away five of the King Pieces to the Devils that would claim the 2nd to 6th Ranked spots in the Rating Game's Top 10. Lilith tried to steal them back, but to her horror, they managed to force her into a situation where she couldn't act without putting her life at risk, forcing her to only keep them at bay.**

**Upon seeing this, the Devil Elders made things even worse for Lilith, and she eventually faced something even she couldn't act on... their purging of anyone that learned the truth of the King Pieces. Like many other things they kept a death grip on, she was powerless to do anything, with the worst incident being the murder of Cleria Belial, who they easily covered up through her relationship with an exorcist.**

**However, hope ended up forming when Diehauser became the guardian of Cleria's newborn daughter, as she hid the truth within her daughter's bundle, giving Lilith an ally. Using this, Diehauser infiltrated the Elders' ranks, pretending he didn't know the truth of Cleria's death, and was given his own King Piece, despite he's never actually used it.**

**Through his act as a mole, he learned there are a total of nine King Pieces that the Elders managed to save from destruction. Aside from the six held by those within the Top 10 Rating Game players, three of them are in the possession of the Worst Gods, who seem to be aiding them. With the death of Loki, his King Piece has been destroyed, leaving only eight.**

**One major difference between the King Pieces is that they're the ones that aren't absorbed into the owner, due to the problem that would come it. As such, they must be held to be used.**

* * *

**_ Season 4, Journey to the Finals Arc: Chapter 1 - The Next Stage _ **

Noticing the sky was starting to turn orange from the sunset, Homura checked her GPS, and soon found a place she could stay for the night. Instantly calling the number she found, and quickly getting a reply.

"Hi there, my name's Homura Akane, and I'd like to know if I could book a room for the night." Homura asked.

"Thanks, I'll be there as soon as I can. Just look for a girl with long red hair carrying a silver suitcase." She smiled.

Hanging up, she began walking towards the inn she booked out.

"Alright, here we go." Homura exclaimed.

She rushed towards the inn, causing a few who saw her to be surprised by her speed, unaware she was actually limiting said speed to human levels.

* * *

The faction leaders were all gathered together, where Susanoo shared the information he gained from the Trimurti, and Brahma verified himself. Needless to say, the reactions every one of the faction leaders present gave upon hearing it?

If you called it them being furious, pissed off beyond reason, or seething volcanoes... they'd say that was too weak to define their level of anger and rage to his words.

"Are you serious? Indra actually made that kind of threat, to kill Issei and Vali simply if they get too strong!?" Cassiel shouted, slamming her hands on the table.

"Yes, do tell us again Brahma... did I really hear you say what I think you did?" Lilith questioned, her expression entirely dark.

"I'm afraid so, Indra told me and Vishnu that very claim in person." Brahma answered.

The main leader of the Hindu Pantheon sighed, crossing her arms.

"I'm afraid there's no one to blame aside from my pantheon, and our strength. We've been built up so high, and worse... it doesn't help that aside from us Trimurti, he's also among the Top 10, especially after he defeated Vritra all those years ago. To take on someone alone leagues above him at the time, and then technically win? He has every reason to believe he's more than he really is." He gritted his teeth.

"Yeah, I see why he'd think that, though I'd have only praised such a victory if had _slain_ Vritra, and for good no less. All that bastard's doing is singing over false praise." Lugh sighed.

"Regardless, his threat's still too real, and we can't risk acting on it." Ra groaned in dismay.

Michael nodded his head, giving a worried look.

"I agree, he wouldn't hesitate to cause discord among our factions if he needed to, just as Loki recently attempted. However, it's his lack of fear, and his strange morality that terrifies me most." Michael remarked.

Lilith gritted her teeth, getting Brahma's attention.

"Lilith, if there's any weakness that Indra has, then it would be his extreme vanity. If your daughter and her lover were able to slay Loki, I have hope that they can do it again. However, they will need time, and that's time I can buy through having Shiva move around and divert his forces." Brahma offered.

"How would that help?" Azazel inquired.

"Because he's still insistent on Shiva intending to annihilate everything, so I'm fairly sure he's a greater priority." Brahma answered.

He closed his eyes, exhaling for a brief moment.

"Not to mention, for reasons neither me or Vishnu can get out of him... he says he owes God and Lucifer for showing him this world could live." Brahma stated.

"Wait, huh?" Lilith blinked in confusion.

"I don't get what that means, but during the Great War, I'm fairly sure Shiva was there around the time they died. After he came back, he stopped wanting to follow his purpose to end the world. I'm fairly sure he'd be willing to aid his daughter, and someone that inherited God's power." He explained.

Scratching her head for a moment, Lilith simply shrugged.

"Alright, if you can buy us time. I honestly worry to defeat him, there's only one solution, and that's unlocking... _that_ power." Lilith replied.

Everyone gasped at that, realizing what she meant.

"Their god slaying breathes? No wielder has managed to achieve that, do you honestly thing they can do it?" Zeus questioned.

"I think she's got the right faith in them. After all, how many people can say they destroyed the Juggernaut Drive?" Amaterasu smiled with confidence.

Hearing that, all of the leaders murmured at the thought.

"Well, guess we'll need to put our faith in them once again." Azazel chuckled.

Right at that moment, Izanagi and Izanami teleported into the room, getting their daughter and son's attention.

"Hey mom, dad. You need something?" Amaterasu inquired.

"Yes, it's your sister." Izanagi replied.

"She's been getting a lot of reports from the Youkai, and it finally made her pass out. Both of you need to get back before the Shinto Faction gets swarmed from the info she can't manage." Izanami explained with warning.

Both of them widen their eyes in worry.

"Oh boy, we've gotta go!" Amaterasu panicked.

Grabbing her brother, the both of them left with their parents, making everyone blink at the odd event they just saw.

"OK, didn't expect that from my first Alliance meeting." Brahma blinked.

"At least it was interesting." Mephisto chuckled.

* * *

Inside of the inn she booked at, Homura was sitting down drinking some tea as she relaxed.

"It sounds like you had a long journey." A woman who poured her tea smiled.

"Yeah, I walked a long way here. Seeing all the sights was fun." Homura replied.

"Feel free to take all the time you need, and use the hot springs if you'd like." The woman offered.

Homura's eyes suddenly sparkled, having been unaware they had hot springs at the inn. Needless to say, the moment those words fully registered in her mind, she quickly went to take a dip in them.

* * *

The following day, everyone was cheering in the Rating Game stadium as the next match was going on. However, due to various circumstances, which was clearly Devil Elders' interfering for their benefit, Vali and Aariliyn's match was happening before Rias and Leelexe's.

As Lilith put it, they were betting on Vali losing through having no time to recover from the battle with Loki, knowing that Aariliyn didn't push herself as much in the battle.

_[Vali Lucifer: 5 | Aariliyn Mammon: 6]_

Hina slammed her hand on the Rating Game arena's floor, changing the ground into a sand trap as some of Vali's peerage felt themselves slipping inside. Irina quickly spun her sword, slamming Excalibur on the ground.

" **Destruction!** "

The sand exploded, flying towards Hina as she used her arms to shield herself, and coughed from the dust that formed.

Shizuku formed a water barrier, letting Sylvia rush in to move her out of the way.

**【** **Naud** **】**  
**This match has more ups and downs than a teeter totter, and I bet it's all because of the three Longinus wielders fighting, as well as the two Maou heirs clashing!**

**【** **Kunou** **】**  
**Uh... Naud? I think you've already mentioned that around 3 times already?**

The Rating game announcer suddenly froze up, blushing in embarrassment. The entire crowd suddenly laughed at the young Kyuubi's remark.

**【** **Naud** **】**  
**Back to the game everyone!**

Hina jumped back towards Aariliyn, both of them panting a bit.

"Come on, Hina... time for us to go for broke!" Aariliyn declared.

"You've got it!" Hina replied.

She shouted as she thrust her hands out, sending a tone of vines towards Vali's peerage.

A huge explosion of dirt went up, followed by Vali rushing ahead towards the duo, and prompting the Mammon heiress to swing her hand across the ground.

" **Terracotta Rush!** "

Thick rock formed across the ground, launching at the Lucifer heiress... who smirked at him.

" **Black Hole!** "

Vali formed a gate using her Primal Abyss, sending the attack behind the duo, and causing Hina to be hit by it.

"Hina!" Aariliyn screamed.

"Forgive me, Aariliyn..." She apologized, retiring after she finished.

**【** **Naud** **】**  
**Lady Aariliyn's Queen. Retired!**

Aariliyn gritted her teeth, and prepared to attack Vali.

" **Smashing Avalanche-** "

" **Dragon Cataclysm!** "

Vali unleashed her Primal Abyss, making it take its Dragon form, but this time?

It was huge, having both arms and wings!

"Wait, what the hell!?" Aariliyn panicked.

The Dragon lunged at her, making her scream as it slammed right over her. In just a few moments, Aariliyn fell onto the ground face first, her eyes spiraling to signify her defeat.

**【** **Naud** **】**  
**Game Over! The winner of the match is Vali Lucifer!**

The crowd cheered at the result, while the Elders looked angry from their spots.

Vali smiled, soon feeling everyone in her team that hadn't retire huge her.

"We did it, we're heading to the Semi-Finals!" Vali cheered.

"Leelexe or Rias? Hit us with everything you've got, and we'll return it twofold!" Issei exclaimed.

The Elders grumbled at the sight, walking away.

"Loki's attack made everyone more intense in their matches, so why aren't they able to beat her?" Zekram glared, soon following the others.

* * *

At the Akane Mansion, everyone cheered as they hit their drinks together.

"To Vali's victory, and progression into the Semi-Finals!" Shun cheered.

"Cheers!" Everyone shouted.

They all began sipping their drinks, with Ddraig guzzling down an entire gallon.

"Where does he put all that?" Issei asked with a twitching eye.

After he had finished, he instantly belched out loud enough that everyone that was near the house outside saw it rumble, making them blink in surprise.

"Ddraig..." Fafnir sighed, face palming in response.

"What? It's a party, so let's live a little!" He exclaimed.

"Bet I can beat that." Tiamat challenged.

Everyone flinched at that, while Albion shook her head in response.

"How primal you two are." She remarked.

Vali gave a worried laugh, and looked at Albion to distract herself from the belching contest that just began.

"So, uh... Albion, how's things since the body split happened?" She inquired.

"Hmm... well, it seems I can't use any of my powers whatsoever, not to mention my power is at best double that of Sairaorg's. I'm fairly sure the same is true for Ddraig." The White Dragon answered.

"Do you think you'll ever get them back?" Issei asked.

"We know we will, it'll just require us to finish our Resurrection Cycle, which is an entire decade for the two of us. It'll likely have our Dragon forms regenerate from within us as well. Case in point, it's not too hard to claim that our Dragon bodies currently within you are just part of the gauntlets' gems." She answered.

That surprised the crimson-haired Hero.

"Wait, so that ability to resurrect isn't just specific to your bodies?" Issei questioned.

"Nope, what lead to Fafnir becoming my familiar had to do with how at the time, he was revived earlier than he should have been, so he ended up being really tiny." Vali explained.

"I reincarnated in 40 years due to the Norse Pantheon's aid, when it usually takes me and Tiamat around 50 years." Fafnir remarked.

Issei turned his head, taking a large gulp of his drink.

After finishing her drink, Rias cleared her throat, getting everyone's attention as Akeno walked by her side.

"Everyone, after long consideration, Akeno and I have made our decisions on who will be the next President and Vice-President of the Occult Research Club." Rias announced.

That caught everyone's attention, making them turn to face the two.

'Who's she going to pick?' Tosca wondered.

'This is nerve wrecking!' Ruruko thought.

'Let's see if my guesses are right.' Bikou smirked.

After letting a moment of silence pass, the redheaded Devil finally revealed her answer.

"Lead the club well... President Kiba, and Vice-President Jeanne." Rias revealed.

"Yes, I won the bet!" Issei cheered.

Bikou paled as he lowered his head, handing $500 to Issei.

"Look at that, we're twin leaders now." Jeanne giggled.

"Seems so." Kiba replied.

Tosca cheered before glomping her boyfriend, knocking him to the ground to Jeanne's panic.

"Tosca, a little gentler next time..." Kiba pleaded.

Tosca chuckled embarrassingly, getting off of him.

"Sorry about that." She apologized, rubbing the back of her head as she did.

Everyone laughed at that a bit, including Tosca and Kiba.

"Well, since this little party's over Vali reaching the Semi-Finals, how are you planning to handle things when you face Leelexe?" Saji inquired.

"Good point. After all, Leelexe is able to create any non-living or living thing in numbers or size depending on her overall magic. Add that to her being an Ultimate-Class Devil, and she's not gonna be an easy win." Vali agreed, smiling a bit.

Lilith put a finger to her chin, recalling her one Rating Game.

"And then you have her peerage to consider. There's that one fairy, Yuuki, who deals a fast and powerful strike we saw her use against Seekvaira for one; her queen's a mutation piece; her only Bishop can storm the entire field with magic; two of them can regenerate; and finally, her sole Pawn has powers over the mind." Lilith mentioned.

Rias flinched for a moment, not wanting anyone to realize they just damaged her confidence.

"Well, I have a few plans in mind. For one, after seeing Ineelana use my ability during her first match, I've been inspired to make a new attack with it. Not to mention, I've got another surprise in waiting." Rias stated, struggling to keep her prior expression.

"I have something in the works myself." Akeno giggled.

"Gaspy and I have something we're preparing ourselves." Valerie winked in response.

Everyone got some chills upon hearing that, considering it was said by the wielder of a Longinus, and the wielder of one of the current Longinus candidates. Hoping to distract herself, Tosca looked at the two Heavenly Dragons.

"Hey, mind if I ask you two a question?" She inquired.

"Shoot." Ddraig replied.

"Your parents are siblings, so that mean you two are cousins, right?" Tosca asked.

"Nope, we're not related whatsoever." Albion replied, waving her hand for emphasis.

This confused a few of the group, minus the wielders of their Sacred Gears, who they already told at some point during their Summer Break.

"Let us explain. Our parents are basically siblings in the sense of fraternal twins taken to the extreme, being born from a similar concept, so they don't really share any genes aside from a slight connection. Because of that, when both of us were born, we weren't related like our parents." Ddraig explained.

"Uh... you sure that works like you're telling us? I'm fairly sure that's what Izanagi did when he created the Shinto Trio." Kunou questioned.

"There's a difference there. In their case, Izanami gave a lot of her power to Izanagi, and he used both to create them, which is why Izanami counts as their mother. Not to mention, they all came from parts of his face when he washed himself, so they have a general place, despite their powers are tied to different things. When you hear Illusion of Dreams, and Nothingness of Infinity..." Albion clarified.

Hearing that last bit, everyone started to make sense of things.

"Yeah, I guess that's like trying to say jelly and jam are as different as they are related." Bikou remarked.

"Uh... weird analogy there Bikou, but I guess that works?" Le Fay replied with a sweat drop.

Yumina did her best to not break out laughing as a result of hearing that, her cheeks puffed as she held her gut. Luckily, her willpower won the fight, and didn't break down in laughter.

"It's almost like your parents are their own Trimurti." She remarked, breathing out the rest of her subdued laughter.

"How would that work? There's no third member, not to mention that Great Red only matches Brahma's authority over creation, and Ophis only matches Vishnu's authority over balance." Kuroka questioned.

Ddraig cleared his throat, getting everyone's attention.

"Actually, that's not entirely true. My dad's power comes from dreams, meaning the destruction could be based on the aspect of nightmares, not to mention he's considered the Dragon form of Satan in the bible, the one that could end the world? Is that not destruction?" He clarified.

Hearing that, the Black Nekoshou chuckled a bit as sweat dripped down her face.

"Yeah... let's go with that." She quickly agreed.

Once that was finished, a clapping was heard from Shun, causing everyone to turn towards him.

"Since we have that out of the way, I believe now would be a good time for me to bring this up." Shun suggested.

"Bring what up?" Vali asked.

Looking at the Lucifer heiress, the patriarch of the Akane Mansion smiled a bit.

"That at this point, you can't rely on Asia to just sit on the sides to heal when you need her to. The time has come that you _need_ to have her learn how to fight." He answered.

Asia gasped at that, shaking a bit.

"I know it's scary Asia, but look at it like this. You've already been in two Rating Games where people will have noticed that you're the team's healer. Worse, the things Diodora did shows that it isn't hard for a Devil to realize you have no combat ability." Shun warned her.

Sanae sighed, and nodded her head in agreement.

"My darling's right about this. Even if he's honorable, Sairaorg's peerage will know you'll lessen their chances of victory, and mark you as one of the first if not the very first of Vali's peerage to take out. Rias here isn't going to let that chance slip by herself. Most of all, the Maou Heirs know Vali well enough that they could plan again you. In other words, every possible opponent you could face in the Semi-Finals and Finals will turn you into the team's liability if you can't change that now." She explained.

"I... I..." Asia stuttered.

Issei put a hand on her shoulder, getting her attention.

"Asia, there are ways to fight without seriously hurting your opponent, and you still haven't learned the defensive spells that Tiamat wanted you to learn. I think we can find you something that will fit who you are." He smiled.

Looking at her older brother figure, the former Holy Maiden took a deep breath, and nodded her head.

"A-alright... I'll try." Asia promised.

"That's the best we can ask you to do." Issei smiled, ruffling her hair a bit.

Shun nodded his head.

* * *

Issei stood next to Asia, the blonde haired ex-nun sweating a bit as she tried to avoid moving her body, letting Issei guide the movement of her arms.

"Now, listen closely Asia, the one key factor for any form of martial arts is that it represents the excellence of one's self, treated what you've learned as an extension of your body, and then ask it who you really are. These are all vital because you must use it to protect others, be both the sword and the shield." Issei explained.

"O-OK" Asia nervously replied.

Kunou blinked a bit, soon looking at Vali.

"How long has Issei known martial arts?" She asked.

"About as long as I've known you, since he asked to learn some after I began my training journey. It was even his original way of fighting before realizing his calling with a sword. Now, he only uses it when a sword is a no-go, or a bad choice." Vali answered.

"Oh, like how you rarely fight physically?" Kunou realized.

Vali nodded her head, looking back at Asia's training.

"I'm honestly surprised that we were so easily able to convince her to learn any offensive techniques." Irina remarked.

"I'm not." Ddraig replied.

Everyone looked at him in surprise.

"He's right. You all remember what happened with Diodora, don't you? Not only was she kidnapped so easily, not only could she not fight back, but she was used for a trap. Not to mention, Diodora told her she had her kicked out intentionally. I think all of that finally made her start to consider how she's the weakest link of the team. Even without being told, she's already realized a team is as powerful as their weakest member." Albion explained.

It took a moment, but it slowly came to everyone how it had been so easy.

Asia didn't want to be a burden, to be the only one who couldn't help her friends while they were fighting, much less have someone take advantage of her weakness to be the cause of her friends getting hurt... all of which was what Diodora's kidnapping of her had been.

"She realizes now that compared to Valerie and Hina, she's just an ordinary healer. Find the potential I can tell is hidden within her. After all, this isn't the first time I've seen someone grow stronger to fight someone that themselves or others believed they could never match." Ddraig stated.

"Who was the first?" Yuuma asked.

"Vritra, how about you explain this... while you confess?" Albion suggested.

Hearing that, everyone looked at Saji, confused by what the White Dragoness was talking about, causing the Evil Dragon King to sigh.

 **«"Simple, the confession is... while I'm definitely a Dragon King, that doesn't make me the strongest Evil Dragon."»** Vritra confessed.

The heiress of Sitri nearly fell over from hearing that.

"W-wait, you mean you're not really the 9th Strongest Being in the world?" Sona exclaimed.

 **«"Uh... that's not something I can really answer, because that requires more info than I actually have on hand. Just look at the context by the standards of Evil Dragons alone."»** Vritra replied.

Sona blushed in embarrassment, causing Saji to pat her back.

"The Dragon that we're referring to is the most infamous one from our land of origins. While the world was a lot different back then, and we didn't really know as such, Albion's considered the White Dragon tied to England, while I'm considered to be the same red Dragon tied to Wales." Ddraig continued.

"However, there was a third Dragon, one tied to Ireland." Albion said in response.

At that moment, Balor realized what this was about, and appeared as his eye on Gasper's shirt.

 **«"Ah, of course... you're talking about the Dragon I was once the master of, Crom Cruach."»** Balor quickly realized.

Closing his eye, the Evil God remembered the Dragon that once served under him.

 **«"Yes, I remember now. There was a time prior to the Great War, a day he challenged you both to a battle, which I assume is why Vritra took the claim of being the strongest."»** Balor remembered.

"Oh yeah, that he was. Where I was known for my strength and instinct, and Albion was known for her defense and intelligence, when he challenged us to a 2-on-1 match? What made him dangerous was his incredible speed and focus... not to mention an achievement belonging to him alone." Ddraig responded as he closed his eyes.

At that moment, he began to remember.

* * *

_Ddraig and Albion unleashed their respective elements against Crom Cruach, who rushed past them easily, and then easily slammed his claws against their heads, smashing them into the ground with destructive force._

_"Gah!"_

_"Ugh!"_

_The two Heavenly Dragons tumbled back a bit, right as the Black Dragon with golden eyes, and a few golden accents across his skin, charged at them again._

_"Is that all you have!?" Crom Cruach demanded with a mighty yell._

_He rushed at the two again, showing the incredible speed that outmatched their own, forcing both of their eyes to widen in response. Roaring loudly, their bodies lit up to signal the use of their ultimate abilities._

_" **Blazing Inferno of Scorching Flames!** "_

_" **Freezing Miasma of Erasure Venom!** "_

_Crom's eyes widened as the flames and venomous mist that could destroy Gods hit him, leaving him to scream in response._

_However, in just mere seconds... he swung out his arms, and unfolded his wings. From afar, Balor's eyes widened as he gave the same reaction as the two Heavenly Dragons, unable to believe what he saw._

_"Did... I really just see that?" Balor questioned._

_While there were clear signs that Crom had taken damage, it was very minimal, and that alone gave him something that he alone would ever be able to claim._

_That he took the Heavenly Dragons' god slayer breaths, wasn't immune to it, and yet... he survived._

* * *

As Ddraig finished his reminiscing, everyone that wasn't Balor or Albion gave expressions of shock.

"He survived those attacks!?" Irina exclaimed in shock.

"That's right. With that act alone, Crom Cruach proved to the world how powerful he truly was, though no one ever found out because the moment Balor died, he went completely off radar." Albion confirmed.

Ddraig opened his eyes, looking at the ceiling as he exhaled a small breath.

"If it wasn't for the fact he didn't have any real abilities beyond that, he'd have really become well-known like we had. Either way, he's still incredibly powerful... and likely waiting for the right time to return." Ddraig remarked.

Saji soon looked at his hand, with Vritra having a good idea for what he'd be asking.

 **«"Yes, it's exactly what you're thinking. Such a feat? It was very likely Crom would have been considered close to, if not a third Heavenly Dragon, had that been public knowledge. I decided having even the word there could be a third Heavenly Dragon enough that when he vanished, I made myself seem like the pinnacle of Evil Dragons for his own safety."»** Vritra confirmed.

"Makes sense, considering how things went with Ddraig and Albion during the Great War." Saji understood.

Trying to regain his focus, Issei lowered body back into a normal position, and then grabbed two strike pads.

"Asia, it's time for the next step. I want you to try those moves on me." Issei stated as he hit the pads together.

"Uh..." Asia replied nervously.

Vali walked up to her little sister figure, giving her an encouraging smile.

"Don't worry, just focus on actually hitting the pads more than how hard you hit them. We're focusing on finding the right style for you." She reminded her.

Pausing for a moment, Asia took a deep breath, and then slowly began trying the technique that Issei had just shown her. In just a few seconds, the Red Dragon Emperor felt her strikes hit land against the pad.

However, when he felt the hits she was throwing his way... something felt off to him.

'I don't get it? She's serious about learning how to fight with us, I can feel it... she's not giving it her all. Something's still holding her back. Just what could... be...' Issei thought.

Right as his thoughts ended, his eyes slowly widened as it came to him.

_'One day, I found an injured man, and healed him without knowing he was a Devil. The moment people found this out, they told me anyone with such a power... was a heretic." Asia's voice echoed._

He felt like he should mentally slap himself for not realizing something so obvious.

'How did I not see that! Even if she had gotten over that, all that progress had to have been shattered when Diodora let her know it wasn't an accident, and her intentionally made her get excommunicated. I bet she's been keeping a strong face, and hiding how much it's actually been hurting her.' Issei sighed.

Issei lowered the strike guards, causing Asia to trip into his arms.

"Vali, I need to tell you something... privately." Issei requested.

"Uh... sure thing." Vali replied, a bit surprised by the sudden request.

Following him to part of the hall, Issei whispered everything he realized to her, nearly making her jump back from the surprise.

"Issei, are you sure?" Vali asked.

"I do. To be honest, after having realized it, I'm even wondering if this has been the case before. I can't really prove it, but considering how easily she can cry over us..." Issei answered.

Vali paused for a moment, then lowered her head with a sight.

"I hate to agree with something like this, but I remember that while prepping for the Sports Festival... Asia told me that she didn't regret Diodora back then... only for him to do what he did, and brutally tell her how what she thought was saving his life was really his act to selfishly ruin it." Vali reluctantly agreed.

Unknown to the duo, Irina had followed them, and heard what they were saying.

'If I remember right, it was the Vatican Church that Asia served under, which would mean...' Irina thought.

Irina gasped as she bopped her fist into her hand, getting an idea.

'Yes! If he was able to get Tosca here, then I bet he has a way to help Asia!' Irina thought happily.

"Hey Issei, Vali?" Irina called out.

The two jumped in surprise, and turned to see Irina walk towards them.

"Sorry for eavesdropping, but I think I know someone who might be able to help Asia." Irina revealed.

"Really?" Vali asked surprised.

"Yeah, it's-" Irina answered.

Before she could say it, all three of them heard an alarm go off on their phones, which was also happening to the rest of the group that attended Kuoh Academy. They all looked at them to see the reminder they had set for themselves.

"Hold that thought, looks like it's time to vote next year's Student Council." Issei remarked.

* * *

The scene changes to Kuoh Academy, where everyone was gathered to hear the speeches of those running for Kuoh Academy's next Student Council, giving them one last chance to sway people to vote for them.

Currently, the speeches for the Treasurer, Secretary, and Vice President had been made, leaving only a single speech left for those running to be Student Council President. That last nominee was none other than Saji.

"And that's why I want to leave something behind at this school. I've grown a lot in the time I've been here and under the Student Council, so I don't just want to leave behind proof that I was once here, but proof that I've helped this school continue to thrive after I graduate, and look back on it years later. Everyone, if you vote for me, let's make Kuoh Academy an even greater school together!" Saji announced.

As his speech ended, everyone clapped before he walked off the stand, and Rossweisse took his place.

"Everyone, we've heard all of our candidates' thoughts, reasons, and goals as possible council members. Now, it's time for all of you to decide who you want to represent our school, and cast your votes." She announced.

Everyone took their sheet slips, and punched out those they wanted to vote for.

There were a few people that the MHC, ORC, and current Student Council didn't recognize, but they all made the same five votes for their friends, punching out Reya and Ruruko for Treasurer positions, Tomoe for a Secretary position, Momo for Vice President, and Saji for Council President.

"Good luck you five." Vali whispered encouragingly.

After a few minutes, everyone had finished punching out their choices and placing them into the tally machine. Once they were all inside, Rossweisse turned them all, letting the machine decipher how many picked each option, then print them on a result slip.

"Alright, here we go. For the three positions of Student Council Treasurer, we have..." Rossweisse announced.

"Reya Kusaka!"

Reya sighed in relief before smiling.

"Ruruko Nimura!"

Ruruko gasped at that, then quickly flashed a toothy grin.

"And Miraka Vordenburg!"

A female student with silvery hair smirked in response, almost as if she expected her victory was guaranteed. For some reason, Valerie and Gasper stared at her, getting the strangest sense of familiarity from the girl.

"Next up, for the three positions of Student Council Secretary, we have..."

"Tomoe Meguri!"

Tomoe gave a silent fist pump, mouthing a 'yes' in response.

"Tadami Kado!"

A female student with a somewhat regal look to her face smiled upon hearing that, bowing in gratitude.

"And Ryuuta Nakiri!"

Hearing that name, Vali's eyes widened, and turned her head.

Upon doing so, a certain student looked towards the Lucifer heiress, and gave her a small wink. That's when Vali recognized him.

"No way, Ryuuta is... Ouryuu?" Vali whispered.

"Wait, huh?" Bikou blinked.

With the minor positions filled, Rossweisse cleared her throat, getting everyone to go silent.

"Now for the main event, the new Vice President of the Student Council is..." The teacher announced.

Hearing that, Momo tightened her hands, feeling sweat bead down her face.

"Momo Hanakai!"

Hearing that, Momo smiled for a bit, and then finally collapsed from the stress, while Reya, Tomoe, and Ruruko all gave her a group hug.

"And now, last but not least, the new Student Council President is..."

Time felt like slow motion to everyone she prepared to say the name of the new President, with Saji breathing heavily from the stress of anticipation.

'Did he do it?' Sona wondered worriedly.

'Is it Saji, or is it someone else?' Issei thought.

Everyone stared as the tension grew from the silence, and then... Rossweisse said it.

"By a single vote, it's Saji Genshirou!" Rossweisse exclaimed.

Saji's face widened in shock, while Sona realized which single vote had made the difference, one that may have not been made if he had run for this spot a few months ago.

"I... I won." Saji whispered to himself.

With that, everyone soon began clapping to congratulate the chosen members of the new Student Council.

Sona's eyes teared up heavily, and she rushed up to the stage before she tackled Saji to the ground, surprising the holder of Vritra at how excited his girlfriend was.

"Whoa! Easy there, Sona." He chuckled.

"I can't help it, I'm so proud of you!" Sona cheered.

Taking a cue from her sister, Sona kissed Saji on the lips, making him heat up from the sudden surprise. Upon seeing the sight, Saji heard Vritra laugh so hard, he'd probably bust his lungs from the laughter.

After breaking the kiss, she looked him in the eyes.

"And to make this special, we're gonna celebrate in a way we should have done since we got together." Sona smiled.

"What's that?" Saji asked.

"Going on a date." She replied.

He blinked a bit, realizing that she was right, and they actually hadn't gone on a date yet.

"I can't believe we forgot about that." Saji realized.

 **«"To be fair, you did get together in what may have been your demise at the hands of the Juggernaut Chimera."»** Vritra reminded him.

He mentally nodded, realizing that was a fair reason to forget.

* * *

As everyone began walking home, Irina was finally explaining to Issei and Vali what she had been trying to prior to their phones alerting them about the Council Elections.

"Vasco Strada? Yeah, I think I've heard of him before. He was the previous wielder of Durandal." Vali replied.

"I may need more context." Issei chuckled embarrassingly.

Irina giggled at that before looking at the host of the Ddraig.

"He's a very old, yet still active member of the Church, having taught Xenovia to use Durandal when it was revealed she was able to wield it. Tosca even mentioned when she needed to get to Kuoh Town, he was the one who made it possible." Irina explained.

"Basically, like your mom, he's a living legend, just not as known beyond the church.

"And you're thinking he might be able to help with Asia?" Issei asked.

Irina nodded her head.

"I can't guarantee anything, but if there's anyone with a good chance of helping her, then I'm sure it would be him." She confirmed.

"Guess it's better than nothing." Issei replied.

"I'll contact my grandma, and she can let the Vatican know you're coming." Irina offered.

"That helps a lot, thank you." Issei replied with a smile.

Walking closer to Issei, Vali leaned to his ear.

"Since the rest of us will need to keep focus on the tournament, you'll have to go with her by yourself." She whispered.

"Right." Issei whispered back.

Immediately after that, he turned to directly look at Vali.

"Oh yeah, Vali? Let me know if my parents hear my sister's finally back." Issei requested.

Vali giggled in response.

"Alright." She replied, a slight giggle still in her voice.

* * *

Deep within the forest of the Asmodeus Clan's land, a large lake could be seen, including a running waterfall. Unlike most bodies of water, it was fairly lukewarm instead of the expected cold one would feel when submerged in it. Right now, the lake was occupied by three women, which were none other than Shuriliu and the two women of her peerage.

For the other six of her peerage that were men? Kazuto, Ikki, and Ayato were all trying to avoid seeing the girls, but struggling to do so. Lubbock and Guiche, being much more perverted in nature, were peeping on them willingly. As for Elfman, he was setting up a barbecue stand and the food for it.

"Ah, while I may like visiting the Paimon Clan's hot spring, there are times where a normal soak is just as nice, if not better." Shuriliu sighed happily.

"Yeah, we so needed this before our next match." Yoko agreed.

Turning around, the Asmodeus heiress looked at the rock that a certain trio of boys trying to be chaste were hiding behind.

"Ikki! Kazuto! Ayato! I already told you that I don't mind any of my peerage's men staring at me, nor do Fate and Yoko." She shouted.

They all felt their eyes widen, gulping a bit.

"N-no, we're fine!" Kazuto exclaimed.

"What he said!" Ikki agreed.

Shuriliu giggled a bit, fully turning to face the rock.

"Come on, what's wrong with admiring a beautiful woman like myself? Are you saying I'm not pretty?" Shuriliu inquired with a hurt look.

Due to the tone of Shuriliu's voice, the three guys all felt their faces flush a bit.

'Those three are such fun to tease!' She giggled.

"Everyone, I got the barbecue set up! Like a real man!" Elfman shouted to them.

Shuriliu laughed again, finding how Elfman always said that to be quite adorable and grabbed her towel.

"Alright everyone, time for some lunch!" She announced.

Yoko and Fate got out of the water, grabbing their towels, while the boys all walked over to Elfman. Using a quick magic spell to cloth themselves, the girls quickly joined the boys as the food was placed on the grill.

"This looks great!" Lubbock said excitedly, grabbing a skewer.

Everyone began eating, and as they did, Shuriliu cleared her throat. Knowing what it was about, everyone motioned to their King.

"Alright everyone, this is the strategy I want us all to know for our upcoming match. As you all know, Ineelana is considered to be Sairaorg if he traded muscles for magic, so the bar for winning this match is very high." She began.

"That's right, we've already seen her use powers like the Power of Destruction for one." Kazuto recalled.

"And I know of at least two others. She has the fires of the Phenex Clan, allowing her a weak level of regeneration, and the power of lightning she got from one of Jequn's former Vile Pieces." Shuriliu added.

"What else?" Ikki inquired.

Looking back at the Qualifier race for the tournament, she remembered how crowded it was, and got a good idea of how many Devils that Ineelana could have touched.

"She got a large portion she was able to touch without anyone noticing during the qualifiers, so I'd say she's got at least a dozen more. The only ones I know she didn't get were mine, or the other Maou heirs, as those are powers she can't copy." Shuriliu answered.

The Asmodeus heiress soon turned back to her entire peerage.

"Anyways, it isn't just Ineelana. Almost ever in her peerage has either a hidden ace, or some kind of dangerous power, with Nanami being the worst due to being the Telos Karma's wielder." She continued.

"That's right. We have Stella, who's incredibly strong, and can use her immunity to her own fire to mend a broken bone without the need for a healer. Yumi's got that trump card, that transformation we saw in her first match. Ophelia's got her miasma, and she can control it like its physical, making it versatile. Finally, there's Mine, who's Sacred Gear fires stronger shots based on how much of a pinch she's in." Lubbock summarized things.

"Murasaki's also a problem, but for a different reason." Shuriliu mentioned.

Everyone looked at her, confused by what she meant.

"Well, you see... Murasaki is the owner of a Cursed Gear." She revealed.

"She is?" Yoko replied in surprise.

"Yeah, and it's a much nastier one than what you saw from the one Sona's Knight had. This one amplifies negative power to a dangerous level... think a small-scale nuclear bomb made of negative emotions." Shuriliu confirmed, explaining further.

Right as she said that, Guiche realized something.

"That's why she's had minimal involvement so far, because Ineelana doesn't want to risk her using it." He stated.

"Right. For that reason, don't engage Murasaki unless you absolutely have to, and try to incapacitate her at best." Shuriliu warned.

Everyone nodded, now realizing the danger of attacking her carelessly.

"Now, here's the strategy I have for us." Shuriliu continued.

* * *

At the Akane Mansion, the sight of Issei and Asia getting their back packs ready was seen, right as Gabriel's cross manifested in the room.

"It's good to see you, Lady Gabriel." Asia bowed.

"A pleasure to see you as well, Asia." Gabriel greeted.

Looking at Issei, the female Seraph gave him a slip of paper, making him blink a few times.

"This is the ID you'll need to let the Vatican know you have permission to visit. While it is a hassle, we can't risk a Devil from the Khaos Brigade sneaking in under the claim they're with us, especially after Diodora." Gabriel explained.

"Fair enough." Issei replied.

"So, are you two ready to go?" She asked the duo.

Asia gave a nervous look at that question, but Issei grabbed her shoulder, helping her to calm down.

"Yeah, we're ready to go." Issei confirmed.

Asia still looked scared, and Issei gave her a reassuring look.

"Let me guess, you're terrified?" Issei asked.

"Petrified seems like the better term, I... don't know what'll happen." Asia admitted.

Issei smiled at her, rubbing her head.

"It's alright to be afraid, I'd be more worried if you weren't. That's what it means to face your inner demons." Issei reassured her.

Shun walked by Asia, looking at her.

"Let me give you some advice Asia, one I know from experience. The first step is always the hardest. As a result, once you take a step, each one after will easier than the one before." Shun encouraged her.

"O-OK." Asia nodded.

Smiling at the scene, Gabriel held out her hands, forming a magic circle.

Taking a deep breath, Asia walked into it with Issei, and they were both sent to Italy, where the Vatican would await them.

"Good luck you two." Shun stated.

After saying that, Shun saw a magic circle form, and quickly looked to see it was Amaterasu's.

"Hey there Ami, what's this about?" He replied.

"I've got good news for you." Amaterasu replied.

Listening in, Shun's eyes widened in response, looking at where Issei was as he realized the horrible timing that just happened, but in a good way.

* * *

**I'm pretty sure that last line is enough to tell you that Homura's gonna become a regular in the story fairly soon. Anyways, for right now, I think most of you noticed that unlike chapters before this, I'm favoring wrapping a few things up over story progression. Remember, a while back, I announced this story has become a trilogy, so this arc is a chance to focus on things specific to this part of the trilogy.**

**Oh, and since we're on the subject of the trilogy. I think I'll announce this now. The last two seasons for Legend of the Heavenly Dragons will be double the length of those before it, which have all been around 10 chapters overall. The reason for S5 will be revealed in the S4 finale, while Season 6 is just incredibly long in general because it's the last part of the trilogy's first story.**

**For right now, we're about to have some development with Asia in the form of her doing something that I wish canon had done, but only vaguely touched on through Vol 19's events... Asia facing her past by returning to the Vatican. There was a lot of potential they could have done, and while I'm somewhat OK with how they gave Asia a minor power up through Fafnir, it still feels like they didn't do as much as they should have.**

**Now, to explain why I chose Kiba and Jeanne to lead the ORC after Rias and Akeno graduate? In canon, Kiba was named the new Vice President, and since Asia's not here, I figured Jeanne fit by sheer fact of being his sister, and with how I've presented her in the story. Also, congrats to all the Student Council members who ran again, they all made it to the new council!**

**Anyways, it looks like all the Quarter-finalists are preparing themselves, with Shuriliu knowing she can't take Ineelana wisely, especially with the risk of dealing with a much more volatile Cursed Gear. Now, for why I only showed the ending of Vali's match with Aariliyn? Because the only major match with Vali I'll be showing in this arc is her Semifinal match, or another way to put it, the focus is focused more on everyone else's Rating Games.**

**Lastly, now we know that like canon, the strongest Evil Dragon actually is Crom Cruach, and Vritra just made a lie that everyone believed so they'd think it was him because... Crom may be strong enough to qualify as, or make people assume he's a third Heavenly Dragon... a Black Dragon Emperor. *gulps* For how I go with this? Well, can't really say, canon and my own thoughts may influence this, considering how Ddraig and Albion were born in this story.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

**A/N: Since they've finally shown up proper, I should mention that Nanoha and Fate are at their StrikerS age and appearance.**

* * *

** Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter ** **:**

**None**

* * *

** Pairings List ** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating  
Ddraig/Tiamat - Married  
Albion/Fafnir - Married  
Saji/Sona - Dating  
Gasper/Valerie - Dating  
Kiba/Tosca - Dating  
Sairaorg/Kuisha - Dating  
Rossweisse/Vidar - Chemistry is clearing forming between them  
Hina/Nanami - Dating  
Jeanne/Cao Cao - Jeanne has a clear crush, while Cao Cao's feelings are unknown**


	36. Chapter 36

**Welcome back everyone, and I'm glad that the flow in last chapter didn't go weird due to the focus shifting for this arc. Now, back from where we left off, we're about to see Issei and Asia visiting the Vatican Church, the next match of the Rating Game tournament between Rias and Leelexe, a date between Saji and Sona, then finally, Homura waiting back in Kyoto to meet her family, meaning Kunou's got an excuse to see her big sis.**

**Now, for those who are wondering, since I probably should have said this last chapter, you might be ready to ask me how soon should we expect to see Asia able to actually help fight with everyone. The answer to that? It'll actually be as soon as the next match, but I can't say why that's the case as doing so would be a spoiler. Let's just say the moment you see a certain thing, you'll know what I mean, and where I'm going with her.**

**Admittedly, it'll be a while before she fully settles into her new strength level, so it isn't going to be noticeable right away. I'd say it that with where I'm going right now that Championship Match of the Rating Game Tournament is the latest this will happen, while the earliest could be somewhere in this arc. It honestly depends on where I go, and it might not even be her strength, but her realizing how to fight without giving up who she is.**

**There's also one other thing I should mention while I'm at it. Asia's not the only one getting a power up, but unlike her major one, this is more minor in nature. Having been very strong by sheer nature of being the Vali Team in a peerage, I haven't made Le Fay, Arthur, Kuroka, or Bikou any stronger (ignoring Le Fay's new wand) since they first appeared, as they honestly didn't need to get any stronger.**

**However, just like with Asia, they'll shortly start needing to see they need to level up beyond mere training, as she, Yuuma, Irina, and Mio will be quick to overshadow them otherwise, especially as soon enough, those three will advance another level as well. I don't know when their upgrades will apply, though it will either be in this arc, or during the events of the Kyoto Arc, since facing the Hero Faction is a good opportunity for it.**

**So, with all of that said, it's time to get this chapter started!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

 **[]** \- Ddraig Talking

 **«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

 **「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

 **【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

 **⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

** Blazing Soul **

**An ability tied to the Akane Family of the Hero Clan, born of the blessing given to the original Akane Hero by Amaterasu, which makes it the most powerful of the powers bonded to the Heroes. Like most abilities tied to the Hero Clan, the power is related to their God's authority, be it direct or indirect in nature, and is related to the sun by the overwhelming force that resembles the intense pressure one would feel from intense heat.**

**The ability's powers manifest in the form of unleashing one's willpower, and turning it into an offensive weapon that can easily overwhelm those it's used on, be it an actual physical strike, or a strong wave that unleashes an authoritative feeling that can easily force an opponent to stand down. The effectiveness of the latter ability depends on the enemy's willpower, and how much damage can be done from the former ability.**

**However, the most legendary aspect of this ability is the fact it was shown to be powerful enough to effectively subdue not one, but two Juggernaut Drives simultaneously, a feat accomplished by Sanae Akane, who states she did this while near the end of her pregnancy with Issei. While there are some who believe this caused Issei to become the new host of Ddraig, the fact it was able to hold down the beings ranked as the Second Strongest is no small feat.**

**Upon being awakened by Issei, he quickly proved that threshold was still not the limit of the ability's power, managing to deal heavy damage to the Juggernaut Chimera, which was an even more powerful force, showing even his inexperience with it had a high level. Although, despite this shows the incredible limits that one's willpower can go manifest through this ability, it's somewhat mitigated by such beings surviving the ability.**

**Regardless of what the power has and hasn't accomplished, this ability will be a great help in any future battles that Issei may face.**

* * *

**_ Season 4, Journey to the Finals Arc: Chapter 2 - Truths and Tribulations _ **

Homura walked out of the train station, a bright smile on her face as she finally returned to Kyoto.

"Finally, I'm back!" Homura exclaimed.

Everyone suddenly looked at her, causing the redheaded Hero to blush in embarrassment, and quickly grab her suitcase to leave the station. After walking for a bit, a certain Goddess with the same hair as her, giving off a sunny disposition through her smile, came into her view.

"Hey there Homura! Glad to see you made it back safely, and had a fun trip based on your little happy moment." Amaterasu greeted.

"Y-you heard that!?" She blushed in horror.

The Shinto Goddess of the Sun began to giggle a bit, making Homura cover her reddened face in horror.

"I'm so embarrassed... for Lady Amaterasu to hear me do that, such shame!" Homura whimpered.

"Now, now. Let's not upset her too much my little sun."

Both of them turned to see the sight of a woman wearing a dark blue kimono with purple flowers marked with light blue outlines, and slight green leave designs around them, wrapped by a yellow sash. Her hair was black in color, tied in a low Japanese bun, held together by a purple flower charm that matched the one's on her kimono, which easily complimented her violet eyes.

"Oh, hey there mom." Amaterasu greeted.

"Lady Izanami..." Homura breathed.

Izanami smiled at her granddaughter, waving her hand as a sign that she could drop the formalities.

"What's up? You usually don't tend to leave the Youkai's Realm, so what's the occasion?" Amaterasu asked.

"While your father waits for Issei to return from an errand to bring him, Kunou, and his parents here, I've asked Tsukuyomi to watch over it for me. Nainen will be joining us shortly, so she can see her sister's been safe under his care. However, for the occasion itself?" Izanami answered.

The Shinto Goddess of Death, or as she was actually known to the Supernatural World, a Goddess of Spirits, gave a slight giggle before continuing.

"Is it wrong that I'd like to meet my grandson?" She inquired.

Amaterasu blinked a few times before she began giggling, joining her mother as she resumed her laughter.

'Those two are definitely related.' Homura chuckled quietly.

* * *

Sitting down in the kitchen, Sanae was drinking some green tea as Shun explained the irony of Amaterasu's latest call. Upon hearing it, she and Lilith, who was sitting at the table with them, both fell into a slight giggle fit.

"She tells us our daughter arrived in Kyoto, just after you saw Issei and Asia off for their Vatican visit? What are the odds of that!?" Sanae laughed.

"Guess that was one cloud that she didn't realize would block her forecast!" Lilith joked.

The trio all began laughing, with the Devil Queen actually falling off her chair, and continuing to laugh on the floor as if she hadn't fell there in the first place.

As that was going on, a magic circle tied to the Shinto Pantheon formed on one of the room's walls, and from it walked an expected guest. The one who came out was a young-looking man with light blue hair that had a small rat tail tied to it, wearing a kimono like Izanami's, but with red and dark as the theme colors, and a pink outline for the flowers. Upon seeing the scene, he gave a confused look.

"Uh... excuse me, but did I miss something?" He asked.

The trio suddenly stopped laughing, with Lilith getting back onto her chair.

"Our apologies Izanagi, we got carried away with some playful humor." Lilith explained.

Blinking a few times, the founder of the Shinto Pantheon took a seat, and poured himself some tea. After taking a sip, he looked at Lilith.

"We haven't seen each other so normally for a while, so how about you tell me about it?" He requested.

"Fair enough. You see, right as your eldest daughter told us Homura was home..." Lilith agreed, telling the Shinto God of Life what just happened.

Soon enough, he was struggling to contain his laughter in the same manner.

* * *

Issei and Asia walked for a while, and soon found themselves in front of the Vatican Church.

"Asia, this is it... right?" Issei asked, looking at her.

"Yeah, this is it..." Asia confirmed.

Issei quickly grabbed their identification, and they walked closer to the church. Upon getting near the church's doors, someone noticed them walk in, and saw Issei holding the ID.

"Let me verify that." The priest requested.

Issei nodded, and held it out to him. Upon eyeing it, the priest saw nothing wrong, or any signs of a forgery.

"Alright, you're clear. Wait for your assigned official to meet with you before going any further." The priest stated.

"Understood." Issei acknowledged.

They walked into the Vatican, and soon enough, the sight of Vasco Strada came into view, causing Issei's eyes to widen as he noticed his aura.

'Ddraig, do you feel that?' Issei asked in awe.

 **[I do, this man is likely one of the most powerful Humans in the entire world, and he's not even in his prime anymore. I bet he didn't learn any form of magic until a certain period, so he wasn't able to prevent his aging until he went past it.]** Ddraig confirmed, defining the power the man before them held.

The Red Dragon Emperor gulped at that, wondering how powerful this man had been in said prime.

"I believe you're Issei Akane, the one known as the Red Dragon Emperor?" Vasco greeted.

"I am, which means you must be Vasco Strada." Issei confirmed, throwing out his assumption.

He chuckled at the teenage Dragon's words.

"You've got spunk kid, I like that. It tells me that Xenovia and Jeanne have been doing well, and that Tosca is in good hands." Vasco replied.

Vasco soon turned to Asia, kneeling down to meet her at eye level.

"Hello there Asia, do you remember me?" Vasco asked.

"Wait, you're... the one who helped me run away." Asia answered.

Vasco smiled a bit.

"You are truly a devout believer, and a gentle girl at heart. I still regret the act of that traitorous Devil who took you away from us, especially now that we've learned he did so intentionally." Vasco said, clear traces of rage in his voice.

Issei briefly flinched, feeling a dangerous aura radiating from the former Durandal wielder.

"So, you didn't agree with her excommunication from the start." Issei realized.

"No, I didn't." Vasco confirmed.

Asia showed some surprise as he stood up, turning to face the wall opposite to the duo.

"When I heard that you were going to be excommunicated, I knew that some may want you dead, killed like the witch you were labeled as. I wanted to help you, but in the end, my efforts were too weak to change anything. All I was able to do in the end... was help you run away, and I am very sorry that was all I could do." Vasco apologized.

"Vasco..." Asia breathed, feeling tears in her eyes.

Issei smiled as he heard that, but knew that for Asia to fully heal from this scar... she needed to go into the Vatican directly. Taking her hand, the Bishop of Lucifer looked at her fellow retainer.

"Asia, the time has come. You're about to take your first step to your future." Issei said.

The Twilight Healing wielder gained a worried look on her face, but it disappeared once she felt Vasco's hand pat her on the back.

"Be strong, you have Issei with you." Vasco smiled.

"O-OK..." Asia nodded.

"OK, here we go." Issei declared.

Both of them walked ahead, followed by Vasco, and officially entered the Vatican Church.

* * *

Within one of the Rating Game stadium's waiting rooms, Rias and her peerage were waiting for the announcement that would start their Rating Game with Leelexe.

"So, I'm about to face off against one of the Maou Clan heirs..." Rias stated, giving a weak chuckle.

"Rias, are you alright? Jeanne asked, worried by her response.

Taking a deep breath, the redheaded Devil turned to her retainers, with the thought of her also redheaded opponent filled her mind.

"I won't lie to you all, part of me honestly wants to run away from this match. However, if I did that, I know how I'd be insulting as a result. So, I guess the question here is will I be able to face that fear to win, or will I crumble and leave Leelexe to defeat me?" She admitted.

Akeno put a hand on her shoulder, getting the Gremory heiress' attention.

"I doubt any of us aren't nervous right now. When we fought Sona, we were fighting another High-Class Devil, but this time our opponent is an Ultimate-Class Devil." Akeno reminded her.

"Yeah, and we still have a good change. We've already seen how one fights through our experiences with Vali. Plus, we recently had our own little boot camp, so we'll at least go down fighting if we can't win." Shirone added.

Hearing that, Rias smiled as she looked at her peerage, who gave her encouraging smiles in return.

"Then to quote what Shirone just said, if we have to lose, then we're going down by fighting." Rias declared.

Right as she said that, the sound of the room's speaker turning on was heard.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Both teams, please head to the stadium. Your match is about to begin.**

"Well, guess that's our cue." Tosca remarked.

They all began walking towards the stadium, where they heard the stadium's crowd cheering for the match that was about to start. Upon walking in, and seeing Leelexe's Team at the East Gate, the crowd went wild.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Welcome all today's Rating Game, where Rias Gremory will face off against Leelexe Belphegor! Due to who these two are, all I can say about today's match is something you're all probably thinking, which is we have a battle of the redheads!**

Rias groaned at that, while Leelexe gave an awkward chuckle.

"He actually went there..." Saya sighed.

"At least it wasn't a tomato joke." Leone snickered.

Once everyone got past the awful joke that Naud had made, which he realized was a bit too cringe inducing after he said it, the Devil announcer cleared his throat to resume the play by play.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Now, for today's special rule, it's... nothing! This match is the classic Rating Game! Quite fitting due to today's special guest, Mephisto Pheles!**

**【** **Mephisto** **】** **  
Yo!**

The field instantly formed, creating a Desert battlefield for the Rating Game.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Now, let the battle... begin!**

Leelexe held up her hand, instantly creating a large smoke bomb to cover the field. Combined with the sand, all of Rias' peerage began coughing, trying to not be blinded by the smoke and sand.

While in the smoke, Leelexe turned to Gowther.

"Quick, link us all up." Leelexe ordered.

"Right." Gowther replied.

Tapping his forehead, he moved out towards his teammates.

" **Broadcast.** "

Everyone felt a tingle, showing their minds were now connected to one another.

"Alright, let's do this!" Leelexe announced,

They all split up, getting quickly getting Naud's attention.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
And it looks like the members of Leelexe's peerage have all split up! Is this some kind of strategy?**

**【** **Mephisto** **】** **  
I think I have a theory, but I can't say, or I'll accidentally give an advantage to Rias.**

Naud had a confused look on his face, having no idea of Gowther's ability like Mephisto did. As the Belphegor team split themselves up, Rias looked to where everyone went, and turned to her peerage.

"Tosca, stay by my side for when we'll deal with her Rook; Akeno and Shirone, go after her Queen; Jeanne and Kiba, intercept her Knights; Rossweisse and Xenovia, focus on her Bishop; while Gasper and Valerie? You take care of her Pawn." Rias ordered.

"You got it Rias!" Everyone replied.

With their assigned targets set, everyone split up to go after their respective opponents, while Tosca formed a barrier around herself and Rias.

* * *

Akeno and Shirone soon ran into Saya, who gave her usual expression as she saw them.

"So, Rias sent the Priestess of Thunder and Light to face me, as well as the White Hellcat. I've gotta say, that makes me feel quite honored." Saya greeted.

"If that's the case, then I hope you don't mind me dealing out some pain as I defeat you." Akeno giggled.

Before she could attack, Shirone held out her hand.

"Shirone?" She questioned.

"Careful, this Queen might be a problem... from what I can sense, she's got a Mutation Piece." Shirone warned.

"Are you sure?" Akeno questioned.

Raising up her hand, Saya gave a slight smile as her body began to glow.

" **Balance Breaker!** "

Akeno and Shirone looked as she began hovering in the air, aiming all her weapons at them.

"So, are you ready?" Saya inquired.

'This could be a problem...' Shirone thought.

Charging up magical lasers, she instantly fired at the two, forcing Akeno to put a magic circle for defense. She was quickly knocked back, surprising Shirone a bit.

"Burst!" Saya shouted.

A dozen magic lasers fired out, forcing Shirone to grab Akeno before it hit.

Once they were out of danger's way, both of the Gremory Pieces prepared an attack, causing Saya to notice electrified flames and a wheel of white fire.

" **Firebolt Strike!** "

" **Kasha!** "

The two attacks fly at Saya, who quickly charged an energy sphere at their attacks.

"Boom." She whispered.

The orb blasted out, and collided with the two attacks, creating such a powerful reaction, the attacks shot up into the sky!

"No way!" Akeno gasped.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Whoa! Even with the power of a Queen and Rook on their side, neither Akeno or Shirone managed to break through her attack!**

Saya readied her charges again, ready to take the two down.

"How can we defeat someone like this?" Shirone questioned.

"I think I have a way, but you'll need to cover me." Akeno suggested.

"Well, it's better than no plan, so go ahead." Shirone agreed.

Shirone rushed ahead, getting Saya's attention as she blasted at her, with the White Nekoshou having to use her Touki to defend herself.

'Come on, hold out! You can't let yourself run out of Chi before Akeno's ready!' She grunted.

Saya blasted even more shots, forcing Shirone to scream as she was unable to dodge any of them, forcing her to take the full brunt of her onslaught.

Luckily, a sadistic smile came from Akeno as she finished laying a paper talisman on the ground.

**「** **Seven Deadly Sins: Perfect Time** **」**

"Mighty beast of fire, and great servant of Suzaku... I ask you to lend me your fragment of the Vermillion Bird's divine flames!" Akeno chanted.

" **Fenghuang!** "

A huge burst of fire burst from the ground, surprising the Queen of Belphegor.

"What is this?" She questioned.

Akeno made a few hand signs, and then shouted as the bird flew forward.

Saya instantly aimed her canons to fire at the fiery bird, causing her lasers to clash with it in an even stalemate. The Fallen Angel of the Himejima clan gritted her teeth, trying to keep her ground against the attack, without either noticing Shirone was out of sight.

"Can't... keep this... up!" Akeno grunted.

"Sorry, but this match is mine." Saya stated.

Right as she prepared to add more power, a strong fist smashed itself into Saya's Sacred Gear, making the Belphegor Queen's eyes widened as she saw it was Shirone's.

"What!?" Saya exclaimed.

"Akeno, do it now! Don't worry about me!" Shirone shouted.

"Shirone..." She breathed.

"If she stays in the game, there's no way we'll be able to win! Retire me with her!" Shirone shouted once more.

Realizing she was right, the Gremory Queen nodded her head, and screamed to unleash her Fenghuang's full power. Saya's lasers were instantly overpowered as the fiery avian shot forward, and instantly retired both competitors.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
One of Lady Rias' Rooks, and Lady Leelexe's Queen. Retired!**

_[Leelexe Belphegor: 6 | Rias Gremory: 9]_

The crowd went silent at the result, while Akeno panted a bit... only to collapse on the ground as she slowly vanished in the light of the retirement system.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

"Sorry Rias, but... looks like I pushed myself too far." Akeno apologized.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Lady Rias' Queen. Retired!**

_[Leelexe Belphegor: 6 | Rias Gremory: 8]_

Hearing that, the crowd gasped in a collective shock.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Quite the surprise... Rias' Queen didn't even seem like she hit her limit, and yet that attack forced her retirement?**

**【** **Mephisto** **】** **  
It must have been something she wasn't ready to use, and only did because had she not, the only one who wouldn't have retired would have likely been Saya.**

Hearing what happened, Rias felt some sweat running down her face.

'Looks like this game got more serious.' She thought.

* * *

Jeanne and Kiba run into Kotori and Yuuki, who looked at each other.

" _Let's do as we planned, you ready?_ " Yuuki asked telepathically.

" _Yeah, they won't know what hit them._ " Kotori nodded.

Jeanne drew out Hauteclere, forming her signature battle outfit around her as she held it out.

"Alright, time the two of you meet my true Balance Breaker!" Jeanne announced.

The two gave looks of surprise.

"Wait, true Balance Breaker?" Kotori repeated.

"That's right, I recently found out what I thought was my real Balance Breaker was a Sub-Species, meaning that the two of you are the first opponents who get to face it!" Jeanne announced.

The crowd gasped in excitement, followed by Jeanne creating holy swords from the ground.

" **Balance Breaker - Blade Knight Mass!** "

The swords instantly shot out, turning into living Knight Armors that charged towards the Belphegor Knights, all of which held the swords they had been moments prior.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Whoa! Do you see that everyone? Those swords became living armors, forming a small army for the Sword Twins of Gremory!**

"Yuuki, get behind me!" Kotori warned.

Yuuki did just that, and the armors dog piled the redheaded Knight of Belphegor, which began to overwhelm her.

" **Sword Birth!** "

" **Blade Blacksmith!** "

The two sibling Sacred Gears unleashed their respective sword wave attacks, instantly sending Kotori flying as they hit.

Upon smashing into the ground, Yuuki gave a worried look, while the twin Gremory swordsmen readied themselves to face her... where they failed to notice Kotori hadn't retired.

"I hope you don't mind, but we'll make this quick, so it feels painless for you." Kiba promised.

Yuuki kept her worried look, until...

" _Thanks for acting, you gave me plenty of time._ " Kotori smirked.

"Oh no, what ever shall I do?" Yuuki wondered.

Her worried look soon became a normal smile, getting the attention of the twin swordsmen... right as they heard a fire burning, and saw Kotori rising back up as her wounds healed from pinkish flames blazing on her form.

"Sorry, but my Sacred Gear just happens to allow me to regenerate any non-fatal wounds I receive." Kotori stated, readying her axe.

The twins put themselves on guard, realizing both of Leelexe's Knights were equally dangerous.

* * *

As he waited in a certain spot, Gowther noticed both of the Dhampir Bishops flying towards him in bat form.

"Hmm... I believe they want to try and surprise me by freezing time where I stand. Therefore, I should make sure to counter before I'm left helpless."

He formed an arrow of light, and aimed it at the two.

" **Rewrite Light!** "

"Gaspy, watch out!" Valerie warned.

Gasper panicked as they flew out of the way, narrowly avoiding the arrows that were fired at them.

"Balor, do it now!"

 **«"On it!"»** Balor replied.

**«"FREEZE!"»**

Time stopped around Gowther, leaving him defenseless.

However, what neither Dhampir realized was Gowther wasn't even anywhere near where Balor had aimed his time stopping effect, as both had been hit by one of Gowther's arrow without even realizing it.

"It looks like I've successfully confused their senses, that's good." Gowther remarked.

Both of them split into multiple bats, and swarmed around the area where the illusionary Gowther was, leaving the real one to simply walk away as he plotted out a strategy to attack them.

However, what he didn't realize was that Tosca had him in his sights.

"Sorry, but you're out!" Tosca smirked.

She fired the arrow, and before Gowther even realized it, the arrow struck through him. He made a silent gasp before he retired, and the rest of his peerage lost their mental link. Upon realizing this, Leelexe panicked a little.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Lady Leelexe's Pawn. Retired!**

_[Leelexe Belphegor: 5 | Rias Gremory: 8]_

Both Gasper and Valerie blinked as they regained their senses, looking at one another.

"What just happened?" Gasper asked.

"I'm... not sure." Valerie admitted.

* * *

Kotori and Yuuki noticed the mental link break, making both panic in response.

"Oh no, they got Gowther!" Yuuki exclaimed.

"We're on our own now..." Kotori realized.

Both of the twin Gremory swordsmen looked confused by what they meant, until Kiba remembered something.

"Of course, that's what their Pawn's ability was." Kiba realized.

Instantly piecing what her younger twin had, Jeanne smiled a bit.

"Then that means we've done the dividing, and now we've gotta finish the conquering." She replied.

Leelexe's Knights saw the twin swordsmen dash towards them, putting them both on the defense.

* * *

Nanoha flew through the sky, holding out her Sacred Gear out as she charged an intense orb of pink magic.

" **Starlight Breaker!** "

A huge beam of pink fired off, prompting Rossweisse to form a barrier, and tanking the blow as it pushed against her defenses. Xenovia stood behind her, readying both her Holy Swords for her signature attack.

"On my signal." Rossweisse alerted.

"Right." Xenovia nodded.

Rossweisse readied her spear, and after focusing her view on the attack she was holding back...

"Now!"

She thrust the spear, tilting the shield to ricochet Nanoha's attack into the sky.

Spinning around, Xenovia jumped into the air, landing on the spear before she spun with more force, and shot the Knight of Gremory into the sky, getting the Belphegor Bishop's worried attention.

"Uh oh..." Nanoha gulped.

" **Cross Crisis!** "

Nanoha was struck by the two energy slashes, flinging her to the ground before she crashed, and disappeared in blue light.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Lady Leelexe's Bishop. Retired!**

_[Leelexe Belphegor: 4 | Rias Gremory: 8]_

Xenovia landed on the ground, panting a bit from lacking any ground to absorb the recoil of her attack.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
While Rias' peerage has more members right now, with how many of Leelexe's team have multiple pieces, I worry her side's using up too much power to defeat them. Mephisto, what's your take on this?**

**【** **Mephisto** **】** **  
I agree. When it comes to Evil Pieces, a full set doesn't always give an advantage. As we've seen through Leelexe's one Knight, it won't matter if the Gremory Team gets burned out before they can gather to fight Leelexe, and we both know why that would cost Rias the match.**

Naud quickly nodded his head, knowing how Leelexe's Clan ability functioned.

* * *

Saji looked in the mirror, double-checking his outfit for the hundredth time.

 **«"Damn... when you Humans say you're preparing for a date, that's anything but an understatement."»** Vritra remarked,

"Of course it is! Being mentally prepared for a date, physically prepared for a date, emotionally prepared for a date, and simply wanting a date are all different things!" Saji panicked.

 **«"OK, now I think you're just over exaggerating things."»** Vritra sighed.

Saji's face went flat at that, making Vritra feel a bit nervous.

"Vritra, remind me again who you your mate is?" Saji inquired.

The Evil Dragon King flinched at that, sweating a bit as he realized what kind of question his partner had asked him... on purpose.

 **«"Oh look, that bird flock looks like a V!"»** Vritra exclaimed, dodging the question.

"I thought so." He stated.

Walking into the room, a certain Sitri Heiress smiled with a blush.

"Saji."

Saji jumped slightly, and turned to face his girlfriend, who was wearing a simply white dress, and some curls to the locks of her hair resting over her ears. It only took a slight look for Saji to give a hoarse gasp, admiring how beautiful Sona looked.

"By how you just reacted, I've either got something on my face, or you really like it." Sona remarked, blushing a bit.

"U-Uh... yeah, right now you look so pretty, that... I mean... oh god, I can't find the words." Saji replied.

Sona smiled, linking her arm around his.

'We're linking arms!' He thought, blushing a bit.

Looking at him with a blushing smile, the host of Vritra was sure his heart beat was growing stronger by the second.

"I've never been on a date before, so... I think we should both enjoy it, without worrying about how well it'll go." Sona suggested.

"Uh... y-yeah, let's do that." Saji agreed, giving a nervous chuckle.

As the two walked off, Vritra began to laugh to himself.

 **«'Oh man, I am _so_ gonna get a ton of laughs from this date by the time it ends!'» **Vritra laughed.

* * *

Rias and Tosca were still in the latter's barrier, and then... the sound of heavy crashes reached their ears. Turning around, they saw Leone giving a toothy smile as she smashed her fists into Tosca's defenses, her body already possessing the lion traits her Sacred Gear gave her.

"Surprise!" Leone chuckled.

"I was wondering where you went, looks like I was right to keep Tosca by my side." Rias smirked.

Leone smirked a bit, clasping her fists together.

"Too bad for you, this won't be enough to keep me out!" She exclaimed.

Giving a loud roar, she smashed into the barrier, shocking Tosca as she began to slowly rip it apart from the damaged spot.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
She actually managed to break through Tosca's barrier, I can't believe what I just saw!**

'This is bad...' Rias sweated.

Realizing her barrier had failed, Tosca instantly clapped her hands together, which made her eyes glow.

" **Balance Breaker - Unbroken Will of Aegis!** "

Tosca tapped Rias, right as Leone managed to strike them... only for both the Gremory heiress and her Pawn to be covered in glowing blue energy that made them look like they were just metallic blue statues.

"What the!?" Leone shouted.

"You won't defeat us, that's a promise to myself, my friends, my team, my King, and... all of my fallen comrades!" Tosca shouted.

Dispelling her Balance Breaker, she manifested the Star of Artemis.

" **Balance Breaker - Infinita Lumen Inlustrem!** "

Everyone that wasn't part of Rias' peerage showed shock upon hearing that Tosca had achieved both of her Balance Breakers.

She intertwined all five of her fingers onto the bow string, then gave it a mighty tug, causing the bow to start contracting. In response, it spread out and split into the shape of a six-pronged star, the middle four-star points creating extensions that branched out horizontally.

"Now fly, my endless arrows of victory... and soar!" Tosca exclaimed.

" **Starlit Huntress!** "

Tosca released a single arrow, and to the surprise of everyone, that one arrow multiplied into what was the equivalent of an entire army of archers firing off at once. Leone screamed as they all hit her, knocking her onto her back... only she didn't retire.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Wait, something's wrong... oh no, did the retirement system fail!?**

Tosca stepped back in horror, only for Leone to start chuckling, and quickly pulled herself back up, still filled with the arrow injuries across her body.

"You really caught me by surprise, but..." She chuckled.

Roaring a bit, her body pulsating as all the wounds immediately disappeared, shocking the entire crowd.

**【** **Mephisto** **】** **  
I see, the retirement system was fine, the problem was she was still perfectly fine. It seems more than one of Leelexe's Pieces has the power to heal after they take heavy damage.**

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Phew... I think in the future, we need our stadiums to alert us if someone's a healer, so we can avoid having a panic attack over situations like this.**

Leone smashed her fists together, focusing on Rias.

"So, you ready to retire and let my friend win this match?" Leone smirked.

"No, I'm ready to reveal the aces you've forced from my hand." Rias answered.

**「** **Rokudenashi Majutsu Koushi to Akashic Records: Sistine and Glenn VS Jatice** **」**

Rias held up a hand, and coated her Power of Destruction around her palm, before it slowly began to pulsate.

"Huh?" Leone blinked.

Tosca looked at Rias, already knowing what she was planning.

"Ever since I stopped being a kid, I've always wanted to do things on my own, and I let my pride get in the way... time and time again. However, in the last two months, I've seen things that have slowly changed my view on what should be done on your own. As of recently, that choice finally made me do something that, had those two months never happened, I'd have never even considered." Rias exclaimed.

"Rias... we believe in you." Tosca whispered, smiling a bit.

Holding out her hand, everyone felt a pressure similar to the one that Sirzechs emitted when using his powers, with even her usage of the Power of Destruction resembling one of his own attacks. From where he was watching, he gave a proud smile.

"I asked my brother and my sister-in-law to train me!" Rias revealed.

The crowd gasped at that, with Leelexe rubbing her eyes to make sure she hadn't fall asleep without realizing it.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
W-w-what!? Did I actually hear that right, or am I crazy!?**

**【** **Mephisto** **】** **  
No, we all heard it... it seems the Gremory Heiress is finally growing up.**

Rias gathered more power from her hand, before making a giant sphere of her signature power, and then launching it forward. Leone instantly tried to flee, but the attack exploded, sending a storm of small spheres at her!

"Aw crap!" She panicked.

" **Maelstrom the Conquering!** "

Leone screamed as they all hit her, and she was instantly retired by the onslaught.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Lady Leelexe's Rook. Retired!**

_[Leelexe Belphegor: 3 | Rias Gremory: 8]_

The crowd instantly began to cheer again, with Rias smiling a bit.

"Looks like this won't be going like how I expected, but that was a given when you took out Gowther." Leelexe remarked.

**「** **Insert Song Paused** **」**

Everyone looked as Leelexe appeared from within the sands, and forcing Tosca to ready her bow.

"Stand down." Rias ordered.

"Huh?" Tosca blinked in surprise.

The two redheaded heiresses stared each other down, with Leelexe smiling.

"So, you make it sound like your Pawn was the vital piece in your strategy." Rias remarked.

"I'll admit that, after all, my battle style is go with the flow. That means in a Rating Game, we need someone that can keep my team connected beyond those magical headsets." Leelexe admitted.

Right after saying that, she pointed a finger towards Rias.

"Despite that... after hearing what you've said? I think it's only fair we settle this heiress to heiress. Let us both show the fruits of our labor, because right now, I want to prove to myself I can win against a power like yours!" Leelexe requested.

Rias blinked a bit, and smiled a bit.

"Alright, if you want such a battle, I'll give you one." Rias agreed,

**「** **Insert Song Resume** **」**

"Thank you, Rias Gremory." Leelexe smiled back.

The crowd went wild at that declaration, with Tosca moving away from the two, wanting to respect her King's wishes.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
This is it, the two Kings are going to make this a fight to the finish! Now, let's see which one will be left standing of this duel, which redheaded Devil will still be standing at the end!**

"Let's do this!" Leelexe exclaimed.

Holding out her hands, a multitude of her clan's magic circles appeared.

" **Create Dreamer - Flying Fiends!** "

Each circle materialized a flying creature, which dove at Rias.

" **Extinguished Star!** "

Instantly charging her signature attack, Rias fired it at the creatures, which instantly shattered.

Leelexe used the opening to move into Rias' blind spot.

'So fast!' Rias thought.

" **Create Dream - Endless Spears!** "

She formed a multiple of spears, and they instantly flew down towards the Gremory heiress.

" **Vanquishing Shroud!** "

Rias created a wind of her POD to make a small shield against the spheres.

"Alright, time to finish this!"

Leelexe screamed loudly as she used her clan's signature power to its limit, creating a giant drill, and then screaming to make it launch forward.

"Please, this technique I've poured all my efforts into... give me victory, and prevent my defeat." Rias begged, taking a deep breath.

" **Aura Break!** "

Rias screamed as she unleashed the limits of her power, before gathering all the Power of Destruction energy she could into her signature shape and then slammed it onto the ground below her.

" **Cataclysm Wave!** "

Right after saying that, a tsunami of her signature power burst out of the ground, resembling a black/red ocean wave! Everyone gasped at that, with Leelexe realizing it resembled how Ineelana used it in her match.

"Did she create this from when she saw Ineelana use her powers!?" Leelexe realized.

"This is it, Leelexe!" Rias shouted.

"We'll see about that!" Leelexe replied.

Both attacks clashed with one another, and both sides stared as they tried to see which one would come out victorious.

After a few minutes of their clashing forces... Leelexe saw her drill crack, making her gasp. Taking this opportunity, Rias screamed, pushing all the power she had left, making it smash through the entire drill, and strike Leelexe.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

"Sorry Vali, but... looks like I won't get to face you." Leelexe apologized.

She instantly vanished under the retirement system, getting the attention of her two Knights, who realized they had lost.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Game over! The winner of this Rating Game is... Rias Gremory!**

Hearing this, the entire crowd went wild, making Rias give a tired pant.

"I... won..." She smiled, slumping onto her knees.

Finally feeling her fatigue overwhelm her, the redheaded heiress of Gremory fell to the side, and promptly passed out.

* * *

Back at the Vatican Church, the group of Issei, Asia and Vasco walked in to see Dulio sharing some food with the church's orphans. Once they came into view, the Joker of Spades recognized them instantly.

"Ah, hello there Asia, Issei! I didn't know you'd be here." Dulio greeted.

"Neither did we." Issei chuckled.

Seeing the two talking, all of the kids blinked innocently at the two, prompting Dulio to smile at them.

"Everyone, this is Issei Akane, the Red Dragon Emperor I've told you about. Come and say hi." Dulio smiled.

Hearing that, the kids all rushed over to Issei, making him chuckle a bit.

"What's it like having a Dragon inside you?"

"I wanna be like you when I grow up!"

"Can you tell us a story?"

Issei rubbed the hair of the children, then took the time to answer their questions.

"To answer those questions in order? It's like having a voice in your head that's actually real, go ahead if that's what you want, and I can't tell you one." Issei answered, apologizing to the last kid.

"I've fought with Issei once, so I could tell you one that has both of us." Dulio offered.

The kids all looked to Dulio with excitement, and began cheering.

"They really adore you, don't they?" Issei asked.

"Yeah, and I consider them all my little brothers and sisters. The same is true for every church that has kids like them." He replied.

Vasco smiled as he heard that, and the kids all jumped on the Zenith Tempest wielder.

"Oh, forgive my rudeness. Is there a reason you're visiting?" Dulio asked.

Issei blinked a bit, remembering why they came.

"Yeah, you see..." Issei replied.

He whispered the rest into Dulio's ear, making the Joker of Heaven widen his eyes in surprise.

"Whoa, so... you're trying to teach Asia how to fight, but because of the incident with Diodora, you think her time here's holding her back?" Dulio quietly replied.

"Yeah, she's facing her personal demons in a church, and despite the irony there? While she seems fine now... I'm sure she's crying on the inside." Issei confirmed.

Dulio didn't know what to say, so... he did the only thing he could.

"I wish you luck."

Issei smiled at that, and then looked to Vasco, who nodded as he led them to the next part of the Vatican... the part that Asia dreaded visiting the most.

* * *

Vali's group left the training room, looking exhausted from what Ddraig and Albion had just put them through. The first notable reaction was Le Fay crashing onto the couch with sore muscles on every inch of her being.

"I thought Fafnir and Tiamat's training was brutal, and yet that was even worse." Le Fay groaned.

"My blood feels like it's on fire!" Bikou complained.

The Monkey Youkai screamed as the Red Dragon threw a hot towel on him, further agitating his overheated form.

"Wimp." Ddraig chuckled.

Bikou glared daggers at the Red Dragon, who simply chuckled louder.

"Wow, looks like Ddraig's not holding back." Mio remarked, a nervous sweat on her face.

"I think the scarier one's Albion, because you can't really tell." Yuuma whimpered.

The White Dragoness walked by, giving a look towards the duo that made Yuuma flinch, despite there was no way to tell if she was hiding something behind her smile.

"See what I mean!?" Yuuma exclaimed.

Mio only replied through her face sweating three times faster, making Irina, who was fixing her hair back into its twin tail form, give a nervous chuckle in response.

Right at that moment, Vali walked downstairs, yawning a bit.

"Hey guys, just got notification that Rias just won her match." Vali alerted everyone.

"So, then that means..." Kuroka realized.

"Yeah, though I honestly saw it coming. There was just part of me that knew Rias would be the one we'd face in the Semi-Finals." Vali verified.

As Yumina listened, the Lucifuge heiress noticed Vali deep in thought.

"That's not all you heard, is it?" Yumina realized.

"You're right, because during the match, Rias mentioned she finally caved into letting her brother and your older sister train her. Because she has the same two clan abilities of Sirzechs... she may have learned how to use _that_ ability." Vali warned.

It didn't take long for everyone realize what she meant, as it was the very ability that got Sirzechs to take the name of Lucifer among the Great Devils.

"Everyone, for one of the rare times I fully use my authority as a King giving retainers an order? For the next few days, I want you all to get stronger like Asia is, because we won't beat Rias if we don't have some new surprises to hit her with." Vali ordered.

"Right!" Everyone replied.

* * *

Asia looked nervous as she and Issei walked into the room, with Vasco watching from the doorway. Once they full came into view, she saw the various nuns and priests she remembered, and who were among those that called her a witch on the day she was excommunicated.

Issei noticed her trying to run away, and quickly grabbed onto her hand.

"Asia, don't run away, not after making it so far. If you do... then you might not ever be able to try again, and you could regret that fact forever." He warned her.

"I... I can't do it. What if they-" Asia whimpered.

She felt Issei turned her head towards his face as he kneeled to the ground.

"You're not the only one who has demons they'll need to face." Issei reminded her.

Asia's eyes widened, remembering that soon, Issei would be meeting his sister for the first time in his whole life. Not only that, it hadn't been long since he knew that like Vali... he had been hurt by Rizevim, who destroyed his original home, and forced him into the environment of loneliness that only Irina and Vali saved him from.

At one point, Asia tried to turn away, but Issei held onto her hand tightly.

"How can I do this, I'm scared." Asia asked, trembling a bit.

"Honestly, I'm glad that you are." Issei smiled.

"W-what?" Asia replied in confusion.

"Because that's what someone should be in situations like this. True courage isn't having nothing to fear, but the willingness to face what you fear, and it's in doing so that you become a stronger version of the person you were yesterday." Issei encouraged.

Hearing that, Asia felt her eyes widened, and soon took a deep breath.

Feeling her hand grabbing his, Issei smiled as the two walked forward, which put them without the distance for the many members of the church to notice them.

'Be... brave... face your... fears!' Asia repeated in her head.

Finally, after a long period of silence... one of the nuns finally spoke.

"Asia, you came back." She stated.

"Y-yeah..." Asia replied fearfully.

What she expected was something along the lines of the same words that made her leave, or to just get out, but instead... she felt Issei shake her shoulder.

"Asia, look." He advised.

Looking forward, she suddenly saw everyone bowing completely onto the ground.

"We're so sorry." She apologized for all of them.

"W-what?" Asia stuttered.

Issei smiled a bit, closing his eyes as he realized why they were doing what they did.

"Back then, we treated you horribly, blind to the truth. However, after the restoration of the Christian Pantheon, we heard word from Heaven about how God was dead, and the truth behind why you could heal a Devil..." The same nun explained.

"And then, we learned that Devil did what he did on purpose, and realized we played right into his hands. You were no witch, but our blind arrogance made you one." A priest continued.

Asia felt her mouth quiver, and tears began pouring from her eyes.

"I believe the time to give you these has come." Vasco smiled, pulling something from his pocket.

Turning around, the former Holy Maiden was handed a stack of letters, with all of them addressed to her.

"W-what are these?" Asia asked.

"Read them and find out." Vasco answered.

Asia opened the first letter, and her eyes widened, further welling the tears she built inside them. She quickly grabbed the next, and repeated this cycle with each letter, which is when Issei checked the first one.

He gasped as he saw it was letters of thanks from the people that she cured with her power.

'Look at that Asia, your kindness was rewarded all along. Had you not come here, you'd never have known that, or known the people who raised you realized their mistakes.' Issei thought happily.

Asia began to shed her tears, having read letters that not only asked where she was after she was forced to leave, leaving one common fact with each of them. Not one letter had anyone agree that she was a witch, and the rare few that learned the true had actually _defended_ her.

Even before she had met Issei, there were people who understood her kindness and didn't care what her power could do, only that it helped others.

"Everyone... thank you, thank you!" Asia cried.

Finally going into a full sob, Issei held Asia close as she let it all out. She was no longer the former Holy Maiden that became a witch... she was the kind healer that never stopped caring about others, even after she became a Devil.

For so long, Asia had felt guilt and regret, even a bit of doubt. Diodora's subsequent reveal didn't do her ever favors. But now, right at this moment? Asia finally knew what she did in the Church to save those lives hadn't been in vain.

'It can be scary to face our pasts, and to accept our futures... but as long as we're in the preset, we need to do our best to move forward. Even if just one step at a time.' Issei smiled.

* * *

Standing at the outside of the Vatican, Issei and Asia were smiling towards those of the church.

"Issei Akane, it is our honor to thank you for today. The hearts of many can finally find the peace they deserve for a mistake we thought would never have been fixed." Vasco praised.

"Don't thank me, I may have brought her, but Asia chose to come. She's the one you should be praising." Issei humbly replied.

Asia blushed at that.

"Before you go, there's something you should know." A nun stated.

The two blinked for a moment, wondering what it was as the nun walked by Asia.

"During the time we were away, we... learned about why you were left here by your parents. I'm sorry to say they're gone, but what we can say is they truly loved you, enough they gave up their lives to prevent you from being hunted like they were." The nun revealed.

"What? They were being hunted?" Asia gasped.

"Do you know who did it?" Issei inquired.

The nun was silent for a moment, and exhaled before she continued.

"The actual group is unknown, but we know the instigator behind their violent actions... it was the exiled son of Lucifer." She revealed.

Issei instantly felt his Heavenly Crest flare out of his hand, but he managed to reel it in due to where he was, and instead channeled that rage into growling angrily. It took him a minute before he could calm himself down.

"Just what was his reasons for this? He left scars on my childhood, hurt Vali in ways she struggled to recover from, and took away Kuroka and Shirone's mother. What reason did he have for indirectly killing Asia's parents!?" He asked.

"For the same reason he likely tried to kill you as an infant... there's something about the Dragons he seems wary of, and Asia's part of that link." Vasco answered.

"Wait, a connection to Dragons? Asia?" Issei questioned in surprise.

The nun nodded her head, and looked at her.

"Asia... you are the last of the Dragon Tamers." She revealed.

The Bishop of Lucifer gasped upon hearing that, while Issei's eyes widened in shock, unable to believe what he just heard.

"I'm... a what?" Asia relied.

"There are those in this world who have an affinity to Dragons, and these were those who had a rare mutation that let Dragons want to trust them, and protect them. These were the Dragon Tamers, with Asia's family having apparent ties to the Dragon King Fafnir, and the murder of her grandparents is believed to be why he entered the Resurrection cycle 45 years ago." Vasco explained.

Needless to say, hearing that Fafnir was involved made both of them gasp.

"Asia, when we get home, you've gotta tell Fafnir about this. I think he deserves to know this." Issei suggested.

"I will, and... I want to know more about my family, because now it feels like our meeting wasn't coincidence. That I was meant to find and help you one day." Asia agreed.

That reply made Issei blush slightly, and he opened up a magic circle.

"Thanks again for everything, and good luck!" Issei waved.

Everyone waved back as he and Asia went through the magic circle, with another mystery to what Rizevim was doing.

* * *

Vali was sitting in the living room, reading a book while she waited for her boyfriend and little sister figure to come back. Right as she finished the last page, the magic circle signifying their return appeared, making her turn to see them.

"Hey you two, did it go well?" Vali smiled.

"Yeah, we dealt with Asia's demons, but..." Issei answered.

He quickly whispered everything, causing the heiress of Lucifer to suddenly gasp in surprise, and look at Asia.

"No way..." Vali breathed.

Issei nodded, which left no anymore room for Vali to doubt what she just heard.

"So, think you can summon Fafnir here?" Issei asked.

"Yeah... I'll summon him over, this is something he deserves to know about." Vali agreed.

Right as she prepared to summon him, she blinked as she recalled something else.

"Oh right. Issei, right after you left, Amaterasu told your dad that your sister's back in Kyoto. Go meet with him, your mom, Kunou, and Izanagi in the kitchen so you can head on over." She told him.

"Wait, are you serious?" Issei asked.

She chuckled awkwardly, and that made Issei scratch his head before looking at Asia.

"Man, that's ironic." He chuckled.

He walked towards the kitchen, but before he walked in.

"One last thing, Rias won her match, so she'll be our Semi-Final opponent." Vali warned him.

"Got it." Issei replied.

With that out of the way, Issei walked into the kitchen, while Vali finally called Fafnir into the room.

"Vali, what is it?" Fafnir asked, confused why he was summoned from another room in the house.

"Issei learned something very... personal to you while he was with Asia." Vali explained.

Asia walked towards him, making her take a deep breath.

"Fafnir, did you... know my parents, and my grandparents?" Asia asked.

Hearing that, Fafnir suddenly felt his eyes widen.

* * *

Issei walked into the kitchen, seeing his parents talking with Izanagi, with Kunou having taken the place of Lilith within the time he and Asia had been absent. Noticing he had walked into the room, Kunou smiled.

"He's back." Kunou alerted them.

The three adults all turned, with Izanagi smile briefly as he walked towards Issei.

"A pleasure to finally meet you in person, Issei Akane." Izanagi greeted.

"Same to you... uh, do you mind if I call you Grandpa Nagi?" Issei greeted back.

The Shinto God of Life thought for a bit.

"If that's what makes you comfortable, then go ahead." Izanagi decided.

Issei chuckled at that, looking at her parents.

"So, we're finally about to see my little sister?" Issei asked.

"Yep, plus your grandma, and we're also giving Kunou the chance to see her older sister." Sanae agreed.

Issei took a deep breath, letting out his nerves.

"Oh, and one other thing before we go, Issei?" Izanagi mentioned.

"Yeah?" Issei inquired.

"About your Heavenly Crest... while I don't how you have it, I was well acquainted with God long ago, so while we're there, I may be able to give you knowledge that may at least give you a vital clue to finding the answer." He revealed.

The Red Dragon Emperor showed surprise at that.

"Seriously?" He asked.

"Let's just say this story will show you why I believe this may help you find the answer, at least I hope it will." Izanagi confirmed.

After saying that, he opened up a magic circle to Kyoto.

"Well, shall we go?" Izanagi asked.

* * *

Fafnir was shaking right now at what he had just heard, and realized.

"Asia... you've been their granddaughter all this time? How did I never realize this!?" Fafnir questioned in horror.

"Fafnir, don't blame yourself. There's no way you could have if neither myself, Ddraig, or Tiamat were able to." Albion reassured him.

The Gold Dragon knew this, but it still didn't feel right to him.

"I got myself killed 45 years ago avenging their deaths, and now to hear their child and her husband were hunted down the same way? It just feels like I failed to do anything for them... that's a regret I'll keep for the rest of my life." Fafnir replied, shaking a bit.

Vali could understand what he meant, as that was a burden they now shared.

"So, your saying that Asia's had a special connection with Dragons all this time? There's got to be potential in that... though how do we awaken such potential if her parents are gone?" Yumina questioned.

"Well, maybe I could see if my dad will lend her the Down Fall Dragon Spear, he'd be willing to part with it under this kind of circumstance." Yuuma offered.

"Actually, didn't Rias say our school's tennis captain was a Beast Tamer? The training she went through might be similar enough that she can help." Irina remembered.

Fafnir went silent for a moment, and looked at Asia.

"Either way, as your family and I were close... I shall continue the duty I started with them. As a result, Asia Argento... will you be willing to make a pact with me?" Fafnir asked.

Asia blinked in confusion, while Vali looked at her familiar in surprise.

"Asia, if a Dragon offers you a pact... they're offering to give you a fraction of their power to make your own. It's like me and Albion, but if you took away the Sacred Gear, and couldn't gain the same level of strength as him." Vali explained.

"Really?" Asia gasped.

"Yeah, I mean it. This is especially an honor because a Dragon King is giving you the offer, since they're among the strongest beings in the world, with Fafnir being the second strongest." Vali confirmed.

Looking at Fafnir, who hadn't turned his eyes away from here... she nodded her head to accept his deal, and closed her eyes as he walked up to her.

* * *

**Alright, it looks like the next opponent the Lucifer Team will have to face is Rias, leaving only the question of who their opponent in the Finals will be. Will we have Shuriliu, who can see information so many others can't, and plans for it in advance? A surprise through Niruili, who is a magic eater, and has to get past Sairaorg? The so-called best youth himself? Or, will it be Ineelana, who's considered the magical counterpart of Sairaorg?**

**Guess we'll see soon enough, because next chapter, the Rating Game between Shuriliu and Ineelana will finally begin! After that, the massive clash between Sairaorg and Niruili. For right now, the bigger focus will be on Issei and Homura meeting each other for the first time, and even more... it looks like Izanagi knows something important that may, or may not be a clue in the mystery that is why Issei has the Heavenly Crest.**

**Then there's the results of Asia's trip. She's finally found her peace, and is one again (in a sense) the Holy Maiden she once was, giving her the well-needed peace she's been searching for. Though neither she or Issei expected to learn that Asia is the last Dragon Tamer in the whole world, and that Rizevim is once again responsible for the tragedy in someone's lives...**

**Luckily, there is one bright side to this, and that's now we know a reasoning behind his actions to a degree. He seems to be afraid of Dragons, or at least worried about them. Well, whatever his reasons are, it looks like he's only digging his own grave at the moment, since the only reason that Issei, Vali, and Asia met each other in the first place... unless that's what he wanted all along.**

**Regardless of that, it seems that Fafnir's now realized who Asia is, and has given her a variant on her canon pact, while the idea of Kiyome helping out Asia's training as a Tamer, and getting the Down Fall Dragon Spear have been thrown in. Considering the new skills that Rias has, this is one of many things Vali's peerage will need to have an element of surprise when they fight in the Semi-Finals.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

**A/N: Izanami's appearance is the same as the one used by Serafall in the Kyoto Arc of the anime's Fourth Season, with some color alterations. Her bust size is 110 cm.**

**A/N 2: Izanagi's appearance resembles Yuzuru Yamai from Date A Live, if you cut off all the hair from below her second braid.**

**A/N 3: The Belphegor Clan's crest resembles the magic circle used in Akashic Records, but with the eyes changed to a "U" shape, making it look like a sleeping goat.**

* * *

** Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter ** **:**

**【** **Tamers** **】** **  
Special people with a genetic mutation that pacifies certain creatures, and makes them want to protect them. While many kinds exist, the best-known kind of Tamer is a Beast Tamer, which are able to do this with multiple animals. The rarest kind are the Dragon Tamers, as Asia is the last one in the entire world.**

* * *

** Pairings List ** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating  
Ddraig/Tiamat - Married  
Albion/Fafnir - Married  
Saji/Sona - Dating  
Gasper/Valerie - Dating  
Kiba/Tosca - Dating  
Sairaorg/Kuisha - Dating  
Rossweisse/Vidar - Chemistry is clearing forming between them  
Hina/Nanami - Dating  
Jeanne/Cao Cao - Jeanne has a clear crush, while Cao Cao's feelings are unknown**


	37. Chapter 37

**Time to kick things into overdrive, because we're about to see the Rating Game between Ineelana and Shuriliu, which is one of the Rating Games that I've been most excited to write since I started this arc. Not only that, but we're gonna see how things with Saji and Sona's date has been going (which will also explain why the Student Council was absent last chapter), and Issei meeting his sister in Kyoto.**

**Speaking of Kyoto, we'll finally be seeing Nainen, who hasn't made an appearance since the end of S2. This means you'll finally get to see what she looks like beyond the mere "looks older than Kunou, but younger than Yasaka" line I described her with, and what her actually personality is compared to the little fireball that's Kunou, and the graceful vixen that Yasaka is.**

**However, none of that compares to the thing that I'm most excited about sharing in this chapter. Remember how Izanagi mentioned a story that might help Issei learn, or at least give him a vital clue, to why he has the ability to use the Heavenly Crest, despite he has no actual blood relation to God? Well, the reason is because of what that story is, and so this once, I'll say what it is before the chapter fully fleshes it out. This story is...**

**The creation myth of the "Heavenly Dragon" series!**

**Yes, you heard me right! While you've seen Chapter 1's story about how the Christian Pantheon ended up initiating the Great War, and how they split into the Four Great Powers. You've heard Ddraig and Albion reveal how the Dragons were the first life on Earth, preceding even God. And most of all, you've heard bits and pieces on how the aftermath of the Great War effected the world, so now... it's time you see where it all _truly_ began!**

**Oh yeah, I've finally made my decision about Asia's offensive magic, which is it'll be light-based (not the holy kind) to fit her personality. My reason for this is due to something I said back in the Riser arc, but I won't blame anyone for forgetting since it hasn't really come up again since then, so I'll give a quick reminder. When reincarnated by an Evil Piece, certain objects that are normally Anti-Devil in nature become safe to them.**

**This is based on similar logic to why among Mio, Yuuma, and Irina, the former two had to have adjustments made to keep their original species, but Irina was able to naturally stay an Angel because while the Evil Pieces can add an Angel to a peerage, they can't turn them into Devils because the two species are opposite in nature, which is also applies to Demons and Fallen Angels for the same reasons.**

**Plus, this works with how Asia eventually learns to make those special healing arrows that vanish if they would hit an enemy. That makes me think of light manipulation when I see it, so that was another influence, as I decided that should be the in-story explanation for how she does it here, since I've never figured out how she was able to do that in canon besides Azazel's training.**

**So, with all of that cleared up, let the chapter... begin!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

 **[]** \- Ddraig Talking

 **«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

 **「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

 **【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

 **⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

** Force Crystallization **

**The signature ability of Lilith, and her descendants. When God decided to create Humanity, he wanted to make sure that Adam and Lilith could protect themselves while they grew and developed, giving them each a power to do so. In the case of Lilith, she gained the power she would name Force Crystallization, which is best described as the shield equivalent of the Blazing Soul ability.**

**Like the ability its compared to, it takes the user's willpower and manifests it into a tangible form its user can wield, being a form of defense. When attacked, a strong ripple representing their will fires off, showing the attack being blocked by the user's own will. The stronger the willpower, the more defensive strength and durability is put into the defense.**

**Since this power works the same as Blazing Soul, but in a defensive method, such a clash between the two would have a powerful result. It's unknown if such a clash has every happened, but since Lilith was protecting Hell during the Great War, and she has a good relationship with Amaterasu and some members of the Akane Clan in the present, the signs point to there having never been such a clash in all of the time both powers have existed.**

**Aside from Lilith, it's known that Rizevim and Vali have inherited this ability, while Vali's father _may_ have inherited it, but his death leaves official confirmation impossible. However, while Rizevim inherited it, Lilith believes that the Sacred Gear Canceller that Vali's told her is a transformed version of this power. While Vali did have the genetics for it, until the Naberius Clan made her the biological child of Lucifer and Lilith, she was unable to use it.**

**The only notable thing about this power is Lilith says despite being made to replace her, Eve herself doesn't have it because she was made from Adam's rib, and therefore gained her own ability. When asked why this is the case, Lilith admits she isn't sure of why, but believe it's because God may have assumed her power was why she rejected Adam, something that many state makes no logical sense by even the supernatural world's standards.**

**Now that she has the ability, it'll be a vital power in Vali's arsenal.**

* * *

**_ Season 4, Journey to the Finals Arc: Chapter 3 - The Origins of the World _ **

Walking out of the magic circle, Issei got his first glimpse at Kyoto, and he was wowed by it.

"This is amazing!" Issei breathed.

"Home... it's been so long since I've been here last." Kunou smiled.

Issei looked at the young Kyuubi, noticing how happy she looked. Though in just a few moments, he began noticing a few magical signatures from what seemed like normal people confusing him. Izanagi quickly noticed this.

"What you're sensing are fellow Youkai that can take human form, and hide in plain sight. The Kitsune are the most common that do this." Izanagi explained.

That surprised Issei, who looked back at the crowd, starting to pick out certain Youkai.

"I knew that Kuroka, Shirone, Bikou, and Kunou could do this, but most Youkai I've read about never looked like that. To think that so many were able to do the same is amazing." Issei breathed.

"Guess with how you've lived compared to other Heroes, such surprise is to be expected. I've already been considering how I should introduce your cousins, Katase and Murayama, to that heritage for similar reasons." Izanagi replied.

"So, you'll be telling them what they are soon?" Issei inquired.

"Yes, while you were a rare exception due to circumstances beyond our control, all Heroes who live with normal Humans are expected to tell their children their heritage one day when the God tied to their family decides its time. For the two of them, me and my wife have that job." The Shinto God of Life confirmed.

After walking for a bit, they found themselves at a certain restaurant.

"Wait, is this where we're meeting them?" Shun asked.

"Not to worry, this is a private restaurant that we Shinto Deities and Youkai use. We don't have to worry about anything, and as a bonus, we get to eat some good food." Izanagi explained.

Walking inside, the group of five saw sight of Homura and Izanami at the table, already eating some food, along with a third guest.

Taking a close look at her, Issei saw she was a Kyuubi that looked like Kunou, but if her appearance was that of a teenage girl in her late Middle School or early Junior High years. Her main attire was the traditional miko outfit and tall geta with white tabi, with the sleeves of her haori feature a giant blue star-shaped hexagram, surrounded by six smaller hexagrams in between the points.

"Big sis!" Kunou exclaimed.

Hearing her sister's voice, Nainen quickly smiled as she hugged the young Kyuubi who charged at her.

"Kunou, thank god. I've been so worried since I heard what happened." Nainen sniffled, shedding tears of joy at their reunion.

Turning to Issei, the redheaded Hero noticed her bow to him.

"Red Dragon Emperor, Issei Akane... you have my gratitude for watching over my sister all this time. I hope you will continue to do so until we can find our mother." The teenage Kyuubi said in gratitude.

"That's a promise." Issei agreed.

Once the moment between sisters was done, Izanami smiled, and then looked at Homura.

"Homura, there he is." She told the young Heroine.

Issei turned as she saw the redheaded girl before him, who had a nervous silence to her as their parents watched. Standing up, Homura walked up to Issei, and the two siblings saw each other for the first time in either of their lives.

"You're... my big brother, Issei... it's really you." Homura breathed.

"Hi there... it's nice to meet you." Issei greeted.

After a few seconds, the younger Akane sibling's eyes widened before she jumped forward.

"Big brother!" Homura exclaimed, glomping him.

Issei nearly lost his balance, which was enough to tell him how strong his younger sister was.

 **["Damn, this girl's packing some power in that tiny frame of a body!"]** Ddraig said impressively.

"Ah, you must be Ddraig! Nice to meet you!" Homura waved.

 **["Wait until you see my body back home, then you'll have really met me."]** Ddraig chuckled.

Homura blinked at that, making Issei give a nervous chuckle.

"I'll explain later." Issei promised.

"Well, I believe it's time I give a proper introduction myself. Though I'm fairly certain you've already realized who I am." Izanami greeted.

"Yeah, my grandmother, Izanami." Issei confirmed.

The Shinto Goddess of Spirits giggled as she looked at Issei, petting his head to his surprise.

"Feel free to call me Nanna Nami, it sounds cute." Izanami offered.

'Wow, the way she acts is so much like Lilith, it's like she's her Japanese counterpart.' Issei thought.

Soon enough, everyone seated themselves as they ate, sharing stories about things they had been doing prior to their reunion, and just enjoying each other's company. After the stories began to die down, Izanagi looked at his wife.

"Ah, hey dear, do you have your spiritual scroll on hand?" He asked.

"I do, why do you ask?" Izanami replied.

"Well, since Issei has struggled to find the answers to why he can use the Heavenly Crest, the best thing I believe we can do for him is show him a story that can give him the answers. Your scroll is the best way I can show it." Izanagi explained.

Hearing what he told her, the Goddess gasped, knowing what story he was talking about.

"Is something the matter?" Homura asked.

"No, I'm surprised didn't tell you what this particular story happens to be." Izanami clarified.

"Why? What is this story?" Issei asked.

"Issei... you've heard how this world originally only had the Dragons, right? This story is the creation myth that connects all life that came after them. A story that was created by none other than the man who once owned the power you wield, God himself." Izanami revealed.

Hearing that made Issei's eyes widen, which quickly got everyone making the same reaction, Izanagi being the sole exception.

Taking out her scroll, she rolled it out, revealing a blank canvas.

"To show you this story best, I'd like you to put your hands on this scroll. I can't show you my memories specifically, but using my thoughts, I can use this to give you a more visual look at this tale." Izanagi explained.

"OK, though I have to ask... how would you know this story?" Issei inquired.

The God of Life chuckled at that question.

"You'll learn why as you see the story itself." He answered,

Without any further questions, everyone put their hands on the scroll, and closed their eyes as Izanami activated its power. Focusing her energies, Izanagi's gave off a fiery mist from them, and began showing them the images within.

* * *

_The initial image revealed the Earth as it was long ago, when it was nothing more than the land of Pangaea, but with more land to it than Issei recognized, enough that the oceans only looked to be half of the planet. The image of dragons flying around soon appeared._

**_"Long ago, there was only the Dragons roaming the world, with their Gods living in the Dimensional Gap, and their earliest battles creating their children. That was Mother Nature's way at the time, but... then came the anomaly that changed everything."_ **

_Suddenly, a sphere representing a source of energy morphed its shape, and took the form of a male stick figure wearing a robe, and with 12 Angel wings._

**_"From the very essence of the magic that covered the world, he was born... Elohim, the one we all like to call God. Upon appearing in this world, he quickly used his power to create. Various clouds gathered, becoming the divine realm we know as Heaven, and then the Angels who he made in his image, but with white wings instead of his golden ones."_ **

_As clouds gathered, and many stick figures of Angels formed, the one representing God was positioned with a sense of joy at his work... only for a "!" to appear beside him, representing his surprise at the sight of two other spheres like the one he had led to his birth._

**_"However, it quickly came to his attention the world had more amazing energies than just magic, that it was just one power out of a trio that enveloped the world. Going to the source of their essences, he decided that he wanted to see what would come, as he came from magic, and gave them the same form that had he had been shaped into."_ **

_God's stick figure instantly moved his hands to the left sphere, transforming it into a stick figure wearing a kimono. After doing so, he moved them to the right one, and created another stick figure, but one with the robes of a Buddhist Monk._

**_"From the power known as Prana, he gave birth to a being tied to creation, the Hindu God of Creation: Brahma; and from the power known as Chi, he gave birth to a being tied to the physical form that gave all the gift of life, he created me... the Shinto God of Life: Izanagi."_ **

**_""_ **

_God took a look at Izanagi, making a "?" appear by the latter's stick figure as he showed confusion to what the Christian Pantheon's leader was doing. Then, he took a look at Brahma, with the same reactions happening as he created another stick figure sharing his outfit. Before long, both saw him have a realization, and he shared it with both, making them look curious at what he was trying to explain._

**_"Looking through me and my power, where he started to see how life could take many shapes and forms. Then through Brahma, he saw that life had no definite source, that it could adapt, or become anything... and those thought fascinated him! He saw that Prana represented the cosmic flow of life, Chi was connected to the physical body, and Magic was tied to the imaginative mind."_ **

**_"He told the two that there should be more to this potential, and copying the energies that made them, walked that first step in letting it develop. As a result of this, God's actions had changed the course nature would take to form life, making its only true creations, the Dragons, have powers that made them truly one of a kind."_ **

_Finally, he saw God motion himself as he had a realization, and some energy seeped off Izanagi as he created another stick figure with a kimono, but this time, it was female. Though while it was male, his robes were more shredded and tattered, as if something had tried to destroy them, which followed with God's stick figure vanishing, leaving the new one to swap its background and body colors, creating a divide between the two._

**_"He decided that they should have a name, and recalling the title he shared with the Angels he created, the name that represented the authority of leadership. With that, the race known as the Gods, or Deities as some often call it, was born into the world."_ **

**_"The first thing he did was use some Chi, and with its power, creating a female deity from my body. He created a form of life not in my image, but opposite of it. This was the first known Goddess due to no one knowing of Ophis at the time, my very wife: Izanami. Then using Prana, he chose to make a deity with opposing power of Destruction, one of his fellow Trimurti: Shiva."_ **

_God decided to watch the power of Brahma at work... only to suddenly see Shiva's powers of destruction go wild, making Izanagi and Izanami run away in a panic, while his Angels all began to cover their heads! The plants, animals, and food that Brahma was making where quickly overwhelmed by fire, famine, and weather, which instantly fought back without any restraint._

_Realizing their powers were going to continuously act without consent, God suddenly got an idea, standing between the two and grabbing their hands, which reverted Shiva's side back to its prior colors as he created a third god, who instantly stopped their powers' endless clash._

**_"Shiva was born because God realized that unlike the Dragons, not all life could recover, and maybe not all life should, or... some should try adapting in response to destruction, and the reverse, where they end up as something never meant to be. However, there was no balance to the creation and destruction, which forced God to create one."_ **

**_"Taking both their energies, he created order through giving birth to the final member of the Trimurti: Vishnu, who in turn quelled the clashing forces by adding two conditions to them. The knowledge of how to create and destroy, as well as the choice to do so."_ **

_Seeing the sight of Dragons laying eggs, Izanami looked at Izanagi with a blush on her stick figure, making him sweat nervously. However, he eventually consented, and the two kissed, making a flash that showed her bearing their first child... though when another flash showed her giving birth to Kagutsuchi... she fell back, dying from the strain, and her son's incredible heat, bringing Izanagi to tears._

**_"Although, it was soon clear to God that not all life would be exactly as you expect. After seeing Dragon Eggs, Izanami wanted to have a child with me, and while shocked, I consented. What we didn't realize is unlike the Dragons, we couldn't lay eggs, and Izanami had to carry our first child, Kagutsuchi for the next nine months... only for his birth to kill her."_ **

**_"The action is where God finally began to understand the natural limits even deities possessed, and studied the Dragons further as his way of atoning for how disheartened I was over something we could not control, where he learned of the soul. Wanting to give us a way to keep talking, he created an area in Heaven where souls could reside, and waited for it to show."_ **

_God's stick figure neared a Dragon's image, and studied it as he saw its soul, and the energies that connected to them resurrecting. After doing so, he added onto Heaven, and waited for Izanami... but she never showed, confusing him as a "?" appeared by his side._

_Izanagi eventually came to visit, having heard about what he did, only for God to explain the situation, leaving Izanagi's stick figure to jump in disbelief. After thinking a bit, a "!" appeared by both of them, as they realized that her not showing had to mean she wasn't dead! Meanwhile, the scene suddenly changed to reveal a living creature, but one that resembled a land that resembled a rotten land of death you'd see in animation in the modern age._

**_"But she never came, and yet God knew her soul hadn't been erased, or they'd have noticed it. That's when he and Izanagi realized that perhaps she wasn't dead, or at least something had brought her back, but without their knowledge. That's when Brahma alerted them of something he was sure none of them had a hand in creating. Upon seeing it, we saw Brahma spoke the truth."_ **

**_"It was... something gross, disgusting, and unnatural. It was like a land that was the opposite of life, and I named it appropriately, as in this day and age, you humans consider it the Japanese realm of Death: Yomi."_ **

_Rushing into the creature called Yomi, it wasn't long before Izanagi found his wife, ignoring the disgusting form that Yomi had cursed her into. Though eventually, she had to flee, and she gave him some power that, after combining with some of his own after washing himself, creating the Shinto Trio from the washed waters that cleansed his eyes and nose._

_Gathering their older brother, Kagutsuchi, the four managed to invade Yomi once more, and rescue Izanami, destroying the awful beast for good in the process. This action created a ripple of energy that created places like Tartarus, the prison where Lilith would one day be, and even the Youkai Realm._

**_"The struggle to rescue her was great, but we succeeded, yet part of my wife was changed. She no longer represented Life not in the material sense, but the astral and spiritual sense, which was likely the reason Humanity mistook her as a Goddess of Death."_ **

**_"When this fact reached God, he had an epiphany. Life that wasn't solid like land, but fluid like the water, something more like energy... as Izanami officially claimed her role as a Goddess of Spirits, while Izanami was officially named the God of Life, which lead to the birth of the Youkai race in response, the greatest idea God would ever had was born."_ **

_Gathering his fellow five deities, he told them of his great plan, showing a thought bubble with a stick figure of a normal Human, while crossing his arms at the mention of any of their gifts, while giving a thumb's when he mentioned no set path, and the possibility to take any, and become anything._

**_"Gathering all of his fellow deities, he told them that after seeing the monster known as Yomi, which was not a god, a Dragon, or any of them, yet had adapted on its own? As well as recalling how the Dragons were different, how Izanagi created the Shinto Trio, the concept of death, and the form Izanami took from the curse?"_ **

**_"He proposed that instead of being able to directly create in the way they had before, only having influence in what would become the Christian, Shinto, and Hindu Pantheons... they let life grow on its own after creating one final creation in their image. A race that gifted in nothing, which meant they could walk any path they wanted: Humanity."_ **

_The stick figures for all of the Gods began merging their power together, becoming one force that represented all the traits they had not as powers for their creation, but the potential they could obtain on the paths they could choose. It became a single orb, which they all handed to God, surprising his stick figure._

**_"They agreed, and after our powers created the source to form this creation, we entrusted it to God, who we decided should raise and nurture the first members of this new species due to being the one who made the idea. He accepted, and then split the source into what he called anima and animus, to create Adam and Lilith."_ **

_God's stick figure spread his hands, dividing the energy in two, which then became Adam and Eve. The story of how Lilith refused him and the events after came... though a familiar six-eyed symbol could be noticed suddenly flashing by him. From there, the holy light in his body... flashed a trace of darkness, the very Sacred Darkness that was given to Lucifer, and that Issei had seen through the Lucifer Clan's signature ability._

_As the other mythologies began to pop up, the sight of Lilith being tossed into her prison came, right as God pulled Eve out of Adam's stick figure, and hearts flew between them. Stick figures would soon show the birth of Odin, Lugh, and Ouranos. That was quickly ruined as a snake was seen by them, and they ate the Fruit of Knowledge, leaving a taint in them._

**_"Most of you already know what happened there, so I'll skip it. Though how it happened? Well, that's the scary part... because it's where things all went wrong. God suddenly became unreasonable, which inspired Lucifer's rebellion, and his actions after Adam and Eve were tempted to eat the fruit only lit that fire more, sparing the Christian Pantheon's divide."_ **

**_"By then, there had already been Humans made without the taint, and those with it, which is why you could say Humanity is so decisive... at least, that's how I see it. Anyways, it wasn't too long before the Great War finally happened, and then... when that horrible monster came."_ **

_The stick figures of God and Lucifer were seen clashing in the same was as Vali's one dream, only for Trihexa's symbol to flash as it had when it was secretly watching God send Lilith to her prison. That's then the mighty beast appeared, throwing them off, and leaving only very few to see the monster on the battlefield. After it appeared, it flew to the center of Pangaea, where the sight of a magic circle appeared around it, marking the very moment it was sealed away._

_An intense explosion went off, and the already damaged Pangaea, which had since changed to look more like the version that Humanity knew... shattered apart from the force! The continents as they were known in the present day were created, with the images of Dragons tossing their bones quickly following, making Dinosaur symbols on the map._

**_"While we sealed it away, it changed the world as we knew it, shattering Pangaea into the continents of today. To keep Humanity from learning what really happened, we falsified records of their history, making them think tectonic shifting was the reason, while using some Dragon bones to make them think that Dinosaurs existed, which worked since some Earth Dragons can be considered as such."_ **

**_"And that... is the story of our world, including our part in it."_ **

_Everything faded to black, which send the signal for everyone to open their eyes._

* * *

Gasping a bit, Issei felt his face sweating at what he just saw.

"That was..." He gasped.

Shaking his head, he looked at his grandparents, taking a deep breath as he calmed his nerves back to what they were when the story began.

"You two and the Trimurti actually had a hand in making the world, and Humanity?" Issei stated.

"We did." Izanami confirmed.

Hearing that, the Red Dragon Emperor instantly grabbed his drink, and chugged its entirety in five seconds.

"Hot damn!" He exclaimed.

Kunou took a bit of her food, and swallowed it, before she found her voice again.

"I knew the Shinto Pantheon had a large influence, but... not _that_ big!" Kunou remarked.

"Uh... what my sister said." Nainen replied.

Izanagi gave an awkward chuckle in response, scratching the back of his head.

"Just how powerful is the Shinto Pantheon? I know you rank a bit since Aunt Amaterasu's part of the Top 10 Strongest beings, but-" Issei asked.

"Actually, we're technically on that list ourselves." Izanami interjected.

"Eh?" Issei blinked.

"We're actually both ranked 4th on the list, but we're not considered on it because after making our last three children, our powers still haven't fully recovered. What people say was our powers being permanently used to make them is a misnomer. We're gradually recovering them, but it'll still be a while before we regain our full strength. In fact, the Trimurti are equally strong, with Shiva being said as stronger simply because his authority is destruction, and makes him look stronger." Izanagi explained.

"As for where we rank? In the overall scheme of things, the Christian Pantheon's the strongest, we're second to them, and the Hindu Pantheon is ranked third. However, that designation only comes from the Christian Pantheon having their system in Heaven, and everything created from it; our pantheon having the Youkai Realm; and the Hindu Pantheon having nothing extra." Izanami added.

She paused for a minute to take a bite of her food, and then continued.

"But those are just small details to officially rank us, just like how Ophis would be the strongest due to her power of Infinity, Great Red would be second to her because he could dream himself to match her, and Trihexa's got nothing special besides raw power. Truth is like how they officially share the number 1 spot on the Strongest Beings, while we're the reverse out of ranking necessity... all three of our Pantheon's are just about equal in strength that those small details are the only way to rank us."

Issei felt his eye twitch before he slapped his cheeks, getting his senses back to normal.

"OK, hearing that makes me impressed, and kind of honored... though for the story itself, do you really think it'll help me figure out the answers to why I have the Heavenly Crest?" Issei asked.

"I'm sure it'll yield something. After all, to this day... Izanami and I believe that whatever Trihexa came from, Yomi was either born from the same thing, or the former created it to test us. Any of that info may help you one day, even if not for that, so use what you've learned today wisely." Izanagi answered.

Hearing that response, Issei took a moment, but then nodded his head.

"Alright, I'll make sure to remember that." He promised.

"Good. Now, let's enjoy the rest of these meal before you go back home." Izanami smiled.

Everyone quickly agreed.

* * *

Saji and Sona were seen eating outside, with everyone in the latter's peerage watching them from the nearby bushes.

"Are you sure we should be doing this?" Rugal asked.

"We're teenagers, so of course we should!" Bennia replied.

The Werewolf glared at her, making her remember he was a college student, and inch away from him.

"Quiet you two, it looks like something's about to happen!" Ruruko shushed them.

Both of them were reaching the same piece of bread, and then blushed as they felt their hands touch. They quickly pulled away, both giving embarrassed blushes as they lightly chuckled at what just happened.

"Uh... so, mind if I ask you something?" Saji asked.

"No, what is it?" Sona replied.

"Well, since you're an heiress, and Rias had this problem due to her household's standing... did you ever have an arranged marriage?" Saji inquired.

"I actually did, but it was easier to get out of." Sona confirmed.

Before the host of Vritra could ask about it, Sona realized what he was about to ask and replied instantly.

"I just had to win through a game of Chess, that was it." She explained.

"Oh, I see... though why was it so easy in comparison to Rias' situation?" Saji inquired.

"Have you seen my sister?" Sona joked.

Saji felt his expression go flat in response, and quickly swallowed the bread they were reaching for earlier to calm his nerves.

"Point taken." He remarked.

* * *

Standing by a magic circle that would take them back home was the Akane family, with Homura now carrying a bag with all of her stuff, and Kunou.

"Well, we're off for now." Shun remarked.

"Good luck in the rest of the tournament, we're rooting for you." Izanami smiled.

"And don't worry Kunou, the moment I learn anything about mom, I'll make sure to let Vali and the rest of Team Lucifer know." Nainen promised.

Kunou smiled, and with that, the group of five walked through the magic circle.

Right after they did, Izanagi's smile went flat.

"I wonder... do you think we should have told him?" He wondered aloud.

Izanami took her husband's hand, getting his attention.

"Shiva hasn't despite the threat Indra made to him and Vali, if he's still sure that they don't need to know, then I think we should trust that. He regained hope for this world due to what happened during the end of the Great War." She reassured him.

"Yeah, you're right... I just hope we made the right choice." Izanagi replied.

* * *

Back at the Akane Household, everyone was still waiting for Issei's return.

Right as Vali got up to head to the kitchen, she noticed the magic circle with Issei's entire family, and Kunou appear as they walked through it. Taking a moment, she looked at Homura, who looked at her in return.

"Hey everyone, we're back." Issei greeted.

"Alright, about time!" Bikou cheered.

Homura's eyes sparkled, and she instantly appeared by everyone, moving like she could teleport.

"Whoa! These are all the friends you told me about? She really is a Nekoshou! Where's his Monkey Tail? Ooh, show me Caliburn, please! Can you cast a magic spell? Wait, which one's the daughter of Lucifer?"

Everyone blinked as she asked all her questions, and made all of her responses... moving and making the next before anyone could even respond to them.

"Issei, your little sister seems a little..." Vali mentioned, trailing off a bit.

"Excitable? Don't worry, that's just over the fact she can finally live with her family for real, and it should go away... within the next 24 hours" Issei agreed, sweating a bit.

He rushed to her, grabbing her by the shirt before turning her his way.

"OK, your reply to everything you just asked? They are my friends. Yes, that's why Kuroka has cat ears. Bikou doesn't actually have a tail. You can't just ask the Pendragon siblings to do that, we're still in the house. As for the daughter of Lucifer..." He answered, pulling Vali closer.

"This is my girlfriend, Valiana Lucifer, though we all call her Vali."

Homura soon appeared in front of Vali, surprising the Lucifer heiress slightly, before Homura took her hands for a strong handshake.

"Hi there, my name's Homura Akane, and I can't believe my brother's gonna marry such a pretty girl!" Homura greeted.

Vali blushed a bit at that, stuttering for a moment.

"Uh, thank you, but... well, we're not at that stage just yet." Vali chuckled awkwardly.

"Yeah, we're still in the dating stage." Issei corrected.

Homura blinked a bit, tilting her head in confusion, with Sanae giving a light chuckle as she put a hand on her shoulder.

"I'll explain later." She promised.

Ddraig soon stood up, cracking his knuckles a bit, making everyone sweat a bit.

"And now that he's back... come on everyone, time to get back to your training!" He exclaimed.

Bikou whimpered before falling to his side, making Issei raise his eyebrow.

"Uh... what's wrong with him?" He asked.

"I'm not sure." Vali replied, having not been in the prior training session.

At that moment, the sound of someone clearing their voice was heard, making everyone look as they saw Lilith walk into the room.

"Sorry to interrupt you two, but that training will have to wait for now. There's something that I need a few members of my daughter and Ineelana's peerages to go check out before the latter's Rating Game against Shuriliu." Lilith interjected.

Ddraig grumbled a bit at that, while Bikou gave a silent cry of relief.

"What is it you need us for?" Vali asked.

"Well... kind of odd to explain it, but I guess you can say that it's something related to both the Pendragon family history, and that of Nanami's." Lilith explained.

Hearing that, both of the Pendragon siblings looked at each other in confusion.

* * *

Back with Saji and Sona, they were both sitting by the river where Issei and Cassiel went fishing during the Excalibur Incident.

"Kind of surprising you'd choose a place like this to end our date." Sona remarked.

"Sorry, was it a dumb choice?" Saji asked worriedly.

"Nah, just didn't expect it." Sona giggled.

He felt the Sitri heiress scoot closer, making him blush as he took her hand in his own.

"I never got the chance to say this, but... thank you, Saji." Sona smiled.

"Huh?" Saji blinked.

"Remember that day, back when we were facing Orochi in Alfheim?" Sona reminded him.

"Yeah?" Saji confirmed.

"For so long, I let what I thought was right as the Sitri Heiress cloud who I really was, and hid myself under a mask of glasses. And then, I found you among everyone I could have in Kuoh Academy, and then you told me your resolve and dreams." Sona continued, closing her eyes as she smiled.

Saji showed a look of light surprise.

"Had I kept going down the path I did, there's a chance that I would have suffered a future I don't even want to consider. So, thank you for falling in love with me, because in doing so... you gave me the future that we're sitting in right now." The Sitri Heiress smiled, a warm blush on her face.

Saji blinked for a moment, and then smiled.

Her peerage kept watching, and then... saw them inch towards each other, making them all gasp.

"They're gonna kiss!" Bennia cheered with a whisper.

She tried to get a camera, but Tsubasa grabbed her before she could, knocking her down as she gave a muffled sound of complaining, trying to reach her camera in vain.

Now without interruptions, the two shared their first kiss with other, making the Student Council all watch happily at the moment they shared. Once it ended, the Sitri heiress rested her head on Saji's shoulder, and then give an unusual smirk only Saji understood.

"Tell me everyone, was following us for our entire date worth it?" She inquired.

All of Sona's peerage suddenly went white at that, and then heard Saji struggling not to laugh. Momo and Ruruko's eyes looked at one another, realizing the horror of what they meant.

"H-how long?" Ruruko asked nervously.

"Since we left the house." Sona answered.

Upon hearing that answer, the Pawn of Sitri immediately fainted onto Momo's lap.

* * *

A magic circle appeared in the ruins of an old ghost town that was abandoned after the mines were exhausted of all their resources, with Vali walking out alongside both Pendragon siblings, and Ineelana standing with Nanami at her side.

Noticing they had arrived, the Leviathan Heiress turned to them.

"Hey guys, this all of you?" She asked.

"Yeah, my mom felt we were enough. What's going on here?" Vali asked.

Nanami pointed out towards the ghost town, where the sight of buildings being destroyed in a line shape could be noticed, like something had crash landed in the town.

"Whoa!" Le Fay gasped.

"Quite unsightly, just what could have caused this?" Arthur questioned.

"The only good news is this was recently, so no one was here to get hurt." Nanami mentioned.

Vali looked at her, a bit surprised.

"How can you be sure of that?" The heiress of Lucifer asked.

"Simple, the soil." Ineelana explained.

Rubbing the ground, she placed the soil in Vali's hands, who shifted her fingers to feel it.

"It's really dry." She remarked.

"That's right, and it's why this town got abandoned. The mining quarry was the only thing that supported it. As such, when it was finally emptied out, the people had to move on because it was too dry for them to grow anything." Ineelana explained.

After she finished, she took the soil around the area where the destroyed buildings were.

"Now, compare it with this soil." Ineelana requested.

Vali felt this one, and noticed there was a slight difference, making her eyes widen a bit.

"Still pretty dry, but it seems like there's more moisture in it." Vali noticed.

"Exactly, and while I'm no whiz kid like Amalya, or a gardening expect like Niruili, basic science can tell me this much. The soil on top of any area is always the driest because its being exposed to the sunlight." Ineelana explained.

"I see, because the soil around the damage site isn't as dry as the rest, you can how recent this was." Arthur realized.

Ineelana nodded her head, and walked ahead of the others.

"Let's be careful, the fact Lilith said this has something to do with my Queen's past has me worried." The Leviathan heiress warned.

"Yeah... worries me too, as I was brought into the supernatural world in the worst manner possible." Nanami sighed.

Vali's peerage looked at her, and she turned to them.

"When I was 4-years old, my town was attacked by a bunch of machines and some odd Golem, but not the same kind as the Gogmagogs... my dad died from our roof collapsing, and my mother was killed due to collapsing debris leaving her no way to escape." Nanami revealed.

Vali gasped after hearing that.

"Yeah, and worse... it was all because Jequn wanted my Longinus, before either of us knew about it. All she ended up doing was guaranteeing I'd become her enemy." Nanami remarked.

"Guess it's a good thing you had Hina with you." Vali realized.

"Yeah, about that... there was a time me and Hina's relationship was the exact opposite that it was now, where we had no bond. Although... I guess that's why she ended up saving me." Nanami admitted.

Vali looked confused, until she took a closer look at her eyes, and saw something familiar in them.

'I guess like me, Issei, and Tobio... you and Hina also have your own major stories.' Vali thought, understanding everything through her eyes alone.

With that thought taken care of, the group continued following Ineelana into the crash site, which eventually lead them to a pile of rubble that was likely the object that had caused the damage they had seen across the town.

"Well, looks like this is it." Le Fay remarked.

"Stand back, I'll clear the rubble." Vali warned, forming her signature power.

Everyone did just that.

" **Black Hole!** "

Throwing her hand forward, a black sphere shot off, creating her Primal Abyss' gate ability, which then swallowed all of the debris in a powerful suction After it ended, what was underneath the rubble revealed itself... only for Nanami's eyes to widen in horror.

It was some kind of giant machine that resembled a Golem, with a shape that resembled a Gogmagog in structure, but looked a bit different.

"What is this thing?" Vali questioned.

"It's you..."

Everyone turned to hear it was Nanami who muttered those words, showing a form of anger only Ineelana recognized, judging by her expression having more fear than confusion in it.

" **Balance Break-** "

Ineelana instantly grabbed her Queen, making her struggle to escape her master's grip.

"Let me go, that murdering pile of scraps needs to be terminated!" Nanami roared.

"I'm not letting you do anything like this! If you act right now, you could easily take out the rest of us in your rage! Do you want to end up a Stray!?" Ineelana roared.

Hearing the Leviathan heiress' words, Nanami froze for a moment, and growled in anger.

"Nanami, why are you so enraged?" Arthur inquired.

"No need to ask, Arthur... because I think she already told us a few minutes ago." Vali realized.

There was no response to that, but Nanami turned her head, shedding a few tears.

"I get why you're angry Nanami, but remember why that thing attacked your home. We should at least know how willing this thing was before you try to destroy it. After all, if it was just another puppet for Jequn, you've already seen your parents' killer brought to justice." Ineelana asked.

Taking a moment, the Telos Karma wielder exhaled a deep breath.

"Alright... I'm sorry for losing my cool there." Nanami apologized.

"It's alright, there's not a person in this world that doesn't lose their cool at least once." Ineelana reassured her.

Realizing it was safe, Vali looked towards Le Fay.

"Le Fay, this thing looks like its magically powered. Try seeing if you can get a reaction from it." Vali ordered.

"You've got it." Le Fay replied.

Flying closer with her broom stick, the Pendragon magician looked around the machine's body, trying to figure out how it worked. That's when she suddenly noticed a familiar marking on its backside, and used her magic to levitate it onto its feet, and get a better look.

The moment she saw it, a loud gasp released from her mouth, and got everyone's attention.

"Le Fay, what's wrong?" Arthur asked with concern.

"This is... if this marking is what I think it is, then this thing is a Gogmagog!" Le Fay explained.

Everyone gasped upon hearing this.

"Wait, but how's that possible? This thing looks nothing like the ones the Khaos Brigade's fought with." Vali questioned.

"Hold on." Ineelana interjected.

The Leviathan heiress took out a small book, confusing Vali's peerage, and then she found what she was looking for.

"You're right Vali, because this isn't the same kind of Gogmagog as those. It's the original prototype they couldn't mass-produce because of how it was made." She explained.

"Seriously? Then... what's different about this one?" Vali questioned.

"For one, it's a Golem made of the six great supernatural metals: Adamantium, Mithril, Orichalcum, Meteoric Iron, Cold Iron, and Hihi'irokane; and except for Orichalcum, those were all metals that were much rarer in the past, much less use. From there... not sure, but it does mention the Gogmagog that came after it lacked some features this one has." Ineelana explained.

Le Fay flew closer, looking at the spot on its back.

"So, this isn't just a prototype, but a more advanced model?" She questioned.

"That's right, so the only thing inferior about this one was the fact they could only create a single model." Ineelana confirmed.

Nanami cleared her throat, getting her King's attention as she pointed something out.

"Oh wait, my bad. There's still one other problem that pushed it aside for the modern variants we're more familiar with. They couldn't properly stabilize its magical functions, and it was unable to be operated for long periods of time, a problem that wouldn't be fixed until it fell into position of... Morgan Le Fay?" Ineelana explained, showing surprise at the last bit.

Hearing that last bit, Vali got an idea.

"Le Fay, try seeing if you can reactivate it." Vali shouted to her.

Everyone looked at her like she was crazy, the exception being Arthur, who just showed slight worry.

"Try to trust me on this, I get the feeling it'll work out." Vali reassured everyone.

"If you're wrong... then we'll make you destroy that thing by yourself." Ineelana groaned as she gave in.

Vali gave an awkward chuckle at that.

Feeling a bit nervous, the Pendragon magician placed her hand on the one spot, and felt her magic react to it, getting everyone's attention. In a few moments, it began unleashing a few beeps as its eyes flashed to life, and then roared as it rose its arms up.

"U-uh... hi there?" Le Fay greeted.

Motioning its head to look at Le Fay, it made the same sounds, which after hearing closer, sounded like beeps in a sort of pattern. If one didn't know any better, it was like it spoke something not too different to Morse Code.

"Wait, you can talk? Then one second." Le Fay replied.

Holding out her wand, she cast a spell, which caused the Gogmagog's eyes to brighten as new data processed through it.

『"Talk upgrade, now understands Gogmagog."』 The Gogmagog replied.

"Uh..." Le Fay blinked.

"Le Fay, that thing's likely older than our most famous ancestor, I don't think modern magic will do much better than that." Arthur shouted up to her.

The Pendragon magician laughed a bit, blushing in slight embarrassment.

"Either that, or it's still a little damaged." Vali mentioned.

"I'm gonna lean more to the latter, and based on that..." Ineelana replied.

She nudged her Queen, getting Nanami's attention.

"Oh, right..." She realized.

Walking up to the giant prototype, she hit her hand on its leg, getting its attention.

"Uh... hey there, do I look familiar to you?" Nanami asked.

Looking closer, the ancient weapon tried to find any records of Nanami in its database, but got no results.

『"Error. No recognition, does not know."』 The Gogmagog replied.

"It doesn't recognize me, then that means..." Nanami gasped.

"Looks like we know why it's in such a bad shape, whatever left it like this was trying to render it beyond repair. I'm surprised it was even able to react to Le Fay." Ineelana realized.

Flying up to Le Fay, the Pendragon Magician noticed Vali look at her with a smile.

"Well, that much we can figure out later. For now? I think we can say you don't need to worry about finding a new trick for our upcoming match with Rias." Vali smiled.

"Hey, you're right!" Le Fay cheered.

Ineelana flinched at that, sweating at the potential opponent she might have to fight if she and Vali meet in the Finals.

"Crap..." She thought aloud.

Nanami put a hand on her shoulder, attempting to comfort her a bit.

* * *

The next day, everyone was at the stadium for the next match of the Rating Game tournament. Sitting in the stands, the sore members of Vali's peerage were all seen sitting in their designated area, with only the twin Dragons looking somewhat fine from the results.

"Yikes, was that from Ddraig and Albion's train-" Saji asked.

Bikou screamed as he remembered it, making the host of Vritra's expression go flat in worry. It only got worse as he heard Vritra laugh, as if he was getting an idea, and instantly hugged Sona close.

"Saji, it isn't like Vritra can get out of his Sacred Gear." Sona reassured him.

"How do we know that?" He questioned.

The Sitri heiress soon went silent, realizing that she didn't know what his fused Sacred Gear could do compared to its original four components, and hugged Saji back as a similar look appeared on her face.

At that moment, everyone heard a tapping sound go off.

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**Get ready everyone, because the Rating Game Tournament is about to start the second battle between another two heirs from the Maou Clans!**

The crowd cheered in response to hearing that, making Naud smile.

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**Not only that, because guess what? We've got an extra special surprise! Time for me to introduce our guest announcer for this match!**

The screen instantly smokes up, making everyone confuse until...

**【** **Diehauser** **】**   
**So, are you wondering who that guest announcer is yet, or do you need more time?**

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**I don't know, how about the fans answer?**

The crowd goes crazy at that, especially his fangirls.

"Diehauser!" They all exclaimed.

At that moment, both teams walked onto the battlefield, waving their arms out as the crowd went wild.

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**Now, for today's Rating Game, we have another newly created type of match, a "Sacred Battle" is what we call it!**

**【** **Diehauser** **】**   
**The name might be confusing, so for those who don't understand the choice of name? This is a type of battle where if you have a Sacred Gear, you can only use abilities tied to said Sacred Gear.**

Hearing that, Ineelana's eyes instantly widened as the grassland battlefield was formed.

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**Now, let the Rating Game-**

"Wait!"

Everyone noticed Ineelana holding her hand up as she made the call, confusing everyone.

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**Oh, is there something wrong?**

"There is. Due to this type of match, and the fact we need to respect the safety of those who view us fight in this battle of sport... I ask you consider Murasaki as retired before the match starts!" Ineelana asked.

This confused the crowd.

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**Huh? I'm confused, why would you want that?**

**【** **Diehauser** **】**   
**I think I have an idea... her Rook's probably got a Sacred Gear that's too dangerous, and therefore makes a restriction to using it alone dangerous.**

"You're correct... Murasaki has a Cursed Gear, and I can assure you that this one is _nothing_ like the one Sona's Knight used. Having her use it would be too great a risk." Ineelana verified.

Naud paled at that, wondering just how bad it was for her to plead for Murasaki to be retired.

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**Alright, as you request this out of concern for the crowd and your own teammate, your Rook may sit out of this battle.**

Hearing this, and realizing the disadvantage she gained, Shuriliu whistled in response.

"If it's alright, out of fairness to Ineelana's forced handicap, I'd like to retire my Queen from the match." Shuriliu requested.

Many were surprised by this, but Naud smiled.

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**Now that's some fair sportsmanship we're seeing! Very well, if you're alright with it, then we'll allow it.**

The crowd clapped at that, with Alanira giving a smile of respect.

Murasaki looked at Ineelana, an apologetic look on her face.

"I'm sorry..." She apologized.

"Don't be, it isn't your fault we got this kind of match." Ineelana waved, giving her a reassuring smile.

Looking at her own Queen, it didn't take long for Yoko to sigh at what Shuriliu did.

"Well, guess I can't stop you now. You better show double effort in this battle as a compromise." Yoko relented.

"No worries, without Murasaki, our main worry is gone, and by extension..." Shuriliu replied.

She gave a slight giggle, her eyes sharpening.

"It means that nothing can hold me back with a little trick I know no one in Ineelana's peerage will see heading their way." She smirked.

Upon noticing that expression, within a certain area of the crowds the sight of Hina shivering could be noticed, with Aariliyn and Niruili both sweating a bit.

"Oh god, judging by her face, it looks like she'll be using... _that_ trick." Niruili assumed.

"Ineelana and Leelexe weren't present when she learned that, meaning she'll have the element of surprise." Aariliyn remarked worriedly.

After both retainers left the battlefield, Naud cleared his throat.

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**Alright, now let's hope there's no interruptions this time. Let the Rating Game... Begin!**

Ineelana's peerage instantly rushed ahead, while Shuriliu smirked.

"Listen up everyone, we're about to use... _Formation N_." Shuriliu ordered.

This instantly got her peerage spooked, with Yoko's face sweating from her position in the stands, while Ineelana just raised her eye at the strange name.

"She said it!" Niruili gasped.

"And right from the start!?" Ineelana exclaimed.

It took a minute, but Lubbock instantly hit the ground, causing his Sacred Gear to unleash his strings from underground.

"Nanami!" Ineelana shouted.

"Right!" She replied.

The Telos Karma wielder formed a barrier, which instantly made the Asmodeus heiress lick her fingers.

"Thank you, Ineelana." She smirked.

Hearing that, the Leviathan heiress' eyes widened in surprise, right as Shuriliu's eyes gained an iridescent effect, and a magical mist flew off of them.

"Now, let me show you something you'll need to truly see to believe!" Shuriliu announced.

" **Invader Sight!** "

And with those two words, the entire crowd was suddenly blinded by a bright light.

* * *

**Whoa... it looks like Shuriliu had a trump card prepared, and because Murasaki got taken out of the battle due to the dangers of her Cursed Gear, she had every reason to use it against Ineelana, since she's the only opponent it would really work on. For Sairaorg, it would be countered by Misteeta's Trick Vanish, dispelled by Akeno's priestess techniques, negated by Vali using her Primal Abyss, and Niruili already knows about it.**

**Anyways, the reunion between the Akane siblings has finally happened! Not to mention, I bet after how I've had Gogmagog appear in the story as an army used by the Khaos Brigade, you didn't expect that I'd be giving Le Fay one of her own, and if I said otherwise? *giggles* Well, sometimes an author has to give you a little misdirection, since I didn't want to reveal these Gogmagogs weren't like the one in the Vali Team.**

**Now, that creation myth... I doubt any of you expected me to reveal that, but I think now you realize why the Shinto Pantheon's had such a larger importance in the story. This is also why it, and the Hindu Pantheon were so quick to join the Alliance when prompted, as they were already close to the Christian Pantheon through their leaders' relationship with God.**

**I had already said once before that God's title was used to define "Gods" as an entire race, and this is why. For why I did the whole thing with Pangaea? In one short story, it was said that a Dinosaur was actually an Earth Dragon, and when I remembered how there are some lost continents, combined with the Great War's damages? Well, since I already said the Dragons were the first species on Earth, it just worked out.**

**Best part is now that I've revealed this, getting the Hindu Pantheon more involved in the story can finally begin to happen, as I had to withhold it due to this, and because of Indra's current actions. Though, like Issei was for the Shinto Pantheon, we've already technically had a bit of them involved for much longer through Cao Cao, as I still consider him tied to them due to his ancestor being from China.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

**A/N: The crest of the Asmodeus Clan is that of a heart with a frame that looks like it was made from the flares of various flames.**

* * *

** Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter ** **:**

**None**

* * *

** Pairings List ** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating  
Ddraig/Tiamat - Married  
Albion/Fafnir - Married  
Saji/Sona - Dating  
Gasper/Valerie - Dating  
Kiba/Tosca - Dating  
Sairaorg/Kuisha - Dating  
Rossweisse/Vidar - Chemistry is clearing forming between them  
Hina/Nanami - Dating  
Jeanne/Cao Cao - Jeanne has a clear crush, while Cao Cao's feelings are unknown**


	38. Chapter 38

**Phew... sorry everyone, this update too a lot longer than I expected it to, but I'm here now! Though with how long it took, it makes me glad I decided to slow things down for this arc, because I've recently realized that I've become a bit overzealous with some planned story ideas, and with some parts of the story. Adding onto that, recently, I've realized my writing style is kinda "fast", and I've missed out on potential scenes.**

**Not to worry, there's always flashbacks for a few of them, and I don't think there were too many scenes like this to be a major issue overall. At most, this is just going to make sure that such scenes like the example above do end up happening. Especially since this is just another step of evolving my writing style, which for the more alert readers, have likely noticed gradually as the chapters go.**

**Anyways, with that out of the way, time to actually begin today's start notes.**

**First of all, something I forgot to mention in last chapter's end notes. You likely noticed what Nanami said, about how things with her and Hina weren't always as they were, which might seem odd due to her character. Well, you need to remember that before now, I've never hinted their backstories much beyond the fact they had to deal with the female, Demon equivalent of Kokabiel, with Aariliyn having saved Hina's parents.**

**While there's an eventual prequel that will eventually answer this, for right now? I can give you a small hint. As you found out last chapter, the Gogmagog that's now part of Le Fay's arsenal destroyed her home when she was just a child, and she didn't leave that incident without any mental scars. Because of that, she became quite the bully, and her sole target? The very girl she'd fall in love with later on.**

**So, as you can see, there's good reason Nanami would rather not bring up her past, because that's the last thing she wants to talk about. Anything else, such as how she and Hina eventually became a couple, is going to be in their story. *blinks as I remember something* Oh, I just remembered about something I should have said when I first revealed they were a couple!**

**In this story, due to the same reasons Le Fay had a spell to increase the size of her, Shirone, and Asia's breasts, it is also possible for same gender couples to have children through magical means. That might not seem too important, but there are actually some characters that are the result of this, and there's also the fact soon enough, Hina/Nanami might not be the only same gender couple in this story.**

**While I have nothing against it, love between two boys is a bit too uncomfortable for me to actually write about (once again, I don't hate it in any way), so there won't be any main character pairings like that. If any do show up, they'll likely be minor characters, and I won't show the romance beyond confirming they're a couple/married when they debut, or introduce them together.**

**That's all for today's start notes, so let's see if Ineelana's ready for whatever Shuriliu's about to unleash :3**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

 **[]** \- Ddraig Talking

 **«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

 **「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

 **【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

 **⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

** Astral Void **

**The signature ability of the Lucifuge Clan, which is also known as the Primal Abyss' shadow, based on how Yumina Lucifuge described the power. It resembles a more faded and see-through version of the Lucifer Clan's signature ability, representing that shadow nature even form, and while both powers are equally versatile, the Astral Void's are not as offensively-oriented.**

**Among the abilities the Astral Void grants, the most notable is the Lucifuge Clan's ability to teleport without magic circles. While it uses magic to make the jump, the lack of a magic circle makes it impossible for people to sense it, and due to the meaning of the Lucifuge name (which is "who flees the light"), this teleportation's power grows stronger when exposed to sunlight.**

**Other powers include the ability to go intangible, which leaves the user in a state of a powerful defense that is immune to all attacks that aren't energy based, with the exception being light, which only strengthens it due to how shadows are normally created; or things without a definite shape, like wind or water. Due to being intangible, the user can move from solid objects, but not if they're living things.**

**Finally, the signature power of the Astral Void is that the user can give life to their shadow, manifesting in a form like that of a Night Reflection's shadow minions, but completely linked to the user's body. Due to this link, the shadow lacks feet, and can only stretch a certain distance, which grows stronger in light, but only achieves its full power on a night with no Moon.**

**The power of this shadow also can be amplified through contact with other shadows, allowing it to grow larger depending on the number and size of the shadows in question. A testament to this power is the fact that during the Great War, it was impossible to seal the Heavenly Dragons into their respective Sacred Gears until Lucifuge united with everyone to make her shadow large enough to pin them down, and give God the chance to seal them.**

**Due to the Lucifuge Clan having been born from Lucifer's Anima splitting from his body, the Astral Void can be altered, depending on who that Lucifuge serves. As shown with Lucifuge and Yumina, who each serve their respective Lucifer, there's no change. For Euclid, due to serving Rizevim, he's lost the power to use it entirely. Grayfia's is the best example of a variant, as hers lost all its abilities, in exchange for raw power rivaling Sirzechs' POD.**

**Even if this power is just a shadow of the Primal Abyss, it's still a powerful ability, and the strongest one among the powers of the Extra Devil Clans.**

* * *

**_ Season 4, Journey to the Finals Arc: Chapter 4 - Twin Maou Fury! _ **

Ineelana's peerage instantly rushed ahead, while Shuriliu smirked.

"Listen up everyone, we're about to use... _Formation N_." Shuriliu ordered.

This instantly got her peerage spooked, with Yoko's face sweating from her position in the stands, while Ineelana just raised her eye at the strange name.

"She said it!" Niruili gasped.

"And right from the start!?" Ineelana exclaimed.

It took a minute, but Lubbock instantly hit the ground, causing his Sacred Gear to unleash his strings from underground.

"Nanami!" Ineelana shouted.

"Right!" She replied.

The Telos Karma wielder formed a barrier, which instantly made the Asmodeus heiress lick her fingers.

"Thank you, Ineelana." She smirked.

Hearing that, the Leviathan heiress' eyes widened in surprise, right as Shuriliu's eyes gained an iridescent effect, and a magical mist flew off of them.

"Now, let me show you something you'll need to truly see to believe!" Shuriliu announced.

" **Invader Sight!** "

And with those two words, the entire crowd was suddenly blinded by a bright light.

When everyone finally regained their vision, the first one to look was Ineelana, who suddenly noticed the surprise that defied all logic and sense, and that surprise was...

"Surprised?" Multiple female voices echoed in unison.

The entire audience was caught within an illusionary realm that had replaced the battlefield, filled with dozens of copies of the Asmodeus heiress and her teammates.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
A-are we really seeing this!?**

**【** **Diehauser** **】** **  
It looks like that last move somehow altered our entire perception. Now, we can only see what she wants us to see, and by extension... it means we can't if someone's the real or a fake until we see the real deal in the retirement area.**

While he said that, Naud quickly checked the rules, and validating its usage.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Well, before anything else, the rule book says that a move altering one's perception is legal if based on illusion. As such, let the match resume!**

Shuriliu looked at Lubbock, who looked back.

"Use the Fly Trap!" She ordered.

"On it!" Lubbock replied.

Lubbock and all of his illusions used his Sacred Gear to create a web of steel threads, which got Ineelana on edge.

"Ikki! Lead the way for you, Ayato, and Kazuto!" Shuriliu followed up.

"Right!" He confirmed.

Focusing his sight, he gathered the details of every thread's position, and then...

"I've got it, follow me." He stated.

Rushing ahead of his fellow sword users, he dashed around all of Lubbock's threads without issue, not hitting a single one.

"Let's do it." Ayato declared.

"Just try to get past our swords." Kazuto smirked.

Following the Asmodeus Knight, the trio rushed at Ineelana's peerage, while the Leviathan Heiress tried to think of what to do.

'OK, think... we don't know which of those swordsmen are real, and there's a chance this illusion might be real enough it'd hurt to be attacked by what's not the real deal. Those strings don't look like they're just a form of negation either, they could hurt us if we make a wrong move.' She thought.

Realizing that with such a big risk on what to do, only one of her teammates could act at the moment,

"Nanami, time for the _Risk Factor_!" She ordered.

"Ooh, I've been waiting for the chance to use that tactic again!" Nanami replied excitedly.

Pumping her fists together, a feint flash released from her body, and the Queen of Leviathan rushed ahead to the crowd's surprise. Upon doing so, everyone saw her suddenly tossed around as she kept rushing into the dangerous strings.

"Why's she rushing in like that?" Lubbock questioned.

"Careful, that girl's a Longinus wielder, so her doing that might be part of their plan." Shuriliu warned.

Upon the three swordsmen rush near her, she paused her movements.

**«"BARRIER!"»**

A barrier formed around the area, and suddenly forced the tree to stop, which resulted in all of their illusionary copies disappearing.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Alright! It looks like the real deals must have gotten caught inside that barrier, and now only the fakes that were caught with them are left!**

Seeing this, an idea suddenly reached Ineelana's mind.

'The ones in the barrier stayed because of the real ones being inside? Wait, then maybe... that's it! Just need to wait for Nanami to finish things up!' Ineelana realized.

From the stands, the Aariliyn smiled a bit.

"I think she just figured out how to counter Shuriliu's technique." She remarked.

"I knew that Ineelana wouldn't go down without a fight!" Niruili cheered.

Within the barrier of the Telos Karma wielder, she motioned to the three swordsmen to come at her, while they were all on the defensive.

"Careful, her Sacred Gear's known for all those tricky abilities. A careless attack will cost us." Ayato warned.

Nanami gave a slight smile, realizing she got them to heighten their guard.

All like she planned it to be.

'Sometimes, it's better to drop a guard than maintain it.' She thought.

Snapping her fingers, the three stiffened themselves, unsure of how she activated her Sacred Gear's powers for this instance.

"I'll take the first move, keep your eyes out." Kazuto stated.

The dual-wielding swordsman rushed ahead, and Nanami simply hummed a bit as she chose to do nothing more than dodge each of his attacks. This made the audience a bit curious at the Leviathan Queen's movements.

**【** **Diehauser** **】** **  
Hmm... it doesn't look like whatever she did was meant to have an effect on her opponents.**

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
You're right, so what did she-**

At that moment, the sight of Kazuto's swords glowing could be seen. He began to accelerate his movements, and slash at a speed that looked too fast for Nanami to avoid... only for her to step on a leaf, which let her slide under the attack.

Kazuto's eyes widened as the Telos Karma wielder slid under his feet, and appeared right behind him.

'No way, that had to have just been luck right-' Kazuto thought.

He gasped, and realized to his horror just what Nanami had done before his attack, right as his foot bent over.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
What the!?**

**【** **Diehauser** **】** **  
Ah, so that's what she did, it seems that she forced luck to be on her side.**

Nanami instantly turned around, and dashed to swipe both of Kazuto's swords from him.

"Hey!" He shouted.

"No rule saying you can't swipe your opponent's weapons during the match, just that I can't use powers not from my own Sacred Gear." Nanami replied, tossing them into the air.

Right on cue, Ikki and Ayato dashed ahead.

" **Itto Shura!** "

" **With my soul sword, I break these celestial bonds... that my savage force may be seen!** "

Both of them unleashed a powerful aura as if they were overclocking their body's natural limits.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Looks like thing's are heating up for these two!**

Both of them rushed at Nanami, and at that moment, she smirked as she crabbed her Sacred Gear.

"Time to change things up!" She declared.

She turned the front side of her pendant to the side, making it look like a plus sign... only for it to jut out four pointed extensions as its shape changed.

" **Balance Breaker - Twists of Fate!** "

Holding out her hands, Nanami swung them around, and before either Asmodeus swordsman could react?

" **Pandora's Box!** "

Kazuto's swords were suddenly thrown towards them, making them suddenly parry the attack. Right at that moment, the Leviathan Queen swung her around even faster, causing some of the rubble that was created by Kazuto's swords swings to fly around.

**【** **Diehauser** **】** **  
So, that's the threat that makes even the Telos Karma a dangerous Sacred Gear.**

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
It looks like she's actually influencing the area! But wait, does that mean she could-**

Nanami soon motioned her fingers towards her, causing both Ayato and Ikki to go flying as they were pulled towards her. Kazuto wasn't as lucky because he was suddenly thrown towards the two to the entire crowd's surprise.

"This can't be happening!" He exclaimed in a panic, right before his teammates' swords sliced through him.

He was retired in an instant.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
One of Lady Shuriliu's Knights. Retired!**

_[Ineelana Leviathan: 7 | Shuriliu Asmodeus: 7]_

However, neither of his fellow teammates stopped being drawn towards Nanami, who was covered by a familiar glow.

"This is the end!" Nanami exclaimed.

**«"COUNTER!"»**

Both hit Nanami's body, and instantly felt the backlash of their power up rebound against them, causing both to vanish from the battlefield.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
One of Lady Shuriliu's Knights, and one of her Pawns. Retired!**

_[Ineelana Leviathan: 7 | Shuriliu Asmodeus: 5]_

The crowd cheered, while Shuriliu gave a nervous sweat, activating her signature ability.

"So, that's the power that named it a God Slayer... the very threshold of Longinus is none other than the ability to use their own power against them." Shuriliu remarked.

"Shuriliu, do you think-" Fate asked.

"Keep calm, they're still limited by my illusionary world. That'll limit them from being reckless. Even if she has such a Longinus, it won't help if Nanami runs out of stamina." Shuriliu reassured her.

Nanami began to back flip to her teammates, which is when Shuriliu whistled through her fingers a certain way.

"At once." Guiche replied, a sparkle in his eyes.

Swinging out his rose, it formed petals that turned into warriors made of bronze.

"Go, my Bronze Battalion!" Her ordered.

They all began charging towards the Leviathan Team, which instantly made Ineelana act.

"Try this!" Ineelana shouted.

"Allow me to aid you!" Yumi offered.

She instantly released a cloud of mist, which Yumi soon turned into a powerful whirlwind of ice, right as Nanami made it back within the icy gale. The bronze warriors were rendered immobile by the intense force.

"Glad you got in here before the gale locked you out." Ineelana sighed.

"You did good in cutting down a third of their members, that gives us the lead." Stella praised.

"Except those three were the only short-range opponents. I'm pretty sure aside from Elfman, who waits for opponents to come to him, everyone else on her team is a long-range fighter." Nanami warned.

"With those illusions as our main obstacle, fate doesn't look to be in our favor right now." Ophelia remarked.

As she tried to rack her head around it...

『"Ineelana, listen to me! I think I know how to overcome the illusions!"』 Murasaki exclaimed.

"What the... Murasaki, is that you?" Ineelana replied.

『"Yeah, just because I'm not fighting doesn't mean I'm not allowed to give you advice from where I'm watching."』 She confirmed.

Ineelana suddenly blinked before laughing a bit, realizing that was true.

There honestly wasn't a rule that prevented defeated teammates from giving support after being defeated, the only problem was that more often than not, they'd be unable to due to how they were eliminated in the first place.

"Alright, so what do you mean by having a way to overcome the illusions?" She asked.

『"Well, you already noticed it, didn't you?"』 Murasaki reminded her.

The Leviathan heiress' eyes widened as she remembered what she saw when Nanami trapped the three swordsmen in her barrier.

'I almost forgot about that in the ensuing chaos of Guiche's warriors!' She thought.

"Hey guys, you remember what happened when Nanami's barrier went up? The clones outside of it all disappeared." Ineelana mentioned.

"Oh, that's right! It was as if something had cut them off." Mine realized.

"No, more like Nanami limited our perception of them into her barrier." Shino replied.

Ineelana nodded her head, and pointed to her eyes.

"Exactly, because these illusions are likely linked to our eyes, as she cast it via her ability. Guess I should have been weary of this after she revealed in her match with Riser that she's learned how to attack in a mental manner." Ineelana explained.

"So, these illusions are the kind that only look real. If that's the case, how do we find the real ones among these fakes?" Ophelia questioned.

『"Yumi, remember our training? This is just like that."』 Murasaki mentioned.

Hearing that, the Bishop of Leviathan widened her eyes.

"That's right, if you get trapped within an illusion, then you need to shock your senses to see through the lies." Yumi realized.

"So, how do we do that?" Stella asked.

Yumi moved her thumb near her mouth, and made a motion as if she was ready to bite us.

"A quick shock of pain through your veins will do the trick, and a simple bite on your thumb can work, without even needing to draw blood." Yumi answered.

"Guess we're already roughing it when playing these Rating Games, so guess that's no biggie." Stella replied.

Everyone prepared to do that when...

" **Pheromone Wind!** "

A pink wind from a distance was unleashed by Shuriliu's spinning, and the two winds' opposing directions began to destabilize each other.

"Damn it, we've gotta do this now!" Mine yelled.

『"W-wait! Before you do, it might be good to act like you haven't broken free, so you can use it to plan a surprise attack."』 Murasaki suggested.

"Hmm... good idea, no need to give it away if they can't see us. Especially if Shuriliu can just stack another layer of that technique." Shino agreed.

Ineelana nodded, looking at Yumi.

"But to still give us an edge? Use that ninja training, and rely on every other sense you have." Ineelana ordered.

"Understood." Yumi replied.

With that said, everyone bit down on their thumbs, wincing for the brief moment as the pain flared out.

"Go time." Ineelana smirked, wincing a bit.

As the two winds broke, the Leviathan heiress extended her hand out.

"Do it now, Yumi!" She exclaimed.

"I shall." Yumi promised.

**「** **TOPGUN: Just A Revolution** **」**

Dashing ahead, the Icy Bishop rushed towards Shuriliu's team with her eyes closed, surprising the crowd.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
She closed her eyes?**

**【** **Diehauser** **】** **  
If our information is correct, she and Ineelana's Rook both came from a clan of Ninja, so she's likely trying to overcome the illusions by ignoring what she sees in favor of her other senses.**

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Ah, so she's gonna try to hear where she's going to avoid the fakes. That's smart.**

Shuriliu blinked a bit before chuckling a bit.

『"Her reaction time won't get any faster, use that against her."』 Yoko alerted her King.

"Got it." Shuriliu replied.

Looking at Lubbock, she got the Asmodeus Pawn's attention.

"Got any ideas?" He asked.

"Lubbock, how about giving her a tangled web to weave?" Shuriliu suggested.

"I am loving this strategy!" Lubbock exclaimed.

Motioning his Sacred Gear even more, the steel threads multiplied and spread out. Hearing them near her, Yumi held her hand out.

" **Balance Breaker - Harbinger of the Black Ice Blizzard!** "

Yumi transformed into her Ice King Mode, and her frozen sword appeared, which she quickly used to gracefully rebound across the strings. Everyone began to cheer, while Lubbock's eyes widened as the Leviathan Bishop completely walked around his attack.

"Elfman!" Shuriliu warned.

" **Metamorphosis- Lizardman Arm!** "

Transforming his arm, the powerful Rook of Asmodeus rushed ahead with a strong right hook that was now covered in thick scales that ignored his ally's razor-sharp threads. The bronze warriors also charged alongside him.

" **Arctic Arachnophobia!** "

Her body emitted a blizzard that transformed itself into a Black Widow made of ice. It instantly stabbed its arms forward, knocking the warriors to the side, and making them shatter into pieces.

Elfman's arm slammed itself into the icy spider's limbs, struggling to overpower it.

"Shino! Mine!" Ineelana shouted.

"Right!" Mina smirked.

Readying her Sacred Gear, it began to charge as Shino prepared arrows from behind, firing a few of them. As part of their act in appearing to still be under the illusion's affects, she began aiming where Murasaki (who stayed under the illusion as a precaution), and only then did she actually try hitting the real deals.

"Stella, lend me some dragon fire!" Ineelana ordered.

Stella nodded her head, and suddenly began screaming, emitting a heavy flare of power as her eyes began to change into a more draconic form.

" **Dragon Spirit!** "

" **Attribute Thief!** "

Ineelana motioned her hands around, creating a familiar trio of elemental Dragons, but this time they were made of rock shards, condensed wind, and pressurized water.

"Ganryuu!"  
"Suiryuu!"  
"Kazeryuu!"

Ineelana swings her arms out as Stella swung down Laevateinn, which immediately began to blaze.

" **Tri-Dragon Strike!** "

" **Katharterio Salamandra!** "

Before anyone could expect it, a series of four Dragons were unleashed, flying past Mine as they smashed through Guiche's army of bronze warriors.

Taking the intensity of the attacks being so close to them, Mine's Sacred Gear got a huge boost, and she pulled the trigger to unleash a powerful blast. Noticing it come near them, Fate instantly reacted.

"Watch out!"

Shuriliu and Lubbock felt themselves being grabbed as she instantly vanished like a flash of lightning. Yumi heard her teammate's attacks, and flipped into the air, leaving Elfman and Guiche to both panic as the attacks flew towards them, and became a gigantic explosion of elements.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Both of Lady Shuriliu's Rooks. Retired!**

_[Ineelana Leviathan: 7 | Shuriliu Asmodeus: 3]_

The crowd went wild as Fate reappeared with her surviving teammates.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

"Forgive me, but I could only save two, and Lubbock's strings were a better option to save." Fate apologized.

"It's alright, but looks like it's time to pull out our trump card." Shuriliu replied.

Lubbock's eyes widened at that, and he gave an excited look.

"Alright, here we go!" Lubbock shouted.

He spun his threads together, creating a solid lance with them. Fate unleashed her electricity, firing it at Yumi at incredible speeds, and forcing her to parry with her ice sword... which shattered, but at least kept her safe as she tumbled back, having her outfit shred by some of the strings that cut across her.

" **Balance Breaker - Infinite Cross Tail!** "

The threads begin stringing themselves together, while Fate began using her electricity on it once more. The threads began wrapping around Shuriliu's body, while she stood on Fate's shoulders, who in turn was doing the same on Lubbock's.

Ineelana's peerage all took a moment to stare as the trio managed to essentially make a Mecha suit for them to use! Shuriliu was the puppeteer, with Fate acting as the polisher that let the suit move smoothly, and Lubbock acting as the entire thing's support.

**【** **Diehauser** **】** **  
I'll admit, that was not a technique I expected to see.**

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Guess that's one way to make a battle suit.**

The crowd went wild at the sight of the team attack before them, while all the members of Ineelana's peerage gathered together.

『"Ineelana, the illusions have all vanished. Looks like that it can't hold up while they're using this trick"』 Murasaki mentioned.

"Understood." Ineelana confirmed.

Whistling with her fingers, her teammates turned to face her, noticing she had a look of certainty on her face.

"Everyone, listen closely! I've got a plan." She shouted.

They gathered within earshot, and heard her say the main generalization of what they were do while waiting for her specific instructions.

**「** **Hundred: Opening Theme** **」**

"OK, here we go!" She exclaimed.

" **Attribute Thief - Smash Rocket!** "

In an instant, the Leviathan Heiress began moving at Sonic speeds, zipping around the Mecha.

" **Thunder Smasher!** "

The Mecha's hand opened up, unleashing a powerful thunder attack from Fate's power. Ineelana rushed around it in an attempt to go around it.

"Nanami, start rushing ahead! Shino, fire an arrow for her to catch and hold, then give her a spin!" Ineelana ordered.

Both of them nodded, and Nanami began sprinting ahead, while the Youkai archer fired off an arrow. She soon pulled back afterwards, revealing a magical rope that Nanami caught in her left hand.

The Leviathan Queen began running to pick up speed, with Sinon using all her strength to add some of the spin into her speed.

**【** **Diehauser** **】** **  
Looks like the Leviathan Team's got some kind of plan.**

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Well, I'll definitely say that I'm curious to what they're about to pull off!**

Shuriliu looked around, moving out the Mecha's hands.

" **Infinite Strings!** "

Ineelana noticed the strings coming her way, and began forming an ice slide under her, allowing her to skate around in the air to dodge them all.

"Ophelia, Yumi, Stella! Slow it down together!" Ineelana ordered.

Stella and Yumi quickly back flip near each other, mixing their fire and ice into a single sphere. Ophelia quickly landed between them, and put out her hand, unleashing her signature miasma hands.

However, these venomous appendages were accelerated by the flames, and the moment they hit the Asmodeus Team's Mecha suit? While the venom rested certain areas, the true effect of their contact was instead huge masses of ice that slowed them down, and limited their movements.

"Uh oh..." Shuriliu gulped.

Ineelana quickly jumped off the ground, and quickly rushed towards Shino, who passed the string as Nanami dismounted her feet from the ground.

"Alright, Mine! Get ready to let it rip!" Ineelana exclaimed.

"Locked and loaded!" Mine verified.

The Leviathan heiress soon stopped, and threw Nanami towards Mine's direction.

"Form a barrier, now!" Ineelana ordered.

"Oh god, you're crazy! I like it!" Nanami chuckled.

Forming a barrier, Mine was surprised, but that unexpected action ended up being exactly what her Sacred Gear needed, and she fired at it. The intense force soon smashed into Nanami's barrier, and before anyone in the crowd recognized it... Nanami began a cannon ball, sending the Mecha suit flying as it tumbled, and left everyone inside of it screaming!

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
They did not!**

The crowd's cheering went into an explosive level, and that's when Ineelana quickly regained her speed, eventually nearing a certain amount of acceleration as another ability was applied to her fist, making her hands spark with lightning.

"This! Is! It!"

Ineelana immediately achieve the Smash Rocket's speed to create a Sonic boom, which went off right as Ineelana stopped to throw an electrified blast, and completely shot the Mecha out of the boundaries of the Rating Game's arena.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

There was a brief pause, especially from the members of both peerages who had sat out of the entire match due to their King's respective reasons.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
The rest of Lady Shuriliu's Team. Out of Bounds!**

**【** **Diehauser** **】** **  
Game Over. The winner of the match, and with a flawless victory no less, is Ineelana Leviathan.**

Everyone exploded with cheers, while everyone in Ineelana's peerage all gave tired smiles, with their leader exhaling a sigh of relief at their victory.

Meanwhile, the Mecha suit came undone, showing Shuriliu crawling out of it.

"I can't she pulled off such a strategy." Shuriliu remarked, mildly impressed.

From her spot in the stands, Niruili sweated a bit, and quickly made a serious face as she recalled who her opponent was.

'Sairaorg... the heir that's currently considered to be the strongest Devil Youth, that's who I have to defeat.' She reminded herself.

* * *

Deep within the Dragon Mountains, the sight of Kirin trudging, holding onto a broken right arm, was seen as she finally reached the summit. With a deep breath, she gave a lion's roar, and all of the nearby Dragons did the same as she made it.

"I'm impressed, you not only made it to the top, but did it in record time." Tannin praised, flying into view.

"Good, does that mean that I can either vomit or pass out now?" Kirin questioned.

Tannin didn't even get the chance to answer as Kirin's legs gave out, and she fell forward on her face... which quickly led to a painful scream as she landed on her broken arm.

'And with just your one good arm no less...' He thought, forming a sweat drop on his face.

Right at that very moment, a portal showing the rest of Kirin's peerage came, making the Pawn of Bael look up as she saw her brother walking towards her.

"Hey guys, I did it..." She weakly replied.

"Whoa... you're not half dead, are you?" Ladora questioned.

"No, but-" Kirin replied.

She winced as she felt her broken arm flare up again, and then gave a teary look at Coriana.

"A little magic, please? I don't have any left to have Quetzalcoatl to put my bone back in shape." Kirin begged in a painful manner.

"Just promise to not actually tell us how you broke it?" Coriana requested.

Kirin blinked for a bit, remembering how it happened because she fell off a cliff face while fighting a dragon... a fall that was 500 feet long.

"Yeah, let's go with that..." Kirin agreed.

That reply made of Sairaorg's peerage give a sweat drop, with Kuisha simply sighing, and her older brother laughing a bit.

Coriana drew her finger across Kirin's arm, and once she did, her Sacred Gear formed.

"Alright Quetzal, do your stuff." Kirin asked.

 **«"Understood."»** Quetzalcoatl replied.

Everyone heard the Vapula Devil suddenly scream in pain as the Dragoness made her body adapt her bone back into place, making even Sairaorg wince a bit. After a few seconds, the Pawn of Bael felt her arm return to its unbroken state, a slight tear in her eyes as the pain slowly faded.

"Doesn't that hurt?" Misteeta questioned.

"Yes, like a thousand burning suns, which is why I try to avoid having to do that in the first place." Kirin confirmed.

Shaking her arm off... a sudden light began shining from her Sacred Gear, getting the entire peerage's attention as it suddenly released orange rings of light. The moment this was caught by Misteeta, the Bishop of Bael gasped.

"W-what's this? What's going on?" Kirin asked in a panic.

"I don't believe it! Kirin, your training was enough to achieve your Balance Breaker!" Misteeta exclaimed.

"Are you serious? This is my... Balance Breaker?"

The light soon vanished, making Kirin wonder just what she unlocked.

 **«"This is the first time anyone of my host has achieved Balance Breaker, so it has been shaped by your own abilities. I'm just as curious to what kind of power it is."»** Quetzalcoatl remarked.

"Whoa, this is legit... alright! That means I've got two new tricks for our next match!" Kirin exclaimed.

"Two?" Liban repeated, raising an eyebrow.

Kirin gave a giggle filled smile, holding out her hand... the next moment had everyone in her peerage go white in shock.

* * *

Back at the Akane Mansion, the sight of everyone gathered at the living room table, with food being brought out for the three resident peerages, was seen. Lilith brought out some more food, with everyone enjoying the food.

"Still can't believe that Ineelana's won two matches without anyone in her peerage being retired. She's definitely gunning to be my opponent in the Finals." Vali remarked, taking a bite of pizza.

"Honestly, it seems like aside from Rias, everyone who's reached the Semi-Finals hasn't lost a single member of their peerage in any of the battles... no offense." Saji replied, looking at the Gremory heiress at the end.

"None taken." She replied.

Bennia gobbled up an entire corn of the cob, looking towards Vali.

"Yeah, it's hard to really count Vali among that when you remember the Elders pushed her fight forward to give her a shorter resting period. Although, even then, Hina being a Longinus wielder meant two Longinus wielders were going to clash regardless." She mentioned.

Everyone looked at her, giving an odd look at that explanation.

"Here's a better way to explain it, all of the current teams who've qualified for the Semi-Finals are beasts. Among everyone left, only Niruili's team lacks a Longinus wielder, especially my future sister-in-law's team." Homura summarized it.

"Homura!" Vali blushed in embarrassment.

Irina slightly giggled at that, making the Lucifer heiress pout a bit. Right at that moment, a knock was heard on the door, getting everyone's attention.

"I've got it!" Shun called out.

Walking up to the door, he opened it up to reveal a certain petite Devil heiress with the members of her peerage.

"Hey everyone!" Niruili greeted.

"Niruili!" Vali exclaimed.

Taking a moment to realize what she said, she turned to the kitchen.

"Mom, we have a Code: Beelzebub!" She warned.

Hearing that, a nervous stutter could be heard from the kitchen, as Lilith remembered the times she saw the original Beelzebub's appetite.

"Come on, she can't be that bad-" Homura chuckled.

It took her only a few seconds to realize the entire table was full of cleaned off plates, turning to see Akame speedily eating a few bowls as she watched.

Luckily, the sight didn't last long once Niruili tried to reach for a bowl of pasta... only for Vali to suddenly release her signature aura. Noticing it, the Beelzebub heiress sweated in confusion and fear.

"W-why are you getting angry over a simple bowl of..." Niruili asked.

" **Don't... touch... the pasta.** " Vali warned.

The green-haired Devil instantly gave up, shifting over to her Queen in a scared manner only seconds later.

"Uh... what just happened?" Tohka questioned.

"For some reason, as long as I've known her, she'll never give away any pasta dishes to someone that hasn't either already eaten it, paid for it themselves, or asked for it specifically. None of those apply here." Issei answered.

"Oh, that? Well... that's because her birth mother always made it for her. Because of it, she's a little obsessed with-" Yumina answered.

The Lucifuge heiress suddenly went blue in the face as she felt Vali form a strong grip on head, instantly giving a silent warning she immediately understood. The moment that happened, the other Maou heiresses walked in, confused at the sight.

"What the?" Leelexe blinked.

Issei swung his hands, immediately signaling them to avoid asking any questions. Instantly realizing the warning, no one did, and just sat themselves down around the table, while Lilith gave a begging look towards Issei's parents to help her cook.

"So, that match between you and Ineelana, pretty big stuff you both did." Issei said to Shuriliu.

"Yeah, but she still handed my ass to me. Should have seen the look on my face when I found out she had seen through my illusions." Shuriliu chuckled, a slight sigh in her voice.

At that moment, she noticed Homura staring at her.

"Oh? You look like a new face, so who are you?" Shuriliu questioned.

"That would be my younger sister, Homura." Issei answered.

"Since when did you have a sister!?" Ineelana exclaimed.

Right after saying that, the Red Dragon Emperor began laughing, to the complete confusion of most of the Maou heirs.

"It shouldn't be that weird, considering none of you have met more than half of my siblings." Shuriliu giggled.

"How many?" Le Fay asked.

"87." Shuriliu replied.

That instantly made most of the room go quiet, while Shuriliu giggled.

"Come on, you're shocked when an Asmodeus Clan member tells you that? Harems are pretty much a requirement for us." She giggled.

"Yeah... refrain from elaborating any further on that..." Vali begged.

Shuriliu give a raspberry wink, making the Lucifer heiress swear as she realized what that implied.

"OK, putting that aside, I'm guessing the reason Niruili's here with her peerage has to do with her upcoming match?" Yuuma assumed.

"Yeah, this is a very different fight... Sairaorg is considered the Strongest Youth for a reason, and he was able to defeat Iolava too fast for anyone to really see anything that could aid them. Adding onto that, the only ones among his peerage I'm even slightly aware of anything for are Ladora, due to the nature of his powers; Kuisha, who's with the Abaddon Clan, and has part of her powers in Vali's clan ability; and then Kirin, but only just barely." Niruili admitted, before sighing at her lack of info.

"In other words, right now you seem pretty screwed." Bikou stated.

Hearing that, the Beelzebub heiress sighed, while Mio punched Bikou in the head for his comment.

"Ow!" Bikou whimpered.

"Serves you right." Mio replied with a glare.

Niruili sweat dropped at the sight, while Tohka giggled a bit, and turned towards Vali.

"So, do you think you have any chance against him?" Vali inquired.

"Well, me and Tohka here might be able to handle his team without problem, but the others I'm less confident about. That even includes the stronger members of my peerage." Niruili admitted.

She looked at Akame, who tried and failed to swipe food from Kuroka.

"Akame's definitely fast, but she usually needs to take someone out in one strike. Sairaorg's able to tank attacks, which would work against her, while Kuisha could just use her power to make her miss, and leave her vulnerable."

She then looked at Rinne, who was wiping food off an annoyed Tohka's face.

"Rinne has a lot of magic, but as we saw in Iolava's battle, Sairaorg could easily defend against it."

Then she looked at Alice, who looked back in confusion.

"And for Alice? While she has the right power, she's not very fast due to her armor and weapon, and that's not good when you consider how fast Sairaorg's shown he can move and attack."

"Basically, the problem is while they're all strong, they also have an opening that might leave them too vulnerable." Irina summarized her thoughts.

Niruili nodded her head.

"Yeah, pretty much. While my status as an Ultimate-Class Devil will give me a slight edge, and Tohka's got strength, speed, and magic that even I'd believe could give Sairaorg some trouble... still doesn't change the fact I know almost nothing about Sairaorg's peerage, and the fact he's got the Regulus Nemea on his side." Niruili sighed.

Noticing her saddened state, Vali tried to say something, but...

"Though even if I can't win, this much I swear! For this Rating Game, I'll at least be the first Devil to ever retire any member of his peerage!" She suddenly exclaimed with determination.

In response to that, Vali suddenly began laughing, and then everyone joined her at the random timing of that reply. Even the Beelzebub heiress herself ended up joining in.

"Man, don't fake us out like that!" Homura chuckled.

"Well, it shows I can be a bit sneaky when I face Sairaorg, doesn't it?" Niruili joked.

Everyone laughed again.

Once that was done, Yumina sat herself by Niruili, getting the green-haired Devil's attention.

"If you'd like, I think I can give your team an effective strategy." Yumina offered.

"Really? That'd be a big help." Niruili smiled.

Hearing this, Shuriliu suddenly got a playful smirk that got a few who saw it nervous. This feeling only got worse as she pulled out a Devil Pad.

"Everyone, just posted a video on DevilTube that I thought you all might like to see." She said with a cat smile.

"I don't like where this is going..." Arthur remarked, swearing slightly.

Pressing a button, a video turned on, and once it did... everyone saw something unexpected. It was an image of Shuriliu in front of the camera screen, about to say the words that would explain their reactions.

"Did someone say boobies!?" Shuriliu asked.

"Huh!?" They all blinked.

The camera zoomed out, showing Shuriliu with most of her fellow family members in the Leviathan Clan, with the cameraman's voice giving a perverted chuckle from his excitement.

"Time for... the Oppai Song!"

**「** **High School DxD: Oppai Dragon** **」**

The real Shuriliu giggled as her recorded self began dancing, with everyone giving odd reactions.

"Shuriliu... what have you done?" Ineelana asked in horror.

"Why Ineelana, my good friend... whatever do you mean?" Shuriliu asked innocently.

As her singing voice was heard, the sight of Homura covering Kunou's ears and eyes was instantly, seen, confusing the young Kyuubi.

"Hey, what's going on?" She questioned.

Vali's eyes began twitching as she watched the video before her, not sure how she should react.

"Shuriliu, you actually made time for this?" She questioned.

"Yep!" Shuriliu verified.

Giggling a bit, she looked towards Issei, wanting to see his reaction.

"Hey, it seems like your fellow Dragon is-"

Despite the nature of the song, everyone saw Issei had gone white, just staring forward with half open eyes.

"W-what the? I thought he'd of all people would like it." Shuriliu replied in surprise.

"That's scary, your weird parody turned him into the second White Dragon Emperor..." Leelexe joked worriedly.

Yumina quickly grabbed the DevilPad, and turned the song off.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

"Everyone... are we unanimous in agreeing we should pretend like this song didn't happen?" She asked quietly.

No one replied, which was enough she considered it a yes.

* * *

The next day came in a flash, and everyone was rushing over to make it to the stadium in time, enough that Issei had to use his Boost on everyone's legs. After a long sprint, they barely managed to get to their VIP area _before_ the match began.

"Oh man, how did we lose track of time like that?" Yuuma panted, taking her seat.

"I... don't feel my lungs... can't breathe!" Kunou wheezed.

She fell over, prompting Issei to pick her up, and let her rest on her lap. The Youkai heiress gave a happy sigh at the gesture.

"Everyone made this match sound exciting. Is it really that big of a deal?" Homura questioned.

"It is Homura, because we're about to see one of the descendants of Beelzebub facing off a powerful Devil who lacked any ties to the Sacred Darkness, and had to get where he was by physically training his body like we Heroes do." Shun confirmed.

Homura's eyes widened.

"Whoa... and this guy's your cousin, Rias?" Homura asked.

Rias smiled at that, making Homura's eyes sparkle a bit.

"This match will so be worth watching!" She exclaimed.

Right at that moment, the screen lit up, showing Naud's face as he began his announcing.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
This is it everyone, the last round of the Quarterfinals is about to begin!**

The crowd cheered at that.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Now, before anything else? Time for me to introduce today's guest judge. If you're an Angel, or even just an exorcist, you may know him well. Though you may have even known him for using the Durandal before he passed it on... here's Vasco Strada!**

Everyone tied to Heaven cheered even louder as he came into view.

**【** **Vasco** **】** **  
Salutations everyone, it's an honor to be here.**

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Especially for a match with Sairaorg in it no less, and one where he finally faces an Maou Clan heiress, meaning his first true Rating Game against an Ultimate-Class Devil.**

Right on cue, he gave a loud whistle, which opened the West Gate to release a sudden ball of light. It began bouncing around before revealing it was none other than Niruili, who used her magic to cover her entire body with a radiant glow.

All of her fans squealed at the cuteness of her act.

**【** **Vasco** **】** **  
That was quite the cute scene there, and an even greater entrance.**

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Well said, so let's get the introductions out of the way. She's a little sugary bowl of light among Devils, and she's as hungry for food as she is for victory today! I give you... Niruili Beelzebub!**

With her official introduction having been made, she waved to the crowd.

Following that, the rest of her peerage slowly walked out behind her, which gave Naud his signal to continue his announcing.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
This girl proves you can't just a book by its cover, or assume a lack of muscles doesn't mean one punch will smash you across the seas! I give you, Niruili's Queen... Tohka Yatogami!**

Tohka leaped towards Niruili's side, waving to the crowd excitedly.

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**She's got magic so powerful and fast, it's like being hit by a Mach 7 missile, and yet she's as gentle as a garden of flowers with the warm smile to match it! I give you, Niruili's only Bishop... Rinne Sonogami!**

Rinne walked into view, and gave a brief curtsy before joining her team.

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**She's as deadly as the night... with red eyes that stare deep into your soul, and are what give her the name she has now, though is truly feared for her one-hit sword strikes that shred everything instead of cutting it! I give you, Niruili's only Knight... Akame Murasame!**

A brief whoosh was heard, showing Akame had already made it to Tohka and Niruili before Rinne had, to the latter's surprise.

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**Clad in both armor and hair that's gold, she serves with a strong dedication, giving both hand to the sword that represents the wall of her King! I give you, Niruili's only Rook... Alice Zuberg!**

Alice's closed eyes opened up, showing the strength she held within them.

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**This little doggy's got a bark that's just as bad as her bite, with a howl showing the full pride of a werewolf! I give you, Niruili's First Pawn... Arf Wulfric!**

Flipping through the air, the orange-haired Werewolf smirked as she held a battle-ready fist.

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**She may look quiet, but the moment she opens her mouth, she'll make some noise that can shake the foundations of your soul! I give you, Niruili's Second Pawn... Koito Manase!**

Koito didn't react, and just walked onto the field.

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**Finally, this Demon's got a fire in his belly that's ready to burn, and he doesn't know the meaning of giving up, taking every challenge head on! I give you, Niruili's Third Pawn, and her final retainer... Natsu Dragneel!**

Natsu launched himself through the air as he came into view, making the crowd gasp as he did, right before he spat fire in the air. This fire took the shape of the Beelzebub Clan's crest, a type of Beetle only found in Hell.

"I'm all fired up!" Natsu declared.

The crowd went wild upon hearing it, and soon every member of Niruili's peerage put their hands up.

**【** **Vasco** **】**   
**Let's hear it for Team Endless Feast of Nature!**

The crowd kept applauding, and once it finally settled, Naud set the East Gate to open up.

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**Now, to introduce her opponent!**

Walking through it, the air came to a sudden still, a new energy in the air as Sairaorg as his peerage slowly came into view.

The moment the Bael heir could be seen, an explosion of cheers went off.

"Holy macaroni!" Homura exclaimed, covering her ears.

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**Let's start off with a bang through introducing the Devil who was born with none of his Clan's gifts, but gained strength so great that not even his clan could deny him his birthright without looking like hypocrites! I give you... Sairaorg Bael!**

Sairaorg held up his fist, and the crowd cheered alongside their applause.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
She's a member of the clan that would have served Satan, the younger sister of the great Bedeze Abaddon, and as of recently, Sairaorg's girlfriend! I give you, Sairaorg's Queen... Kuisha Abaddon!**

Kuisha walked into the field with confidence, her blonde hair tied in her signal ponytail, and shining in the light of the arena.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
This sexy little Devil's got no trouble flaunting her power or body, holding the freedom of a bird soaring through the sky without restrictions! I give you, Sairaorg's First Bishop... Coriana Andrealphus!**

A blue-haired Devil with a sexy figure, and a more revealing team uniform (having a cleavage cut, no sleeves, and shorts that could be mistaken as gym shorts), turned to nearest men in the crowd, and gave them a flirty wink in response.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
This Devil's a tricky one due to his Sacred Gear, able to slam a ton of magic, while hindering everyone's efforts in using their power against him! I give you, Sairaorg's Second Bishop... Misteeta Sabnock!**

The pink-haired Devil giggled as he suddenly formed smoke to appear from, playfully sticking his tongue out.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
He's a master of gravity, but also being able to cut through it, as if a master over all force itself! I give you, Sairaorg's First Knight... Liban Crocell!**

Hearing his name, the red-haired Devil raised his sword, and then opened his eyes to show the seriousness within them.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
This Knight is a legend for his achievement of being able to tame the once untamed Pale Horse that now serves as his steed, and rides it into battle like the piece he represents! I give you, Sairaorg's Second Knight... Beruka Furcas!**

The very Pale Horse in question was seen walking into view, with its owner revealing itself to be a white-haired Devil with some armor attached to his team uniform. In his hand was a spear, while another rested within the Pale Horse's mouth.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
He's got so much muscle might, that it gives me fright, but it's still quite a sight! I give you, Sairaorg's First Rook... Gandoma Balam!**

A brown-haired with a slight beard, and a height that was even taller than that of Hercules was seen, his team uniform lacking sleeves entirely. He flexed his muscles, making a few women in the crowd have slight nosebleeds over it.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
He's the cunning of a devil, the wisdom of a human, and the might of a Dragon all rolled into one! I give you, Sairaorg's Second Rook... Ladora Bune!**

Ladora flashed a toothy grin, revealing his sharp dragon-like teeth.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Now, this one is a little more obvious and unique than the others, so I'll skip the dramatic formalities with my speech to just say this is a retainer that's a Longinus, as in the actual Spirit within one! I give you, Sairaorg's First Pawn... the great Regulus of the Regulus Nemea!**

The powerful Lion walked into view while in his human form.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Last, but definitely not the least, this spunky chick is Sairaorg's little sister, and the other Lion among his peerage by having the powers of the Vapula Clan! I give you, Sairaorg's Second Pawn, and his final retainer... Kirin Vapula!**

Kirin did a few cartwheels before finishing with a back flip, and doing a fist pump from a raised arm.

"Banzai!" She exclaimed.

The Vapula Devil noticed Kuisha look at her funny, making her blink a bit.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Uh... let's hear it for Team Imperial Lion of the Purpure King!**

The crowd cheered at that, and as they did, the screen changed to prepare the revelation of the day's game.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
For today's match up, we have another new match type! This game will be...**

**【** **Vasco** **】** **  
Hmm? Says here it's a... Round Battle?**

This confused everyone, including both peerages.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
To explain this one? Rating Games always keep going until one team loses. However, with this match type, a timer's set up for a break mid-match.**

**【** **Vasco** **】** **  
Ah, so the name comes from the Rating Game now having a second round.**

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Exactly, and that has its advantages and disadvantages for both sides. If anyone's retired after the buzzer goes off, it's negated. The break also gives both sides a change to adapt, forcing each side's game to change, and a chance to heal via their healer or Phoenix Tears we've set out in case a retirement happens after the timer.**

Niruili showed interest in that, right as she got a single Phoenix Tear, where the opposing team got 10.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
To answer your question, Niruili? Because you're a healer, we only gave you the one to consume.**

"Oh... guess that makes sense." She realized.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Also, the break last as long as both sides need, but after that? The Rating Game will continue like most always do. Just a friendly reminder to everyone? There is a timer, so if the game were to somehow end before that point, then... well, the game ends right there.**

**【** **Vasco** **】** **  
With that being said, I believe it's time to start this match.**

Nodding his head, Naud instantly brought up an island battlefield, with the bases being two beach houses that instantly shielded the Phoenix Tears under a protective spell.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Let the Rating Game... Begin!**

With that announcement, both teams made their first moves.

"Rinne, show them with some magic!" Niruili ordered.

"I'm on it!" Rinne nodded.

Clasping her hands together, her magical power took the form of five flower petals swirling around her.

" **Paradise Lost!** "

Misteeta noticed this, and quickly readied dozens magic circles with a crest that resembled a tower column inside of them.

"I'll take and return it back to you!" Misteeta challenged.

" **Malevolent Multiplier!** "

Suddenly, the magic circles around Misteeta grew in number, eventually topping out around what looked to be **_50_** times the original amount. Both Niruili and Rinne showed surprise at that.

"That this!" Misteeta shouted.

"Oh, no you don't!" Rinne countered.

Both teams moved away from the respective Bishops as they unleashed their magical flurry, a single pink mass of energy clashing against the multitude of magical attacks. Behind the Beelzebub Bishop, the sight of Niruili gobbling up the excess magic could be seen.

Rushing from a certain angle, Beruka noticed something, and used his free had to whip his steed's leash.

"Altobrau, to the left!" He ordered.

The Pale Horse, now revealed to be named Altobrau, gave a loud whinny before charging in that direction. Both him and Beruka swiped their spears to clash with Akame, who showed slight surprise, which quickly faded as their twin spears clashed with her sword that shred all it cut.

"I'll admit, it's an impressive feat to tame a horse that was said to be impossible to tame." Akame admitted.

"All four of the deadly Horses were tamed by my Clan in this generation, I've simply managed to go beyond so I could prove my strength to Sairaorg! To truly fight for his dream when he accepted me, and others scorned me!" Beruka replied.

Alice jumped into the air, and then dived down to swing her sword against Sairaorg... only for Gandoma to launch into the air and collide his powerful fist into it. She was instantly knocked back, with his fist still hinting her, until she hit the ground and began to hold it against his attack.

"You... won't... overcome my... sword!" Alice grunted.

"Sorry, but I disagree!" Gandoma smirked.

Turning his head, he took a deep breath before giving off a mighty shout.

"Liban! This is it, I've finally found a level of opponent that I can go all out against! Release the restraints on my Nightmare Amassing, and let me fight with all my might!"

Liban showed surprise at that, but soon nodded his head, and instantly rushed over to his teammate.

The next sight shocked everyone as he outright _stabbed_ his blade into Gandoma's backside, making the Bael Rook shout in pain that he barely managed to bear. Everyone who didn't realize what was about to happen began murmuring.

**【** **Vasco** **】** **  
Why did he stab his own teammate?**

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Liban is a member of the Crocell Clan, and he's about to use his bloodline ability. One that he can't use on others unless he creates a connection between them. Basically, he had to injure Gandoma to make himself a conduit to send his power over.**

A white ghostly mist from the pours of Liban's body.

" **White Washing!** "

Gandoma's body was hit by this white mist as it flowed into him, and soon his eyes went fully white as he screamed. Jumping back a bit, everyone watched as Gandoma's muscles bulked up even further, and he grew even taller than before.

Needless to say, Alice suddenly got a bit worried at the man now attacking her fist.

"Still confident now, little Rook?" Gandoma joked.

"Oh boy..." Alice gulped.

Her worries only got worse as Liban's eyes changed shape, changing his pupils into yellow plus signs.

" **Gravity Jail!** "

Alice grunted as her body felt ten times heavier, now facing the feeling of ten times Earth's normal gravity against her body. Everyone watching was surprised she was still able to avoid Gandoma's attacks from crushing her.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
This is incredible! Despite that Gandoma's true muscle might was unshackled by Liban's power, and Liban himself is using his Sacred Gear's power over gravity to hinder her, Alice is still not giving in! That Rook is spunky!**

Despite saying that, Alice easily realized that she was about to be crushed under the two forces.

Lucky for her, fate had other plans in the form of Tohka, who managed to teleport right in front of her to the surprise of Sairaorg's two retainers... right before Gandoma was sent flying by a strike from the Beelzebub Queen's sword.

"No way-"

Liban didn't get time to finish as his teammate slammed into him, sending the two across the sands of the beach, and crashing into the water.

Turning around, Alice saw her teammate offer her hand.

"Thanks, you saved me..." Alice panted.

"No biggie, though it's not ever just yet." Tohka smiled, soon turning towards the two she flung into the sea.

* * *

Waiting by their base, Sairaorg was seen with Kirin, who was holding Regulus in his axe form, and Ladora, who was standing guard for them. In just a few moments, Kirin's lion senses made her ears twitch.

"We've got three people nearing us, my guess is it has to be the enemy Pawns." Kirin warned.

"Can you tell which direction?" Ladora asked.

"All are technically coming from directly towards the direction we're facing, but it seems like two of them are more to the side." Kirin guessed.

Ladora cracked his knuckles, feeling a bit excited.

"Alright, time to get started." He smirked.

Walking through the limited foliage of the island battlefield, Koito revealed herself to the enemy.

"Quite the surprise, I actually expected more of you here." Koito admitted.

"Well, that's a surprise, considering it's usually the reverse. Either way... now that you're here, I can't let you Promote." Ladora replied.

Concentrating his aura, Ladora's eyes became dragon-like.

" **Dragon Mode!** "

Ladora transformed a black, average-sized Western Dragon, and moved his gaze towards Koito as he opened his mouth. The Pawn of Beelzebub readied herself, knowing what was about to happen.

" **Bune's Flare!** "

He unleashed his fierce fire, and in response to it, Koito unleashed a loud scream that immediately locked itself in a stalemate with the opposing flames.

It was at this moment that her fellow Pawns, Natsu and Arf, jumped out from the sides.

" **Barrier Break Strike!** "

" **Flaming Sword Horn!** "

Ladora simply raised his claws into the air, and then punched them both, easily stopping their attacks with little effort.

"No way!" Arf gasped.

"He's not even struggling!" Natsu exclaimed.

Ladora chuckled, and motioned towards his teammates.

"Alright, here we go!" Kirin exclaimed.

Gripping the Regulus Nemea in her hands, she rushed up at the two colliding with Ladora's claws, while Sairaorg rushed behind Koito.

It only took seconds for the Beelzebub Pawns to realize how badly their attack had failed.

* * *

Kuisha's eyes looked around the field, with Coriana waiting by her side, waiting for the Bael Queen to give her the green light for their next move. After a few moments, she saw what she needed, and turned to the Bishop of Bael.

"Alright, it's time to create the opening Misteeta needs." Kuisha stated.

"Right." Coriana replied.

Closing her eyes, she held up a sphere containing a large portion of magic power, before opening them to reveal a soft glow.

" **Airborne Aviary Assault!** "

The magic split into hundreds of birds flying around her, all linked to her senses.

" **Power of Hole!** "

Kuisha created a hole, and the birds all flew through it.

Overhead of the spot where Rinne and Niruili was, a second portal opened, getting their attention as the magical birds flew overhead.

" **Furious Ice Storm!** "

Spears of ice rained down from the birds, hitting both of the duo as they were knocked to the ground.

"Misteeta, do it now!" Kuisha shouted.

"Right!" He replied.

He held out his hands, summoning a hand-sized staff with a crystal on the top of it, revealing his Sacred Gear.

" **Trick Vanish!** "

An orb of magic flew at Niruili, right as she got up, and when it did... the Beelzebub Heiress screamed as strange markings appeared all over her body.

"Whoa, what's happening!?" Homura asked in surprise.

"Yuuma?" Issei asked.

"Trick Vanish is a suppression-type Sacred Gear, it lets the user create sealing markings on an opponent's body, and seal away one of their abilities. While it does have the cost of the user's stamina to hold it, Misteeta being a Bishop reduces that worry a good deal." Yuuma explained.

Vali gasped at that, quickly realizing what was hit.

"They went for Niruili's Clan ability, because without it, she can't eat any magic, or use her healing powers!" She exclaimed.

"Oh... that's not good." Issei remarked with worry.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
All of Niruili's Pawns. Retired!**

_[Niruili Beelzebub: 5 | Sairaorg Bael: 10]_

That instantly caught the attention of Niruili's team.

"Oh no, they weren't able to Promote and get away... this is bad." Alice realized.

"Quick, we need to regroup!" Tohka shouted.

Tohka held a hand up, forming a sphere of magic on her finger, which she shot into the air. It exploded like a firework, instantly telling everyone to retreat back to Niruili's side.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Looks like the Beelzebub Team's sent out a signal for something, guess losing their Pawns was a bit hit.**

**【** **Vasco** **】** **  
Makes sense when you consider they're now outnumbered two to one.**

Once everyone was gathered together, Akame took a look at Niruili's markings.

"I don't think we can dispel this, we'll have to wait for the effects to dispel on their own, defeat Misteeta, or hope that the first-round times out within the next few minutes." Akame guessed.

"Crap..." Niruili realized with worry.

Kirin rushed into view on the other side, getting Kuisha's attention as she arrived, shortly followed by the rest of the team.

"Kuisha, should I go for it?" She asked.

"They're already surprised, so give them something else they can't react." Kuisha approved.

Hearing that, the Pawn of Bael instantly flashed an excited smile, and tossed Regulus to her brother as she manifested her Sacred Gear.

"Alright, no holding back!" She exclaimed.

" **Balance Breaker - Illegal Dragon Movement!** "

This instantly caught everyone's attention as Kirin's body was equipped with a Scale Mail armor, surprising everyone.

"No way..." Niruili gasped.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
I don't believe what I'm seeing! Everyone, the Venusian Feather's Balance Breaker has been revealed!**

Kirin smashed her fists together, right as a strong aura left her body.

"This is my new power, a Balance Breaker based on who I am! Now... time to show you an Illegal Promotion under legal standards!" Kirin exclaimed.

" **Illegal Move: Flash Bishop!** "

**«"BISHOP!"»**

The sight of Kirin's Pawn piece changing into a Bishop was seen, right before her armor began transforming. On both of her gauntlets, large cannons forms, while her scale mail's wings changed to gain new plaiting for twin cannons on her back, and her graves changed shape into pistons, holding her the ground.

Needless to say, the crowd was stunned silent.

**【** **Vasco** **】** **  
She promoted without the means to do so, isn't that a rule violation?**

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Not in this case. Because of how irregular a Balance Breaker is, and as its nature is a rule breaker itself, we don't consider Forced Promotion as illegal in a Rating Game if a Balance Breaker is the cause. As such, Kirin is not in violation of any rules.**

Aiming all of her cannons at Niruili's peerage, the Vapula Devil gave an excited smirk.

" **Blaster Beam!** "

All of the cannons fired off their power, unleashing an overwhelming amount of power from it.

"Dodge it!" Tohka warned.

Everyone did, but when the beams missed they turned around for another shot, landing right Rinne, who was instantly retired from the attack.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Lady Niruili's Bishop. Retired!**

_[Niruili Beelzebub: 4 | Sairaorg Bael: 10]_

The blast continued form there, creating a massive wave of energy that was actually causing the Rating Game field's protective barrier to distort, and threaten to break apart.

"Holy shit..." Gandoma breathed.

"It's so powerful that it's actually warping the Rating Game's dimension!" Liban remarked.

Rushing ahead, Kirin zoomed through the air as her armor returned to normal.

" **Illegal Move: Sonic Knight!** "

**«"KNIGHT!"»**

Kirin's armor shed some of its excess weight and plating, becoming thin enough that most of it now looked like her usual figure, now with blade extensions on her gauntlets and two pairs of wings.

"I'll intercept her!" Akame shouted, rushing ahead.

" **Armor Purge!** "

Magic created an effect of her breaking her armor further, allowing her to move even faster. This added speed was enough that Akame was cut off guard, and struck by Kirin's gauntlet blade, which instantly retired her.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Lady Niruili's Knight. Retired!**

_[Niruili Beelzebub: 3 | Sairaorg Bael: 10]_

Realizing the pattern, Alice immediately grabbed Niruili and Tohka, throwing them away.

"Alice!" Niruili shouted.

"Get away! She'll go after Tohka next, by time for the seal to break!" Alice shouted.

Her timing was good, because she instantly saw Kirin dashing at her, her armor having reverted back, and based on the fact she was Niruili's Rook...

" **Illegal Move: Heavy Rook!** "

**«"ROOK!"»**

She called it right, as Kirin's gauntlets and greaves got incredibly huge, with her armor getting thicker in general. Alice swung her sword down... only for it to instantly bounce off without even putting a scratch on it.

"Oh shit..." Alice breathed.

" **Impact Hammer!** "

Kirin simply swung her arm like a hammer for a punch, and the force immediately hit the ground, with Alice releasing some spit from her mouth as she was instantly retired. The sight instantly made Niruili's eyes widen in horror.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Lady Niruili's Rook. Retired!**

_[Niruili Beelzebub: 2 | Sairaorg Bael: 10]_

Sweating a bit, Tohka readied her sword, and stabbed it into the ground.

" **Balance Break - Geoforce Sword!** "

She ripped the sword out, revealing it had become three times her height, surprising many in the crowd.

"Come at me Kirin, just now that you're going down!" Tohka exclaimed.

"We'll see about that!" Kirin replied.

Dispelling her armor, the Vapula Devil charged at Tohka, who instantly charged all the power she could. The entire audience could feel the waves of her power as she screamed loudly.

" **Terra Firma!** "

Swinging her blade down, she expected to take Kirin down with all the force she had, but...

In just a few seconds, the sword broke as Tohka fell back, making Niruili watch as she was retired, and then at the means that Kirin used to do it in her hand. Everyone in the crowd was surprised, even Naud to the point he needed a minute to remember about announcing.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Lady Niruili's Queen... retired.**

_[Niruili Beelzebub: 1 | Sairaorg Bael: 10]_

Kirin panted a bit, and at that moment, the sight that everyone witnessed? The sight that managed to retire Tohka, and leave Niruili as the last member of her peerage left in the fight?

It was Kirin's hand, coated in the shape of a claw that was made from... the Power of Destruction.

* * *

**Whoa... bet none of you saw that coming. When asked about her past, Kirin clearly told Rias she didn't have that ability, so was that a lie? The answer is... nope! You'll learn why she has it next chapter, because considering the match type, I think you can tell that this Rating Game isn't over just yet, despite that Niruili will have to face very difficult odds.**

**As you can see, I decided to give Kirin the Illegal Move Triaina, since our Twin Dragons already have their DxD forms, and it fits Quetzalcoatl's adapting ability. Plus, unlike Issei in this story, Kirin actually is a Pawn, so it fits her better. For why it's actually legal here? Well, you heard it from Naud himself, as in canon, the Triaina's not the Boosted Gear's genuine Balance Breaker, and nothing's really said it's a sub-species.**

**Basically, it just felt like it wouldn't be illegal if it was a genuine Balance Breaker, and the Venusian Feather being the first Sacred Gear made it work.**

**Now, one thing I'll bring up now is the equivalent to the Oppai Dragon song that Shuriliu brought up in that one scene? I know it might seem like it came out of nowhere and was just added in for kicks, but there's actual story relevance to it, you just won't see what it is until the events of JOHD begin, so for now? Just keep in mind it will be important some point after Season 6.**

**As for why those Rating Game introductions don't happen every Rating Game, since you might be wondering that as this is only the second time it's happened, it's because I prefer saving them for Rating Game's that I feel carry a lot of weight. For example, the Rias and Sona game was the first Rating Game that was honestly good fun, due to the two against Riser being more serious. This one is the same for a reason next chapter will reveal.**

**Finally, the reason why most of Sairaorg's peerage (sans himself and Kuisha) have my own designs for them? Well, we honestly don't know what most of his peerage looks like, and the few we have any info on is kind of limited, including their personalities. As such, I decided to make my own versions of both for this story, though if the novels actually give us illustrations of what they look like? Who knows?**

**Anyways, next chapter will finish up this Rating Game, and for those who've been waiting for a Gasper/Valerie or Sairaorg/Kuisha scene? Well, then your wait is now over, because I'll be giving a little something to these two. Also, while this one's not as certain just yet, Rossweisse and Vidar's relationship might make a little progress as well.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

**A/N: Forgot to say this last chapter, but Nainen's bust size is 94 cm.**

**A/N 2: Ineelana's attacks mean "Rock Dragon", "Water Dragon", and "Wind Dragon" respectively.**

* * *

**Like when I introduced the Maou heiresses, because today's chapter introduced the looks for a lot of characters (and I just realized I forgot an A/N for Ladora when he first showed up), I'll be listing their references here.**

**Kuisha - Looks like Tohka Yatogami from Date A Live, but with a fluffier hair that reaches to the middle of her back. Her bust size is 110 cm.**

**Coriana - Looks like a background admirer (Namely, the rightmost girl in the first trio of girls that look at the protagonist in the first episode) from Masamune-kun's Revenge. Her bust size is 108 cm.**

**Misteeta - Hairstyle resembles Yoshino from Date A Live.**

**Liban - Hairstyle resembles Hiyori Kazane from Sora no Otoshimono.**

**Beruka - Hairstyle resembles Sephie Deviluke from To Love-Ru, back when she and her husband first met as children.**

**Gandoma - Looks like Joichiro Yukihira from Food Wars.**

**Ladora - Looks like Yuuki Konno from Sword Art Online's real life appearance as shown in the S2 finale.**

* * *

** Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter ** **:**

**【** **Ninja Clans** **】** **  
The hidden homes of ninjas, who are one of the few Humans aware of the supernatural, often working for reconnaissance for the Shinto Pantheon. Each clan has their own theme, and a tradition is that a Ninja-in-Training can't receive their family name until they become a full ninja, so those who lack them are considered to be exiles.**

**【** **Malevolent Multiplier** **】** **  
The bloodline ability of the Sabnock Clan, which allows them to create up to 50 multiples of the same spell, as long it's offensive or defensive, and not supportive in nature.**

**【** **Wight Washing** **】** **  
The bloodline ability of the Crocell Clan, which allows them to remove any possible status condition applied to their bodies. This power can also work on allies, but usually tends to be avoided, as it requires said allies to be injured to make the Crocell Devil a conduit that can channel the cleansing effect into their bodies.**

**【** **Heart of the Equine** **】** **  
The bloodline ability of the Furcas Clan, which allows them to tame Horses, and allowed the clan's current generation of four siblings to successfully tame the once untamed four deadly Horses.**

**【** **Nightmare Amassing** **】** **  
The bloodline ability of the Balam Clan, which gives them incredible strength that puts them as one of the strongest Devil Clans in terms of physical power. In the case of Gandoma, his was so powerful, he had it restrained until now because it was too easy for him to fight most opponents.**

**【** **Dragon Soul** **】** **  
The bloodline ability of the Bune Clan, which allows them to tame Dragons, but also transform into a Dragon that represents their soul, hence the name of the clan's ability.**

**【** **Airborne Aviary Assault** **】** **  
The bloodline ability of the Andrealphus Clan, which allows their magic to split into birds that connects with their senses, and use magic along with them. This spell's nature also works well for recon, and attacking in locations the user normally wouldn't be able to attack from, if even at all.**

* * *

** Pairings List ** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating  
Ddraig/Tiamat - Married  
Albion/Fafnir - Married  
Saji/Sona - Dating  
Gasper/Valerie - Dating  
Kiba/Tosca - Dating  
Sairaorg/Kuisha - Dating  
Rossweisse/Vidar - Chemistry is clearing forming between them  
Hina/Nanami - Dating  
Jeanne/Cao Cao - Jeanne has a clear crush, while Cao Cao's feelings are unknown**


	39. Chapter 39

**Alright everyone, time to continue from last chapter's shocking cliffhanger!**

**In said cliffhanger? Things took a bad turn for Niruili when her entire peerage was wiped out by Kirin's new Balance Breaker, and then finished the shock value on an unexpected note by revealing she's obtained the Power of Destruction, a power neither her or Sairaorg were born with. Now, the Beelzebub heiress is facing impossible odds, being alone against Sairaorg's entire peerage.**

**However, as I said in last chapter's end notes, this Rating Game is far from over. How that'll be the case? Well, you're about to find out, because Niruili's still got one trick up her sleeve, and that's her only hope for any chance of victory. At the same time, this chapter will be where Sairaorg also pulls out a trick of his own. Is this trick his own awakening of the POD? *looks to the left or right* I think this you'll like where this battle goes.**

**Also, like I said in the last chapter, we'll be getting some focus on our other couples, and the good news? All of the couples I mentioned last chapter (except Rossweisse/Vidar, that'll be later in the arc) will be getting it. The only problem is that said focus won't be as big as I was hoping, but you'll at least get a small tidbit. I think the problem was this arc, so to amend that issue, I'll have S5 have some chapters for _all_ of the couples to have some screen time.**

**Either way, this chapter is the turning point off the arc, as we're no longer going to be in the Tournament's Quarterfinals, meaning the next match up? The first Semi-Final match between Vali and Rias, a match that both of them have expecting for a while. Rias owes a lot to Vali, and that was a factor in deciding Vali should be in charge of Kuoh Town's territory. As such, this is a battle that Vali's owed her for a long time.**

**So, with all of that said... let the chapter begin!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

 **[]** \- Ddraig Talking

 **«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

 **「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

 **【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

 **⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

**Mutation Piece**

**A special type of Evil/Vile Piece that's said to only appear in one of every 10 sets of Pieces, with an even bigger rarity for someone to have more than one per a set. The Mutation Pieces are a "glitch" in the reincarnation system that was kept because of the beneficial nature, with some even theorizing that it was formed because of the creation of Lucifer's peerage, who were used to make the completed model of Evil Pieces.**

**Mutation Pieces ignore the usual restrictions that Evil Pieces develop, but not even Ajuka Beelzebub fully understands how they work. However, recent studies of their counterpart in the Brave/Fell Saints, the Joker Card, combined with the union of minds that resulted in the restoration of the Christian Pantheon, have led him to make the theory that a Mutation Piece can be double to eight times more than its original value.**

**While there's no official evidence to this, many say that certain pieces like Pawns are more likely to become Mutation Pieces than pieces like Queens. This same theorizing claims that the smaller multiples are more likely than the higher ones. If it is true, not even Ajuka knows the reasoning behind that, other than the potential of the user may be a factor, and possibly a safety measure in case a Devil turns against Hell.**

**Occasionally, when a Reincarnated Devil gains a sudden surge of power they can't control, the power will cause a variant of the Mutation Piece known as a "Mutated Piece", which means that it didn't start out as a Mutation Piece, but evolved into one. This said to be the more common way for Mutation Pieces with higher multipliers to exist. If a Mutated Piece's bonded Devil dies, then the piece will be officially marked as a Mutation Piece.**

**The most notable owners of a Mutation Piece are Kuroka and Kirin, who each represent different values. Kuroka was initially worth 6 pieces, but later grew to require 10, leading to Vali giving her a Mutation Rook with a doubled value. Kirin on the other hand bonded to a Mutation Pawn, which had right times the normal value. A notable example of a Mutated Piece owner is Gasper Vladi, who has a Sacred Gear that might become a Longinus.**

**Regardless of how the Mutation Pieces came into existence, there's no doubt they've brought many powerful allies into Hell's ranks.**

* * *

**_Season 4, Journey to the Finals Arc: Chapter 5 - The Semi-Finals Begin_ **

Everyone stared in shock at the claw made from the Power of Destruction, and on the hand of a Devil that had said long ago she had no way to use it... the sight was something no Devil could believe, and something that even caused Lord Bael and Zekram Bael to watch in horror.

"That's impossible, she shouldn't be able to use that if she wasn't born with it!" Lord Bael roared.

"When was that ever proven?" Lilith inquired.

Both of them turned to see the Devil Queen giving them a smug look.

"You... this is your doing, isn't it!?" Lord Bael accused.

Lilith paused for a moment before laughing as if she heard a funny joke, making them look confused.

"Right now, I honestly can't tell if you're joking, or trying to be serious. Do you really think that I could do this? If I could, then why did I wait 2000 years when I could have done it at any point during that time?" Lilith stated, emphasizing how idiotic their claim was.

"Well, you..." Zekram tried to make a retort... and he failed.

Lilith wagged her finger, and then pointed it at them.

"That's your answer. Truth be told, when I found out Vali learned to use my signature ability, I wondered how simply having her DNA gain a stronger connection to my own was a factor. However, that's when I realized that maybe deep down, Vali always had the potential, and she simply managed to find it at the right time. Thanks to Kirin, now I know... it doesn't matter if a Devil can't use the power at birth, because the potential for them to unlock it exist." Lilith stated victoriously.

Lord Bael's teeth gritted enough one could hear a slight cracking sound from them.

"Oh, and what's worse? You considered both your children as insults to your name. With the fact your daughter's taken her mother's name, if your son, who's story is fully known to Hell, should achieve the same... the two of you will be the true insults of the Bael Clan." Lilith stated.

'Damn you!' Lord Bael thought.

She stuck her tongue out before disappearing, and reappeared by Naud's side.

"Lady Lilith?" Naud said in surprise.

"She's legit, so tell the crowd that she's proven one not born with the power of their heritage can still awaken it." Lilith stated.

Naud's eyes widened.

"Well?" Lilith smiled, giving him curious look.

Stuttering a bit, he grabbed his microphone as Lilith left the announcing quarters.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
Everyone, we've just gotten word, and this is the real deal! Kirin Vapula, a child of the Bael Clan, who shared her brother's inability to wield the Power of Destruction... has proven that she wasn't born without the power!**

Everyone in the crowd gasped at that, while many Devils seemed hopeful from those words.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
What was once thought impossible is no more! From this moment on... let it be known that as long as your parents have the potential to use it, even if it seems like you were born without it, the power can lay dormant to one day be awakened!**

The crowd went wild with cheers, while in the crowd, Lirenkus was sitting with his mother and Cecilia, who looked at him with joy.

"You hear that Lirenkus, that means you might be able to tap into the sacred darkness like any Devil!" Cecilia cheered.

"U-uh..."

Lirenkus struggled to form any response to the Belial Heiress' words.

"Alright, nice one Kirin!" Iolava cheered.

"This is... to think that was even possible!" Eneely breathed.

Back on the battlefield, Niruili panted a bit, looking at the power Kirin was wielding. The Vapula Devil began to condense into a spiked orb, ready to finish the match.

"Sorry, but I'm afraid this game is."

*BLARE*

Kirin showed surprise as her POD vanished, hearing the sound of an alarm going off.

 **【** **Vasco** **】** **  
Time's up, the first round is now over! Both teams prepare yourselves for the second round!**

Niruili sighed in relief upon hearing this.

Sairaorg's entire peerage was teleported to their waiting area, while Niruili did the same, where her entire peerage was shown to be waiting for her.

"Niruili, we're so sorry... if only Kirin hadn't achieved that power up, we might have-" Arf apologized.

"Don't apologize, we all knew Kirin was a Mutation Piece, we just didn't consider how powerful that made her. Not to mention she waited until we were all gathered together before she unleashed it on us." Niruili reassured her.

Alice sighed, crossing her arms.

"The fact she awakened her Power of Destruction, something even she was sure she didn't have? That was another trump card she had." Alice added.

Everyone in the Beelzebub Team sighed at that, with Niruili using their Phoenix.

"So, what can we do? We've all been eliminated... how can Niruili beat the odds she's been placed into?" Rinne questioned.

"There's only one thing we can do." Niruili answered.

Looking at her peerage, a determined look appeared on her face, one that caught Tohka's attention.

"Everyone, lend me your magic! I'm going for it!" Niruili requested.

They all gasped in shock.

"No way, that's crazy! You haven't been able to get it right since you've tried it!" Rinne refused.

"Worse, if anything goes wrong, you'll be left to continue the match in an even weaker state than before. Then we're guaranteed to lose." Koito mentioned.

Niruili tightened her fist, but her determined look didn't falter.

"I'll take that risk, because if I don't do this... then I'll lose either way! Even if I can't win, there's still something I can do, and I promised that I'd at least retire one of his retainers!" She exclaimed.

Koito showed surprise at that response.

"Please, put your faith in me! Even if I crash and burn from this!" She begged.

"H-hey, we care if you crash and burn! You can't risk-" Arf shouted.

"We'll do it." Tohka interjected.

Everyone looked at the Beelzebub Queen in surprise.

"She's asking us to put our faith in her, just like she put her faith in us. How can we turn her down when she's going through all this effort?" Tohka questioned, a smile on her face.

"Yeah, I agree. Even if we lose, we can at least lose having given them everything we had." Akame agreed.

"We've all got your back, now show them what your made of!" Natsu exclaimed.

Niruili smiled at her peerage, and opened her mouth in response.

Placing all of their hands on top of each other, they all poured out her magical power, causing Niruili to swallow every drop of mana they had left. Her fellow Maou heirs noticed this from their spot in the stands.

"Is she..." Ineelana realized.

"Looks like this is her last hope, but can she pull it off?" Aariliyn wondered.

"I think she can." Leelexe believed.

Gobbling the last bit of her team's mana, Niruili closed her mouth.

"Alright, here goes nothing."

* * *

On the side of Sairaorg's Team, everyone took their Phoenix Tears to return to their full strength.

"Kirin, think you'll be able to use your Balance Breaker again?" Kuisha asked.

"Afraid not. With how long I've had it, using my transformations is still too draining beyond quick bursts, so it's best I only stick with using my Power of Destruction." Kirin replied.

Clasping her fist tightly, she remembered when she showed it to her teammates.

* * *

_Everyone stared at the sphere of red and black power in Kirin's hand._

_"T-that's the... Power of Destruction!" Gandoma breathed._

_"But how, I thought you and Sairaorg weren't born with that power?" Liban questioned._

_"I was sure of that myself, but during the part of my training where I broke my arm..." Kirin recalled._

* * *

_Kirin suddenly fell off the cliff, making all the nearby Dragons react in horror as she did._

_"Hurry, catch her!" Tannin shouted, flying after her._

_Every Dragon that was nearby took flight, instantly diving towards Kirin. Unfortunately, during her fall, she slammed into part of a ledge, making her scream as her arm snapped, and she fell into a spot too tight for the Dragons to fly through, not without risking her life beyond what the fall already way._

_"Oh no!" A Dragon exclaimed._

_"We're not gonna make it!" Another screamed._

_As the Pawn of Bael fell, she saw a bunch of sharp rocks where she was about to fall._

_'No, this is... it can't be! This is how I'm going to die!?' She panicked._

_As she panicked, a strange feeling welled up in her._

_Feeling her heart rate spike, images of her life flashing through her eyes went past her._

* * *

_Kirin stood with a young Sairaorg, looking at their mother panting as her illness began to overtake her._

_"Sairaorg... Kirin... promise me that you'll stay strong for each other. No matter what others say, I believe in your potential, and... I believe in your strength. You'll find a way to achieve it, and... protect me as well." Misla encouraged them, breathing heavily._

_"But how, I'm... too scared." Kirin whimpered._

_Misla moved her hand to rub her cheek, making Kirin gasp a bit._

_"I know you can do it... you have the heart of a lion, you just need to find it." She encouraged._

_Misla's eyes closed, falling into a deep slumber._

* * *

_Sairaorg watched as his sister packed a bag, and slung it around her shoulders._

_"So, you're going?" He asked._

_"I am... mom's words to us, I want to believe in her. That's why I'm going to search for a way to help her recover, and wake up, no matter what." Kirin promised._

_Hearing the strength in her words, he nodded his head._

_"With such words, there's no way I can stop you. Just like how I won't give up in reclaiming the title of heir through my own strength." Sairaorg declared._

_Kirin smiled at that._

_"When my journey's over, I promise to come back and join your peerage, so save a spot for me. I'll earn that right as you'll earn yours." Kirin requested._

_The two siblings shook each other's hands, before Kirin finally headed out to the Human world._

* * *

_Standing inside the hospital room of an elderly man, the institution completely dark as only the night staff was still present, Kirin draw a marking on his wrist._

_"Will this... finally remove my burden? Finally give me... my peace?" He weakly asked._

_"Yes, without this Sacred Gear, you'll finally be able to be freed." Kirin promised, drawing the same marking on her own wrist._

_Taking a deep breath, she began silently chanting._

_'To whoever's family this man belongs to, even if my reasons are selfless... I'm sorry for having to take his life, even if to end his suffering.' She apologized, with tears in her eyes._

_After a few seconds, he gasped as a light left his body, and the Venusian Feather appeared on her wrist._

_"You'll still live for a while longer, but... you'll soon earn your sleep." Kirin told him._

_He looked at her, smiling as he no longer felt the pain of the power preventing his death._

_"Thank... you..."_

_His eyes closed, and Kirin teared up as she left, followed by the heart monitor going flat._

* * *

_The intensity in her body hit its limit, and she screamed loudly, feeling something shatter!_

_Before she even realized it, a huge burst of a familiar power blasted out of her body, devouring the land below her before it cushioned her fall. Upon landing, she felt her eyes shake as she looked at her unbroken arm, which was emitting the one power she never expected to see._

_"I... don't believe it!" She said in a shaky voice._

* * *

_Kirin kept staring at it._

_"It was as if at that moment, something in me broke. Like some kind of wall that was holding me back." Kirin finished, still looking at it._

_"That's amazing... and if you could do it, then maybe Sairaorg has it too." Beruka realized._

_Everyone looked at him._

_"If there's anything like that with me, then I've yet to find it." He replied._

_Kirin dispelled the power, clasping her hand a few times._

_"Well, since I have this power... guess it's time to use it. Although, who'd be able to teach me if I can't ask Rias, or that scumbag that's my dad?" Kirin questioned._

_"Maybe by asking your Aunt Venelana?" Kuisha reminded her._

_Hearing that, Kirin blushed in embarrassment._

* * *

As her thoughts ended, a slight ding went off, getting the attention of Sairaorg's team.

 **«"That must mean that Niruili's side is ready to resume the battle. With how her team's been reduced to her, I'm not surprised by how fast that took."»** Regulus remarked.

"Alright, then let's get back into the fray ourselves." Misteeta grinned.

Seeing their side was ready to get back into the fight, someone sent a signal to initiate a second ding.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
Alright, the time to begin Round 2 of this battle is here! So, let the Rating Game... resume!**

Both sides were teleported back to their bases, and once they were, Niruili took a deep breath. She walked ahead, getting the attention of the whole crowd as she did.

"What's she doing?" Amalya questioned.

"I'm not sure... but it seems kind of reckless." Seekvaira replied.

"Seems like she has some sort off strategy." Riser guessed.

Even the members of Sairaorg's peerage didn't move as she got closer to them, until she stopped in place.

'This is it... success, or defeat.' She thought.

" **Final Feast.** "

Niruili made a large gulp, as if to re-swallow her own stomach contents... and then felt her eyes widen as she fell to her knees, her body shaking as she felt every pulse of her heart beat echo through her.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
Uh... anyone know what's going on?**

 **【** **Vasco** **】** **  
She looks like she's in serious pain right now, I hope she's alright...**

Her peerage looked a bit panicked.

"Come on, you can do this..." Tohka said quietly, sweating a bit.

Looking at the sight from a distance, Kuisha turned to Kirin.

"Looks like this is it for her, so let's finish this." Kuisha remarked.

"Right." Kirin agreed.

Holding out her hands, a black mass formed in Kuisha's hands as she formed a hole with her powers.

" **Vacuum Gate.** "

Kirin readied her own attack, gathering all the Power of Destruction she could.

"Sorry about this Niruili, but this is checkmate." Kirin declared.

" **Howling Roar!** "

Unleashing the mass of power through the wormhole, it was shot forward with triple speed, and about to hit Niruili, when suddenly...

*BOOM*

Everyone watched on, expecting for news that the match had ended, but that was as far from the truth as the sun to the moon, as an intense glow shot out from where the attack had struck, getting the attention of Sairaorg's peerage.

 **「** **Sonic CD: You can Do Anything** **」**

Covered in an incredibly dense aura of her light magic, Niruili stood completely unharmed!

"Impossible!" Misteeta exclaimed.

"She... she did it!" Rinne cheered.

Opening her eyes, the heiress of Beelzebub stared at Sairaorg's peerage with a confident smile on her face, all while Naud had the analysts take a look at what was happening to her. When he got the answer, he gasped.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
These readings... according to what our analysts say, her magical power is the same as her entire peerage combined! It's as if she ate it all, and digested it to empower her entire body!**

Standing on her feet, and shifting into a running position, Niruili briefly turned back to her team.

"Thank you, everyone... I can feel you all with me. I'll make sure to put our strength to good use!" She promised, turning back to Sairaorg's peerage.

"Go for it!" Tohka cheered.

Niruili zoomed off in an instant, and before anyone could realize what happened, a zig-zag of sand clouds had formed, with Misteeta's eyes widening. He was suddenly shot into the air, retiring in mere seconds, and shocking everyone on his peerage.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
I don't believe it... one of Lord Sairaorg's Bishops. Retired!**

_[Niruili Beelzebub: 1 | Sairaorg Bael: 9]_

The entire crowd went silent, as if they couldn't register what they had just seen.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
This isn't a dream, or an illusion everyone! For the first time in the history of all his Rating Games... one of Sairaorg's teammates has actually been retired! His unbroken record has finally been shattered right before our eyes!**

The crowd exploded in response, with enough force the stadium actually shook as a consequence.

"Where is she? I can't even see her move!" Kirin questioned.

As everyone on Sairaorg's team tried to keep an eye out, Ladora and Gandoma suddenly felt the same amount of force hit them, causing them to retire in the same manner as Misteeta had only moments prior.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
Both of Lord Sairaorg's Rooks. Retired!**

_[Niruili Beelzebub: 1 | Sairaorg Bael: 7]_

Shortly after they were eliminated, Niruili finally became visible as her light magic streamed behind her, giving her the image of a comet streaking through the sky.

"We can see her, this is our chance!" Kirin exclaimed.

" **Gravity Jail!** "

Liban's eyes glowed as Niruili felt gravity increase on her, pushing her towards the ground.

" **Lightspeed Burst!** "

Niruili's body accelerated three more times, surprising Liban before he felt Niruili crash into him, and shocked his teammates once more.

Once again, another member of Sairaorg's team was retired.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
One of Lord Sairaorg's Knights. Retired!**

_[Niruili Beelzebub: 1 | Sairaorg Bael: 6]_

Naud felt his blood heat up from excitement.

 **【** **Vasco** **】** **  
Incredible, this is...**

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
This is history in the making! Sairaorg's team has lost nearly half its members in a few minutes, all through one technique! Niruili might just do it, she might be the Devil that finally the so-called strongest Devil Youth!**

The crowd exploded with amazement, unable to believe such a miracle had been made at such a point in the match.

"Keep going, Niruili!" Tohka cheered.

"We might actually win this!" Rinne cheered as well.

"This is awesome!" Arf exclaimed.

Lilith smiled as she saw what the Beelzebub heiress had accomplished.

"In just a short time, our young Devils are rapidly evolving past the people they were before, and finding new potential beyond what they thought possible. Lucifer, what we're seeing right now..." She said happily.

Seeing one of Niruili's light trails dispersed, she caught the imagery of shattering chains.

"This is the freedom you believed we could obtain."

Landing on the ground, but still glowing, Niruili looked at Sairaorg's team with a confident look in her eyes, which shined with the genuine belief she could obtain victory.

 **「** **Insert Song End** **」**

Everyone kept cheering at the sight before them.

"This feeling..." Kirin breathed.

"Hmm?" Sairaorg looked at her in surprise.

"Right now, looking Niruili... she feels just like I did when I unlocked my Power of Destruction." Kirin stated.

"Whatever she did, it seems like her teammates helped her... like they're all fighting with her despite they've been retired." Kuisha realized.

As the remaining six members of Sairaorg's peerage looked at Niruili, who was preparing for her next attack, Kirin took a deep breath.

"Big brother, I think we've finally found the right moment for you to use Regulus' true power." She stated.

This caught everyone's attention.

"Kirin, you mean-" Coriana questioned.

" **Purpure.** "

Hearing those words, Regulus' axe form began to glow, followed by Kirin tossing it towards Sairaorg's hands.

"We need to buy him time to use it!" Kirin shouted.

"I can't believe we've been pushed this far... well, guess it's time to finally show what we've been hiding." Kuisha smiled, closing her eyes.

Right as she said that, Niruili dashed forward once more, with Beruka taking the lead.

"We won't give in, not yet!" He exclaimed.

"I've got your back!" Coriana replied.

Sending out her swarm of birds, they forced Niruili to move around to avoid them, with Beruka and Altobrau doing their best to swing at her.

"Alright, here goes... are you ready, Regulus?" Sairaorg asked.

 **«"Yes, let us show them the true power of the Nemean Lion!"»** Regulus confirmed.

Raising his hand up, the axe began to shine.

 **【** **Vasco** **】** **  
What is this?**

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
He can't be trying to use Regulus as a weapon, can he? I'm pretty sure he made a vow that he would never use a weapon under any circumstance!**

Kirin rushed ahead, with Kuisha forming a wormhole she disappeared through. As she watched their movements, Niruili flipped around, leaving Beruka wide open.

" **Furious Flash!** "

A beam of light fired at Beruka, causing him and Altobrau to vanish from the battlefield.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
One of Lord Sairaorg's Knights. Retired!**

_[Niruili Beelzebub: 1 | Sairaorg Bael: 5]_

Coriana instantly used the chance to have her birds converge on her.

" **Kamikaze Flare!** "

All of the birds exploded in a fiery blaze, though to the misfortune of Coriana, she was too slow. Turning around, she saw Niruili dash right past her, sending her flying before she was retired.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
One of Lord Sairaorg's Bishops. Retired!**

_[Niruili Beelzebub: 1 | Sairaorg Bael: 4]_

Kirin sweated a bit, coating her Power of Destruction around her as a veil, and dashing forward.

"Just a little longer!" Kirin exclaimed.

"Don't worry, I've got your back!" Kuisha shouted.

Reappearing from her wormhole, Kuisha appeared right next to Niruili, right as Kirin was about to smash into her.

" **Stellar Slam!** "

Leaping up a bit, the two felt their attacks miss, right before Niruili came down, dropping light a comet on top of them. The ground below became a geyser of sand, leaving no signs of either competitor.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
One of Lord Sairaorg's Pawns, and his Queen. Retired!**

_[Niruili Beelzebub: 1 | Sairaorg Bael: 2]_

Niruili turned to Sairaorg, hoping he could stop whatever his team had been buying time for, but when she looked at where he was standing?

" **Balance Breaker - Regulus Rey Leather Rex!** "

"Balance Breaker?" Niruili repeated in shock.

 **【** **Naud & Vasco** **】** **  
Balance Breaker?**

"Balance Breaker!?" The crowd exclaimed in unison.

Everyone watched as the Heir of the Bael Clan was suddenly wrapped around by the axe he held, which soon transformed into a golden scale mail armor based not on a Dragon, or a Wolf, but the very Lion sealed within!

Topping it off was a golden-orange mane that glowed with power, truly making Sairaorg look like the King of Beasts.

"I... don't believe it..." Vali breathed, feeling her eyes shake.

Lord Bael was completely horrified at what his son was able to accomplish, realizing just how weak it made him look.

"But, how is this possible? You're not the Regulus Nemea's wielder!" Niruili questioned.

"You're right, I'm not, but that's exactly why Kirin joining my peerage became all the more important. While she was able to use its weapon form due to her stronger heritage to our mother's side, the original wielder had a lot less, so she was never able to use the power of the Balance Breaker... however, I had little enough to match Regulus' prior master, so by implanting a command code to unlock the option, Kirin can give me the ability to use it!" Sairaorg explained.

The crowd gasped at that, while Lilith's eyes widened.

'Of course, it's no wonder why Kirin joined him. When those two are together, the true power of the Regulus Nemea can be reawakened!' Lilith thought, soon making an impressed smile.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
T-that's incredible, to think such synergy had existed in Sairaorg's peerage from the very start! However, due to the fact that Regulus has equipped to Sairaorg, by means of a TKO, he will now be considered Retired, and forbidden from fighting outside of his Balance Breaker state!**

_[Niruili Beelzebub: 1 | Sairaorg Bael: 1]_

Niruili sweat a bit, though refused to falter in response to such a shocking turn of events.

"Do you think Niruili will be alright?" Koito wondered.

"Of course, this isn't gonna stop her in the slightest!" Natsu smirked.

"It may be difficult, but she's managed to turn the match around from what had been impossible odds against her. Even now, I still believe she has a chance at victory, but even if she loses? In a way, she's already won." Akame replied.

Tohka nodded in agreement, knowing what she meant.

"Yeah, she pushed Sairaorg's team to the limit, and forced him to use a power almost no one knew of. Even more, she's given those who come after us hope, the proof that winning a Rating Game against him is possible." Tohka smiled.

Niruili took a deep breath, and focused all her magical power to its limit.

 **「** **Sonic Forces: Death Egg Robot - Final Phase** **」**

"Here goes." Niruili stated.

Rushing ahead at full speed, the Beelzebub heiress smashed into Sairaorg, managing to push him back, though unlike her previous charge attacks, was unable to bypass the incredible defenses that Sairaorg's scale mail had when united with his amazing muscle mass.

Sliding back, the opening for Sairaorg to strike the ground was given, causing the entire battlefield to crack right open!

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
Holy smokes! Everyone, this is the power of the Regulus Nemea at work, the power to split the Earth itself!**

 **【** **Vasco** **】** **  
He's completely terraformed the battlefield into a sandy mountain range.**

Regaining her balance from the attack, Niruili looked around, getting an idea.

" **Satellite Bomber!** "

Accelerating once again, everyone in the crowd noticed her bouncing around the mountain tops like a pinball, leaving glowing orbs in a few certain spots.

"Let's see how you handle this, Sairaorg!" Niruili exclaimed.

Flying up into the air, she began glowing, and soon her shot out intense rays of light, which fell the spots in question in a shower of light. Sairaorg completely took the attack, surprising everyone.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
Sairaorg's not even attempting to dodge this rain of attacks! I know he's been known for taking blows head on during friendly duels, but for him to be doing this in an official match? Just what kind of guts is he made of to stomach that kind of stress!?**

Niruili soon fell to the ground, like a giant glowing meteor of golden-yellow, which Sairaorg quickly met with his own fist.

The intense clash of power created a shock wave that completely shattered the mountains, spinning debris around in circles as the island itself was shred into pieces, becoming what looked like a small-scale archipelago.

"Holy crap..." Issei said in shock.

"They're completely razing the battlefield, and it doesn't look like either of them are anywhere near their limit." Vali replied.

As the two powers clashed with one another... Sairaorg's legs began to dig deeper into the ground, making the entire crowd gasp as the possibility that the heir to the Bael Clan would lose seemed to be inevitable.

"Just a... little more... and I... win!" Niruili grunted.

"I can't... fall here, not when... I still have... a promise to keep! The strength... in my fists, that I've carved... to make it here!" Sairaorg exclaimed.

His fists began to vibrate, getting everyone's attention. With a mighty roar, which was amplified by uniting with Regulus' own, another miracle appeared in this already legendary battle...

A bean made of black and red energy fired out from his right fist, which slingshot Niruili into the sky!

"No way..." Niruili breathed.

The entire crowd gasped, while Zekram's glare was so intense, one might believe he was dead.

Just as his sister had revealed not too long ago, for the first time anyone had ever seen, marked by the shredded armor covering his arm... Sairaorg had unleashed the Power of Destruction from his body!

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
This... is... happening! Just as his younger sister did, Sairaorg has awakened the Power of Destruction! The hair to the Bael Clan... has finally obtained his birthright!**

The entire crowd went wild, even as so many gave looks of shock and disbelief.

" **Regulus Impact!** "

Sairaorg thrust his fist once again, and this time, his Power of Destruction took the form of a Lion's head.

Responding to the attack, Niruili zoomed faster and faster, causing a series of images to appear in the sky, until everyone saw a total of 88 pictures formed by mere lines of light. Each one of them represented a constellation, and made the sky shine down with a blue radiance.

" **Celestial Maelstrom!** "

Eighty-eight streams of light fired from the sky, all aiming at the Lion Head of Destruction that was rushing towards it. Both competitors screamed as they unleashed all the power they head, with everyone feeling the intense winds blow from the struggle between such destructive powers.

 **「** **Insert Song End** **」**

However, at that moment... Niruili's attack shattered apart, with her aura disappearing.

"Oh no!" Alice gasped.

"No way, she already used up all of the magic we gave her?" Akame said in surprise.

Without anything in its way, the Power of Destruction that was unleashed from Sairaorg's hands kept rushing at the Beelzebub heiress, leaving everyone speechless as it neared her.

'So, this was my limit in the end?' She wondered.

Right as the attack neared her, she gave a warm smile, and closed her eyes as she accepted her defeat.

'To lose like this... I have no regrets.' Niruili thought with pride, crossing her arms.

And with that, she was retired as the attack shot right past her.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
And it's over! In a might clash unlike any other, and by the hair of his teeth, the winner of this Rating Game is... Sairaorg Bael!**

The crowd's cheers became like wildfire, while Lord Bael screamed in anger.

Panting as he stood in place, Sairaorg had little time to recover as out of nowhere, Kuisha leaped out of one of her wormholes, giving him a tackle hug.

"You did it Sairaorg, you really did it! I love you!" She cried happily.

"Kuisha?" Sairaorg blinked, slightly out of it from the power he unleashed.

Looking at him with a teary smile.

"Do you even realize what you just did? Not only did you win the match, but you've awakened your Power of Destruction! All of our efforts finally make it through!" She exclaimed.

Kissing him deeply, neither of them noticed they were falling to the water, leaving their teammates to see them splash into it.

"Who wants to fish them out?" Kirin asked.

"Not it!" Everyone other than Gandoma exclaimed.

"Not... ah, darn it." Gandoma replied, a sweat drop on his face.

Ineelana smirked before she stood up, getting the attention of her fellow Maou heirs as she did.

"Ineelana?" Shuriliu blinked.

"Sairaorg, get ready... because you're just the kind of opponent I want to beat to prove my strength is enough to face Vali's in the Finals." She stated.

The Leviathan heiress left the stadium, already preparing for her Semi-Final match.

At the same time, Tohka helped Niruili on her feet.

"Niruili, are you alright?" She asked.

"Yeah, no need to worry." Niruili assured her.

She quickly turned to her peerage with a sad look.

"Sorry everyone, if we had only just a bit more magic..." She apologized.

"Don't be." Alice interjected.

She looked at her Rook, who had her eyes closed as she spoke.

"You may have lost, but... you did something incredible. For the first time, someone managed to take out someone from Sairaorg's team, and even managed to use the Final Feast successfully." She reminded her.

"In our books... that's a victory." Alice cracked a smile, opening her right eye.

Niruili smiled at that, putting a hand over her heart.

"It wasn't just because of me that it happened. I realized it when I did it, what we had been missing before... it was a shared goal, and this time we all shared something." Niruili corrected her.

"Our faith in your belief that you could create a turnaround." Rinne realized.

"Yeah, that it was." Niruili smiled.

Taking a deep breath, she turned towards the sun, letting the wind blow through her hair.

"In a way, that's our victory, even if no one else agrees with it." She said happily.

At that very moment, she started hearing the cheers from the crowd continue, and turned to see everyone looking towards her.

"Great job Niruili!"

"You nearly beat Sairaorg, just a bit more and you'd have finally done what no one else has!"

"I wish they could have both won this match!"

Niruili stared in shock at what she heard. Even though she had lost the match, everyone was still cheering for her, a sight that made her tear up in surprise.

As they listened, Zekram, Lord Bael, and the other Devil Elders were all shocked at the crowd's reaction.

"W-what's going on, she lost!" The Paimon Elder demanded.

"You won't get it, and you never will."

All of the Elders turned to face Lilith, who was standing nearby with closed eyes, and a smile on her face.

"And what do you mean by that?" The Uvell Elder demanded.

"Simple, the past can't define the present. Those who chose to move forward... will move the world with them. All of you have trapped yourselves in that past, and it's slowly slipping away from you." Lilith answered.

The Devil Queen began to walk off, with Zekram glaring at her.

"Act as tough as you want, you know how futile your efforts against us will be in the end." Zekram warned.

"I'm not acting tough in the slightest, I just believe in the potential that you've mocked all this time. Including that of your own descendants." Lilith replied, looking at him.

Upon seeing her expression, Zekram was surprised by how unflinching it had become.

"I promise you, this last Quarterfinal Match is simply the first stage in showing you that even if my daughter doesn't win the Finals, the hearts of the people are slowly changing, but yours won't change with them... they aren't yours to control anymore." Lilith promised.

Zekram scowled as she walked away for real this time, turning his head.

"We'll just see about that." He muttered under his breath.

Right at that moment, Naud suddenly got a notice from a Devil that was a staff member at the Sitri Clan's hospital, and his eyes widened.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
Sairaorg! Kirin! I've just been given word that you should hurry to the Serafall Memorial Hospital immediately! Your mother... she's finally awake!**

Kirin gasped, with Sairaorg showing similar shock as he and Kuisha stood up from the water.

* * *

Rushing through the hospital doors, many Devils turned to see Kirin rushing into her mother's room, panting once she pulled it open. Staring out the window, the sight of a woman with long brown hair, violet eyes, and a buxom figure was seen looking out the window, a tired look on her face.

Looking at her, Kirin's eyes began to fill her tears as she covered her mouth, with the rest of her peerage catching up to her moments after.

"Mom..." Kirin sniffled happily, moving her hands to reveal her smile.

Hearing her daughter's voice, she turned to see her, and then Sairaorg as he moved to stand by her side. Once she realized how much they had grown, tears filled her eyes.

"Sairaorg... Kirin..." Misla cried happily.

"Yeah, it's us mom." Sairaorg replied, getting misty eyed himself.

Everyone in the peerage looked at one another, while Kirin and Sairaorg got closer, and decided to wait outside for a moment. Misla reached out a hand, rubbing it against Kirin's cheek.

"Look at how you've grown... while I was asleep, I dreamed of seeing you become strong, and wonderful Devils. It seems that was no mere dream, because the doctor told me of everything you've achieved since then." She smiled, crying happy tears.

Kirin's eyes widened before sobbing loudly, letting Misla hug her close.

"We... believed in your words, the potential that we had. We both tried so hard, and found others that knew our pain, gaining strength to break through the walls that were placed on us. Eventually, we proved it in ways beyond what you told us, and today... we proved that was truth without any doubt, and beyond everyone's expectations!" She cried.

Rubbing her eyes, she smiled at Misla.

"Mom, you... don't have to blame yourself anymore! With all our strength, we proved that scumbag we have to call our father he was wrong, and... awakened the Power of Destruction!" Kirin smiled after a brief sniffle.

"I'm so proud of you." Misla replied, rubbing her head.

Listening from the door, Kuisha teared up a bit, and rested her back against the door.

"Congratulations you two, you earned it." She smiled.

Turning to the door, Sairaorg heard what she said.

"Get in here, your part of the family too." He stated.

Kuisha blushed in response, and then opened the door.

"All of you... thank you for standing by my children all this time." Misla thanked them all.

Each of them expressed their joy in their own unique ways, with Kuisha wiping away her tears before she walked closer.

"My name is Kuisha Abaddon, I'm your son's Queen, and... his girlfriend." She greeted.

* * *

Back in the Akane Mansion, everyone was enjoying a small feast to celebrate everyone's entry into the Semi-Finals, with all of the Tournament's competitors and their peerages present.

"We've had 12 major battles so far throughout this tournament, so let's give a big hand to the four who've made it to the Semi-Finals!" Sanae announced.

"Cheers!"

Niruili literally inhaled a nearby plate of chicken wings, while Shuriliu say by her, drinking some wine.

"I've gotta say, you did great in your match, especially with that new trick of yours." Shuriliu praised.

Niruili blushed, rubbing her head a bit.

"Took a lot of trial and error, and to be completely honest? I used it in that match without having been successful in using it beforehand." She admitted.

This made Shuriliu and everyone within hearing range look at her in shock.

"Girl, you had to have eaten some iron before the match, because that took nerves of steel." Iolava chuckled.

"That wasn't funny." Eneely sighed at her fiancé's pun.

Tosca picked up a piece of takoyaki with her chopsticks, and held it out towards Kiba.

"Open wide." She offered.

"Uh... ah..."

Kiba opened his mouth, but didn't notice Tosca instead moved it to her mouth, and fed it to him through a kiss. He flinched lightly from the surprise, while Jeanne suddenly gave a cat-like smirk at the sight.

"Ooh, is my little brother feeling embarrassed at how bold his girlfriend just was?" She teased.

"S-Shut up Jeanne!" He shouted.

Upon seeing that, Gasper went a bit red in the face, with Valerie looking at him. Quickly shaking his head, she lowered her head in response.

"How about I just give you a peck on the cheek while giving you a strawberry?" She suggested.

"Yes please." He quietly agreed.

Grabbing one of the red berries from a bowl, she gave one to him will giving him a small kiss on the cheek, making him blush a bit in response.

Seeing the sight, Lilith cracked a small smile.

"It won't be much longer until we know if Vali's efforts will succeed in changing Hell, isn't it?" Shun remarked.

"Yeah, the Elders are definitely gonna throw the hardest obstacles into her path after what happened in Niruili and Sairaorg's, but... I know they can do it. They have to." Lilith answered.

She sighed a bit before taking a big gulp of her chosen beverage, making Leelexe turn towards her.

"Miss Lilith... hope this isn't rude or out of line for me, but I heard what you said to Zekram when the match had ended. Seems like you were really trying to provoke him. Why is that?" The Belphegor heiress asked.

Lilith paused after hearing that, looking down as she rolled some of her food around the plate with her finger.

"Because if there's any Devil that's earned their right for me to hate them, he's the worst offender among all the bastards ruining things for all of Devilkind." She answered, looking down as she said this.

Getting everyone's attention, she put down her drink, and clasped her hands together.

"Guess now that you're all curious, let me ask you a question before I get to it... what is freedom to you? Just what is the very virtue our kind was created upon by your definition? Is it right, or have you never realized that line of thought has been all wrong?" Lilith asked, her face more serious than most had ever seen it before.

"Uh..." Rias blinked a bit.

Such a question caught pretty much everyone in the room off-guard, even those who weren't Devils didn't know how to make a proper response.

"Well, I guess that it would be... to be allowed to do whatever you want without anyone being able to tell you otherwise?" Iolava guessed.

Lilith eye's glared at such an answer, her signature aura flaring out.

"That is _anything_ but freedom!" She screamed with rage.

"D-don't hurt me, that was just a guess!" Iolava panicked, hugging onto an equally scared Eneely.

Sanae shook Lilith a bit, making her blink as she came back to her senses.

"Forgive me, that line was just... what you said is the very thing the Devil Elders are. What you thought defined freedom... was nothing more than the definition of selfishness." Lilith apologized, explaining the reason behind her sudden rage.

Iolava's face widened in horror, a bead of sweat dripping down his cheek as he finally realized how accurate his words had been in describing them.

"The true definition of Freedom... is the right for all to be allowed to live out their dreams without anyone holding them back. If you take something in the pursuit of what you call freedom, then your words are falsities and lies, just excuses to indulge on what's nothing more than selfishness." She explained.

"Mom?" Vali called out worriedly.

"When it all began, the actions Lucifer took with leaving Heaven because of my imprisonment... it was basically the American Revolution if it were reduced to a small-scale conflict. He didn't take over God's land, he simply made his own, and let its creation be a painful, humbling reminder to Heaven." Lilith continued, her voice shaking.

Lilith closed her eyes, which were quickly covered by her hair... which was when everyone noticed tears falling on her hands.

"Originally, the Elders were people me, Lucifer, and the Maou all trusted greatly. Our initial children that me and my husband created when we formed Hell... among all of them, Zekram was someone we really trusted, hence us giving his Clan the bloodline ability that would become the Power of Destruction." The Devil Queen began, still crying.

"But, shortly after... things began to change, and things spiraled out of our control..."

* * *

_A young Rizevim was seen walking around Hell during its early days, with a look on his face that said he didn't care about anything._

_"Oh, you should have seen what I did!"_

_Suddenly, he stopped as he turned to see the Devil who founded the Uvell Name, holding some kind of treasure in his hands. A few younger Devils watched, wondering how he got such an amazing thing._

_"Lord Uvell, how did you get this?" Someone asked._

_"That's easy... I stole it from this small nation that revered it so much, they've all gone mad since they lost it! Serves them right for drowning themselves in such a small trinket." The Uvell Elder answered._

_Hearing this, Rizevim's eyes slowly shifted, as if he felt interest for the first time in his life. Walking over, the Uvell Elder noticed the Prince of Hell's approach._

_"Tell me, how did you take it?" He asked with curiosity._

_"Oh, quite the surprise you'd be interested in this. Alright, then listen well kids, this is what the freedom we Devils represent is all about." The Uvell Elder replied, smirking a bit._

_As he told the story, something in Rizevim's eyes changed, right as he formed a grin that was the first stage into the cruel smile he'd gain in the future._

* * *

_A now teenage-aged Rizevim kicked a young Devil to the ground, making her cry out as he pulled on what was revealed to be a Monkey Tail, revealing her Youkai heritage._

_"Alright, tell me... who was it that defiled our purity? We are Devils, so who would dare mate with a disgusting Youkai, and dare to give birth to such an abomination!" Rizevim questioned, a cruel look on his face._

_From a distance, the Paimon Elder watched this sight, and gained a look of surprise._

_'Did he actually just degrade a hybrid?' She thought._

_"Yeah, what idiots would marry such an animal instead of another distinguished Devil!?" Someone asked._

_Hearing this, the Paimon Elder started looking at the Prince of Hell, gaining an interest._

_"Everyone, shut up! Right now!"_

_Many of the nearby Devils went silent as Lucifer showed up, and the hybrid girl ran behind him in fear._

_"I let this union happen, so anyone that has a problem with it? They'll have to fight me!" Lucifer shouted, glaring at everyone._

_The Paimon Elder glared at Lucifer, who failed to notice her. Meanwhile, the many young Devils went silent, most of which were the result of feeling horrible over briefly agreeing over something they didn't realize their Devil King had allowed._

_Looking at his son, he grabbed his ear, intentionally make sure his grip was painful._

_"You and your mother are going to have a talk... right now." He said quietly, emitting an even stronger version of the aura his wife was known for._

_Rizevim's eyes widened in horror, and as Lucifer literally dragged him across the ground, the things he heard Rizevim say echoed through his head as he looked at the Power of Destruction that his clan was blessed with._

* * *

Lilith's hand shook as the memory came to an end.

"We didn't notice the little signs, and that's when we realized that the Devils me and Lucifer had created... we didn't give them restraint. Some of the original Devils began to do what they believed was right, influencing other young minds with their words." She continued

"Wait a second, Lady Lilith... are you implying what I think you are?" Aariliyn questioned.

She gritted her teeth, more tears shedding as she felt her body shake.

"Rizevim was no exception... no, he was the worst example of this. At first, they were just being selfish for their own reasons, but it was more like simple pranks that went too far. Originally, he was apathetic, and cared little for the world around him, but he heard their words. He saw their actions. From there, he became sick, vile, twisted, and more horrible than anyone could ever believe; but that was just the first echo, because his words and actions made them similar monsters!" Lilith admitted.

Everyone gasped at that, while a shadow appeared between Vali's eyes, who struggled to register what she heard.

Rizevim had truly become the Worst Devil to ever exist, but only now did she realize what had truly earned him that title... just how much he had done. Nearly every problem the Devils were facing in the present day were his fault.

'Mother... just how long have you held this in, even from me?' She thought, nearly being brought to tears.

Sanae put a hand on her back, and the Devil Queen took a deep breath as she wiped her tears away.

"Anyways, that there is the result of what a Devil's freedom devolving into selfishness because they let outside influences turn them into such. It etched itself into my mind enough, that when Ajuka was creating the Evil Pieces for me, my original intent was to have Devils create their own retainers like me and Lucifer had once done... but, when I remembered this near the end of their development phase?" Lilith continued.

* * *

_Ajuka was wearing goggles with zooming lens as he worked on a prototype for the King Piece, only for the sound of the door opening to get his attention. He moved the goggles to his forehead to see Lilith was his guest._

_"Lady Lilith, is something the matter?" He asked._

_"This might be last minute, and something quite irritable for you to deal with, but... Ajuka, I want you to scrap the idea of having Evil Pieces creating Devils." Lilith requested._

_Hearing this left him in surprise._

_"I'm not telling you to drop the entire system, but... there's just too much to risk by making new Devils from nothing." Lilith explained._

_Putting the goggles on the table, he looked at Lilith with a rare look of worry._

_"What's the reason behind this request?" He inquired._

_"The fact that if we went through with this, I'm sure that we'd be worsening the problem with the Elders... making history repeat itself." She answered._

_Despite not being sure what Lilith meant, he still recalled the worry her face had when she told him and the other Great Devils the truth._

_Her current expression had a similar worry to it._

_"Alright, if not creating new life, then what do you want me to do with them?" He asked._

_"Just as the Maou and I were formerly Human, and Lucifer was once an Angel, we should reincarnate other beings into Devils." Lilith suggested._

_Hearing this, Ajuka rubbed his chin in thought, realizing the potential behind the idea._

* * *

Lilith took a deep breath, finishing her reminiscing.

"In the long run, reincarnating others into Devils had a much bigger and more positive effect in the long run." She finished.

"It was because we could be more flexible." Nanami realized.

Most of the reincarnated Devils looked at the Queen of Leviathan, wondering what that meant.

"When you're a child, the innocent you have is why you can be easily shaped. A fear you gain as a child? It can stay for life. A bias you have towards something? You might never break it. Most of all, it's easier to learn to talk or read as a child, so if you had to get an opinion on Devils as our ages without really knowing them?" Nanami explained.

Hina's eyes widened as she realized it.

"We had our Kings as the role models, so people like the Elders were clearly bad when we saw them." She exclaimed.

"That's right, and it's why those Elder Devils and Rizevim became nasty... they were influenced by such negative influences as a child, or mentally young, that they became horrible due to that image being ingrained into their undeveloped minds." Nanami confirmed.

Lilith nodded her head, verifying her assumption.

"And it's why I know that most Devils are ready to share their true voice, and thanks to the most recent match, I know my faith was well-placed." The Devil Queen smiled.

Vali smiled in return, looking at Rias, Ineelana, and Sairaorg.

"You heard her guys, I've gotta best you are your best. So, hope you're all ready to lose this Tournament to me." Vali declared.

"Dream on!" Ineelana smirked.

Everyone laughed at that, while Homura blinked in confusion.

"I'll tell you later, sweetie." Shun promised.

* * *

A week passed by, and then the day of the first Semi-Final match had come, with everyone in a newer, and even bigger stadium than before. The Mammon Clan had been working on it since the Tournament had begun, with the Astaroth Clan having been their main aid to make amends for Diodora's betrayal.

Currently, the sight of Issei's parents and his sister were seen as they rushed to their seats, having had to face a much larger ocean of a coming crowd due to the bigger arena.

"Damn, you'd think with such a large crowd that they would have done a better job on letting everyone get to their seats, wouldn't you?" Shun panted.

Sliding herself into view, the Akane patriarch saw Lilith slip through them to reach her seat.

"We tried, but because we're trying to put our highest focus on the stadium for the Finals' Championship match, we had to make sacrifices for this one. It isn't easy getting everything right for a few dozens of supernatural races." The Devil Queen explained, her answer also acting as an apology.

Homura came back with some good, handing everyone some popcorn.

"Doesn't that mean this is gonna be a really big and exciting match? If that's the case, maybe it's a good thing." Homura replied.

"Well, that is kind of true for things like the Olympics and such, so I guess that's technically true... in a sense." Sanae remarked.

The tap of the microphone was heard as everyone saw Naud appear on the screen.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
Welcome one and all to the first of the two matches of the Rating Game Tournament's long-awaited Semifinals!**

The crowd went into an explosion of cheers upon hearing this.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
And for today's guest announcer? I have a rare treat, because it's none other than the mother of the entire Shinto Pantheon, and the grandmother of the Red Dragon Emperor himself, Izanami!**

 **【** **Izanami** **】** **  
Hi everyone, glad to be here!**

Issei's parents and sister all looked at the screen in shock, looking at each other before looking back at the screen.

"Since when did Grandma sign up for this!?" Homura questioned.

Turning to the Shinto Goddess of Spirit, everyone saw Naud hold out his microphone to her.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
So, the crowd wants to know. Did you come to this match because it's the last one your grandson's in?**

 **【** **Izanami** **】** **  
That would be half true, the other half is I wanted to see the lovely girl he'll one day call his wife.**

Inside of the East Gate, the Lucifer Team saw their King and Queen blush at that reply.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
Ooh! Looks like we have no shortage of people who believe Issei will become the new Devil King when our favorite Princess finally takes the throne. Well, before we have more familial embarrassments distract anyone, let's bring out today's teams!**

Rias' peerage appears from the West Gate, while Vali's exists the East Gate.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
For those who remember their first Rating Games? I think we all knew this was a match that would one day happen, and it seems destiny chose it to be here! For those who don't? Long ago, Rias was engaged to Riser Phenex, and both fought him to free Rias, with Vali's match being the result of the Great Devils feeling Riser didn't win by means any Devil would be proud of.**

From the crowd, those who were near Riser Phenex could hear him sneezing in response.

Looking at each other, Rias and Vali stared at one another, with everyone feeling the energy forming between the two close friends who were now about to face off in the Rating Game that both sides had been long expecting.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
Alright, listen well everyone, because today's type of game is unlike any other, even among the new ones we've introduced throughout this tournament! This match will be... a "One for All" match!**

Hearing the name, everyone looked confused by it.

 **【** **Izanami** **】**  
 **Let's see... ah! From what the rules state, this type of match will leave the arena as is, simply making it larger, and a majority of the Rating Game's normal restrictions are revoked. As long as you aren't using a cheat-like ability, you can use any technique, and all Pawns will be promoted to Queen by default. However, the biggest change?**

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
I'm gonna love saying this due to its shock value. Defeating the King... does NOT give you an automatic win! This match will only end if one side's entirety is retired, or their King throws in the towel!**

The entire crowd gasped, and began murmuring quite loudly.

"But, doesn't that mean-" Sona realized.

"This is basically a Battle Royal, but as a Team battle that's been fused with a Free for All." Saji remarked.

Lilith was seen sweating, getting Homura's attention.

"Lilith, is this bad for Vali?" Homura asked.

"In this case, it might be... while I don't ask the others for strategies or blab, Sirzechs has an unhealthy habit of talking about Rias way too often. As a result, he told me Rias has been working on something that might give her the advantage." Lilith answered.

Biting her fingernail, she looked at the field with some sweat on her face.

'Vali, if she really has learned how to use that technique... you and Issei will need to push your teamwork to the limit, or you won't stand a chance of winning.' She thought.

Both sides got ready as the enlarged version of the stadium formed.

 **【** **Naud** **】** **  
Now, let the Rating Game... Begin!**?

And with that, both teams immediately brought out their best.

**["Welsh Dragon: Dragon Deification - Lucifer!"]  
("Vanishing Dragon: Diabolus Dragon - God!")**

Both of the Heavenly Dragons equipped their Scale Mails, which had instantly skipped to in their DxD forms.

" **Excalibur!** "

Irina brought out True Excalibur, which was now shown to lack the markings that represented its locks, showing she could now safely wield its full power.

Arthur brought out Caliburn in response to this.

" **Hauteclere!** "  
" **Chrysaor!** "

The two twin swordsmen of Gremory brought out their swords, with Kiba holding a new sword that looked to be made of golden crystals.

" **Holy Eraser!** "  
" **Shadow Eraser!** "

Following that, each brought out a second sword made by their Sacred Gears.

" **Durandal! Joyeuse!** "

Xenovia drew out both of her swords, holding them out in opposing directions to be a bit flashy about it.

"This is it!" Vali and Rias both shouted.

* * *

**Finally, after a long wait, we've having the highly anticipated Rating Game between Vali and Rias, which is a match up that I'm fairly sure most of you knew I'd do one day, long before Rias' victory against Leelexe made it a reality. We know that Le Fay has Gogmagog, and now we know Kiba's got a new sword on his side, though the biggest mystery is what trick has got Lilith worried?**

**Anyways, that was quite the turnaround for Niruili, to basically stomach her entire team's magic power just to face off against Sairaorg's, and finally end his record of winning all his Rating Games without losing a single member of his peerage. In fact, she might have won had her teammates been able to give her Final Feast a bit more magic to use.**

**However, today's real MVP is Sairaorg, for awakening his Power of Destruction, just like Kirin had, and gaining victory at the same time his mother woke up. For anyone who asks why Kirin is a requirement for Sairaorg to use Regulus' Balance Breaker? Well, that's because I don't get how canon just lets him do it when it's not technically his Sacred Gear, and felt Kirin having stronger ties to her Vapula heritage worked better.**

**Then we have the big shocker of why the Elders and Rizevim are so horrible... the Elders let their sense of freedom get out of control, and it turned Rizevim into someone so horrible, he amplified their own nasty habits to the levels we see today. Kind of reminds one of America's Civil War, which fits when you remember Christianity exists in England and America, making Lilith's comparison fit even more.**

**Sometimes, we can create our worst enemy, but it's just as likely we can create our greatest ally, and doing nothing is what makes them an enemy.**

**Well, this is the second last hurdle for the Lucifer Team before they reach the Finals, and just like Rias has shown the potential she can unleash in the Rating Game Tournament without Issei on her team, she's going to be anything but an easy opponent here, especially since the Rias of this story is a lot more powerful, especially after creating her Cataclysm Wave.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

* * *

**Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter** **:**

 **【** **Chrysaor** **】** **  
The legendary sword of Sir Artigal, which has the power to halve the damage its user takes. In the present day, the sword's current wielder is Kiba Yuuto, who received it as a gift from Vishnu.**

* * *

 **Pairings List** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating  
Ddraig/Tiamat - Married  
Albion/Fafnir - Married  
Saji/Sona - Dating  
Gasper/Valerie - Dating  
Kiba/Tosca - Dating  
Sairaorg/Kuisha - Dating  
Rossweisse/Vidar - Chemistry is clearing forming between them  
Hina/Nanami - Dating  
Jeanne/Cao Cao - Jeanne has a clear crush, while Cao Cao's feelings are unknown**


	40. Chapter 40

**Time to officially get into the Vali VS Rias Rating Game, and everything that's going to happen in it! While the nature of the rules will be like a match in a Smash Bros. game set to have no restrictions, this match will focus more on those in each peerage with new abilities. So, for example, that means Irina, Kiba, Le Fay, and Rias among the obvious. For the less obvious, your only clue is canon.**

**Speaking of what Rias' is, hers is dangerous enough for Lilith to worry about Vali's chances without even being completely sure she may have learned it, all because of the fact it was Sirzechs who said it... actually, that might say a lot when you remember he and Grayfia trained her after Rias decided she needed their help to get stronger. Who knows what they could have taught her, especially her brother.**

**I didn't bring this up during Chapter 37, but since the Khaos Brigade has Gogmagogs, you might be wondering what this means for Le Fay's in particular when it comes to its name? Well, for a while, I thought of naming it Goliath, but I decided not to. Instead, the one that serves Le Fay will still be called Gogmagog, while the ones under the Khaos Brigade will have... _something_ happen that changes their names, which is they've been absent for this arc.**

**Alright then, it's time to begin!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

 **[]** \- Ddraig Talking

 **«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

 **「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

 **【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

 **⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

** Salathavean Kingdom **

**Also known as the Kingdom of Salathavea, and the most famous of ancient civilization among the Supernatural World, being the home of the Ancient Gods, the creators of the Gogmagogs, and many technological advancements the Demons want to eventually replicate in the current day. What's most infamous about this Kingdom is how 1500 Years ago, it was completely destroyed.**

**While the full nature of its end has not been discovered, the most influential factor is another story. The main reason why the Longinus are defined by their potential destruction, and the High-Tier Longinus are claimed said to "have the power to destroy the world", despite they _can't_ destroy it. Long ago, a wielder of the Zenith Tempest caught the kingdom within the radius of their powers, severely miscalculating how far the damage could go.**

**Eventually, the Ancient Gods supporting the Kingdom lost most of their strength, eventually dying out, and leaving their people to the elements. In the end, the once great civilization became a large graveyard. The ruins of the Kingdom are such a mess, while travel there is possible, it's considered to be so dangerous, only people like those from the Leviathan and Belphegor Clans have the power to safely explore it.**

**Technology wise, they were considered so highly advanced that even the Demons, who are said to have be at the top of magical technology, claim their tech is inferior to this former Kingdom. This is shown through the prototype Gogmagog being made of supernatural metals that were harder to use in high quantities during their time, while the final models can even replicate modern-day weapons.**

**Due to the Kingdom's demise, the Gods that were closely tied to them are unknown, other than they're a Pantheon that was completely wiped out, and may have already been in a declining state as a result of the Great War. As the Kingdom's existence wasn't noticed beyond its Gogmagog creations (when they were disposed into the Dimensional Gap) until after it was already gone, no one has been able to prove this.**

**However, the answers may exist in the original Gogmagog's memory, as it was found nearly destroyed. Answers that someone doesn't want discovered...**

* * *

**_ Season 4, Journey to the Finals Arc: Chapter 6 - Blaze of my Soul _ **

The crowd cheered as both Vali and Issei's peerages rushed ahead, truly beginning the Rating Game between them. As the many battles began, the first one that could be spotted was a clash between Irina and Jeanne.

"You ready to lose?" Irina questioned, smirking.

"Sorry, but you're the one that'll be losing this fight!" Jeanne retorted, smirking in return.

They clashed swords before jumping back.

" **Sakura Storm!** "

A storm of cherry blossom petals spiraled off Hauteclere's edge, only for Irina to suddenly disappear from view. Jeanne's eyes widened as she noticed her attack failed to hit anything but air.

'Damn it, she must have used Rapidly to fly and couldn't notice where she went!' She realized.

" **Balance Breaker - Blade Knight Mass!** "

She stabbed her sword created by her Shadow Eraser into the ground, forming some living armors to help her keep guard.

" **Balance Breaker - Stake Victim Dragon!** "

More holy swords crystallized around her, transforming into a Dragon.

"Try and surprise me now, Irina." Jeanne challenged with confidence.

"Alright, but you asked for it."

Out of nowhere, Irina dropped her invisibility... only for her to reveal there was seven of her! This caused Jeanne's eyes to widen.

"Stand your ground, she created illusions with Excalibur Nightmare's power!" Jeanne warned.

Irina giggled, making Jeanne raise an eyebrow.

"Who said these were illusions?" Irina inquired.

Jeanne didn't have time to reply as both the armors and her Dragon were all struck by Irina's so-called illusionary clones, making the Pawn of Gremory gasp at what just happened.

"But how!?" Jeanne exclaimed.

"By combining the effects of Rapidly and Nightmare's powers, my clones are able to become physical in nature." Irina revealed.

This caught the Maiden of Orleans by surprise.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
I did _not_ see that coming in the slightest!**

**【** **Izanami** **】** **  
Amazing, for her to realize the powers of Excalibur could be used in conjunction to create new abilities? I think we should call this trick the Excalibur Replicator.**

Irina thought for a moment, realizing she hadn't named the technique.

"Huh... you know what? I'll take it!" Irina smiled, accepting Izanami's name.

Jeanne chuckled a bit.

"I thought that Ewald Cristaldi was the only one who learned how to use more than one Excalibur ability together, but even he never realized how to fuse them. Well, then I guess it's fitting... that I learned how to fuse two powers from Balance Breaker!" She declared.

"Wait, what did you say!?" Irina gasped.

Jeanne rose her hands up, causing the armors created by the Blade Knight Mass to rush over to the Stake Victim Dragon, and collide with it. Growths of Holy Swords began to form on it as a result.

" **Evolved Balance Breaker - Glory Drag Trooper!** "

The armors' gold plating attached to the Stake Victim Dragon, who shattered the growths off its body as it stood more like Tannin. From the shards of the growths, a surprise came to Irina, and the entire crowd...

For every armor that had been present prior, there was now the same number of the evolved Stake Victim Dragon.

**【** **Izanami** **】** **  
Whoa... she fused her two forms of Balance Breaker into one. That's an advanced technique, one that only works for a Sacred Gear with a compatible Sub-Species to match its default Balance Breaker, or the Canis Lykaon due to the nature of its creation.**

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
And worse, it looks like those Dragon Knights are a lot stronger than the sum of their parts!**

Opening their mouths, all of the Glory Drag Troopers prepared to fire beams of light.

"I'll admit it, fusing your Balance Breakers together is impressive but not enough to change the tide in your favor." Irina replied, smirking a bit.

"And why's that?" Jeanne questioned.

As the dragon knights fired their holy beams, Irina used Excalibur Rapidly's speed, and everyone saw just how fast a Knight was when using the power in unison with their already enhanced speed.

She got on top of one of their heads, and holding Excalibur face down... stabbed through its helmet.

" **Excalibur Ruler!** "

Jeanne suddenly froze as she heard that, right before she saw the other four Glory Drag Troopers get knocked down from the claws of the one that Irina took command of.

"Aw crap... why'd I forgot about that power?" Jeanne realized in horror.

The mind-controlled Dragon Knight charged at the Maiden of Orleans, who readied Hauteclere as she created a Dragon Slaying sword in her other hand.

* * *

Le Fay soared across the field on her broomstick, dodging the speedy strikes of Kiba's new sword. When she got the chance, she formed a lightning spell, only for him to hold up Chrysaor, which shield against the blow, and lessened the electric impact on his senses.

"I'm surprised that Vishnu was willing to give you that sword." Le Fay remarked.

"You'd be surprise at how easily a God will give up a sword when they realize its find the right wielder." Kiba replied.

Thinking on Caliburn with her family tree, she shrugged her arms.

"Regardless of that, if my magic's not getting through your sword, then maybe a new friend of mine can." Le Fay replied.

Confused to what she meant, Le Fay moved her wand in a certain manner, causing a magic circle to appear before it landed on the ground. Suddenly, it began to shine, and when it did...

" **Summon: Gogmagog!** "

"Say what!?" Kiba exclaimed in surprise.

Naud's eyes widened.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Did she just say-**

**【** **Izanami** **】** **  
She did, though how she can say that is what begs the question.**

Rising from the magic circle, the sight of the prototype Gogmagog appeared, surprising the crowd in multiple ways as they saw it. Upon fully appearing, the metallic golem pounded its arms together.

『"Gogmagog is battle ready!"』 He exclaimed.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Wait, this doesn't look like the Gogmagogs we've all seen used by the Khaos Brigade, why is-**

Naud suddenly saw a magic circle transport a paper, with Ineelana's signature.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Ah, we've got some info! This is the prototype model that's stronger, but was unable to be mass-produced! It looks like the advanced predecessor among these ancient golems has a new breath on life!**

Le Fay flies near his shoulder.

"Alright, show them what you've got Gogmagog!" She cheered.

『"Shall take victory!"』

Gogmagog's arms are held out, and they begin to rotate, before his fists detract, unleashing a powerful gust of hurricane-level winds. Upon feeling them, Kiba tried to reduce them with Chrysaor... though half of the wind force was still too much!

"This could be bad!" Kiba exclaimed, starting to float in the air.

He was soon launched forward, which was when Gogmagog put his hands back out, and then opened slots for missile launchers in his arms.

"Fire!" Le Fay shouted.

They all fired out, creating a fiery explosion that Kiba managed to survive by summoning his Flame Delete to freeze them.

『"Gogmagog will smash through!"』

Moving at speeds that surprised even the crowd, Gogmagog appeared before Kiba, and then slammed his fists down, creating an explosion of stone shards where the Knight of Gremory stood.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Ooh! Looks like that one's gonna leave a mark!**

**【** **Izanami** **】** **  
I think we speak for everyone when I say that we're all glad this titanic machine is on our side.**

Kiba panted a bit as he appeared from the smoke, with the worse he went through being some of his uniform getting torn up.

* * *

Asia looked a bit nervous as Shirone looked at her from a distance.

"Sorry, but healer or not, I've still gotta beat you." Shirone stated, immediately dashing ahead.

"OK, here goes..." Asia breathed.

Raising her hand into the air, the crowd watched as Asia created a powerful barrier, which upon being hit by Shirone... simply rippled, showing the damage being dispersed.

"It didn't even have a slight effect?" Shirone stated in surprise.

Back flipping a bit, she saw Asia dispel her barrier, making the White Nekoshou focus her eyes towards her.

'Looks like she's only use it when I attack... perfect.' Shirone thought, giving a slight smile.

**【** **Izanami** **】** **  
It looks like Shirone's smiling over something, though the question is what?**

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Looks like it related to Asia dropping her shield after she attacked, but I'm not sure how that'd work when Asia's shields were able to completely negate the attack of a Rook.**

Rushing ahead, Asia prepared to put up another shield... only for Shirone to rush the other way.

"Huh?" Asia blinked.

Right at that moment wave of magic shot out, and as it did, everyone aside from Shirone was slowed down by her Space-Time manipulation to affect the flow of the latter.

Using this chance, she dashed at Asia, appearing as speeds too fast for the Bishop of Lucifer to avoid.

" **Kasha!** "

Asia was hit by the attack, making everyone gasp... only for them to see emitting a protective aura that shielded most of the attack from her.

"At this rate, I'm not sure if I'm really a Rook." Shirone remarked over the little effect her attacks were having.

"Remember what they told you... remember!" Asia encouraged herself.

Thinking about to the last few days, and the kindness she was shown upon returning to the Vatican, along with the truth she learned about her parents' heritage forcing them to leave her behind to assure she'd survive... the power Fafnir gifted to her began to swell through her body.

Give a loud scream, everyone was surprised at the large amount of magic power she began to unleash.

"This is new..." Shirone said nervously.

Naud rubbed his eyes, and blinked to make sure he was actually seeing what he saw.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
This is... what the heck is going on!? I thought Asia Argento was just the team's healer, and defender in some instances if we consider those defenses she used in the last few minutes!**

**【** **Izanami** **】** **  
From what I'm able to tell? All this magic we're seeing is a gift from her King's own familiar, Dragon King Fafnir.**

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Did you just say that she's using the power of Fafnir!?**

Shirone's eyes went white as she heard what Izanami said, with a bit of sweat forming on her face.

"This could be bad..." She realized.

" **Gilded Glory!** "

Asia formed a golden sphere, and released it from her palms, moving at Shirone with incredible speed.

'I can still dodge it, just need to slow time!' Shirone thought.

Activating her Space-Time Manipulation again, causing the effect to ripple across the area... only to promptly shatter upon hitting the golden sphere. The White Nekoshou barely had any time to react as the sphere continued its course, and gave her no time to evade it.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Incredible! With the power of Fafnir imbued into that attack, Shirone's second attempt at using her Space-Time Manipulation failed! Izanami, care to share how this happened?**

**【** **Izanami** **】** **  
The power to manipulate Space-Time takes incredibly strength, meaning if that power clashes with an even stronger force, it will face. Because of the strength Fafnir has, Shirone's power was just too weak, and it was unable to work.**

The crowd cheered wildly, while Shirone managed to get back up, panting a bit as she held her left arm, which now had its kimono sleeve burned off.

"I... actually overpowered Shirone?" Asia gasped, unable to believe what she just did.

'She's yet to master her new power, but I can that she's no longer the same Bishop she was in her last Rating Game.' Shirone thought.

Focusing her Senjutsu and Touki, the White Nekoshou readied herself.

"Alright, then no more holding back.

* * *

In the center of the battlefield, the sight of both teams' King and Queen could be seen, with Issei roaring as his Scale Mail's chest gem began to glow.

" **Dragon Fire!** "

A cyclone of flames was released from the gem, blazing across the field with incredible fury. Akeno quickly dashed in front of Rias, holding up a hand as she made hand signs with the others, and then clasped them together.

The flames crashed a red magic circle appeared, protecting them both from the raging flames.

"Do it now, Vali!" Issei grunted.

" **Primal Abyss!** "

The darkness of Vali's Primal Abyss shot out, and instantly jumped on Akeno's barrier, completely negating its power.

"Akeno!" Rias exclaimed.

"No, don't worry about me, Rias! You have to focus on your plan!" Akeno shouted.

Rias sweated a bit, but nodded her head as she closed her eyes, and began charging up her power. While that was happening, Issei landed near Vali.

"What do you think they're planning?" He asked.

"I'm not sure, but considering they're facing us, we can't give Rias the opportunity to make it a reality." Vali answered.

Issei nodded, unsheathing Ascalon.

"Right, let's take them down!" Issei exclaimed.

"Priestess of Thunder, and Crimson Princess of Ruin... get ready, the daughter of Lucifer's ready to show you who the strongest of the female Devil Youths really is!" Vali declared.

Both of them flew forward, causing Akeno to spread out her Fallen Angel wings.

" **Fallen Angel Mode!** "

The power of Akeno's Holy Lightning condensed around her body, causing her to transform. Her outfit became something that... well, no one was sure how to describe it besides it being a black and gold battle bikini, and her Devil Wings had been replaced with more Devil wings, giving her as many wings as her father.

Before everyone, at this very moment, was the natural form of Akeno when she temporarily subdued her Devil and Himejima traits for her father's, the full power of her Fallen Angel side.

"Hey, that's the same thing she did in my game with Rias!" Leelexe realized.

"Only this time, she's focusing on her Fallen Angel heritage, rather than her power as a member of the Himejima Clan." Tsubaki explained.

"Well, at least this explains why she didn't have as many wings as her father." Hina mentioned.

Akeno crossed her arms, leaving a powerful surge of lightning to spark from her hands, and instantly putting the Heavenly Dragons on guard as the voltage quickly revealed itself to be much more powerful than previous instances they had seen.

" **Thunder Beast!** "

The lightning launched forward, taking a shape resembling a non-existent creature, with eyes and a mouth marked by an absence of the element that was creating it.

**("REFLECT!")**

Vali put her hand out, causing the beast to slam against the barrier... however, when it began to be shot back at Akeno, it shifted into a more snake-like appearance, and prepared to strike her from behind.

"What the!?" Vali turned.

" **Heavenly Crest - Creation!** "

Issei fired a web of light from his hands, knocking it to the ground. With its movement forced to a standstill, the electric beast began to spark, before finally disappearing.

"Damn... looks like her control of lightning's strong enough she can manipulate the electrical current they generate." Issei remarked.

Akeno giggled slightly before she licked her lips.

"The thought of seeing you two overwhelmed by my lightning... it gets me so hot!" Akeno remarked, showing her sadist side.

Both of them shivered as they heard that.

"Yeah, that's totally not creepy!" Issei exclaimed, clearly showing sarcasm.

"I'm not sure I wanna see her masochist side..." Vali mentioned, sweating a bit.

As this was happening, the sound of something rubbing a board was seen, causing Homura to look to the side, where she saw Alanira writing something down.

"Miss Lilith, what's that woman doing?" Homura asked, pointing to her.

"Oh, you mean Alanira? She's evaluating Issei." Lilith answered.

"Evaluating?" Homura repeated.

"Right now, he's shown great potential among reincarnated Devils. As a result, she's looking to see if like his power, he has the other qualities needed to try above Middle-Class status in the upcoming Promotion Exams." The Devil Queen explained.

Homura tilted her head, as while she got the basis behind ascended a class, that was all she got.

"Sweetie, the reason this is important is because it can take years before a reincarnated Devil can be qualified to become a High-Class Devil, yet your brother's only been Vali's Queen since this April." Shun explained.

Blinking a bit, the redheaded Heroine's head started processing that information... and then realized how it had been since the month of April.

"It's late June right now!" Homura exclaimed.

"That's right, which means that depending on what Alanira determines here, Issei will be a record holder for becoming a High-Class Devil..." Lilith confirmed.

Focusing her eyes on the match, Lilith added one more thing.

"That is, unless Alanira were to decide that he's achieved enough that he'll need to go one step further."

Hearing that, Shun and Sanae both turned their heads towards her.

* * *

Irina guided the Glory Drag Trooper she took under her control, and swung it towards the Maiden of Orleans, who was moving out of the way as she rode on flower petals. After sliding a bit, she motioned her hand a little, causing the downed Glory Drag Troopers still under her command to grab Irina's.

"Oh no!" Irina gasped.

"Sorry, but you've overstayed your welcome." Jeanne remarked.

Irina was forced to guard as she was flicked off the fifth trooper, causing Excalibur to leave with her, and free it from her control. Jumping through the air, she landed on the freed Dragon Knight.

"It looks like that's all you have, Irina." Jeanne stated, smirking a bit.

The Half-Angel of Lucifer changed how she held Excalibur, which instantly began to glow as all twelve of her wings sprouted out. Jeanne was surprised by this.

"No, this is far from it!" Irina exclaimed.

Four of the Dragon Knights threw their claws at her, while the last one prepared another beam attack.

"Here goes!"

Irina rushed forward, and used Excalibur Mimic's power against the arm of the closest Glory Drag Trooper, using it to launch herself into the sky. Once she gained her footing, everyone saw her run up the armored limb.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Looks like Irina has a plan, but will it work, or has her confidence finally become _overconfidence_ against this overwhelming situation!?**

The further Dragon Knight unleashed its beam breath at her, and then...

" **Excalibur Shift!** "

Using the same method that she created her clones with, she instead made a single clone before her in the spot where she had been before vanished, making the beam fly past a target that wasn't even there!

"No way!" Jeanne gasped.

"If I can make copies, then making illusions that can swap places with the real deal's no fantasy!" Irina declared.

**【** **Izanami** **】** **  
I get it, she used Rapidly's power to immediately switch places with the singular clone she created, making her original placement a decoy.**

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
This is insane! The power of Excalibur is already a legend, but this Half-Angel Knight has shown there's potential in its powers no one's ever considered! Jeanne's literally facing an opponent who could create a new spare Ace at any moment!**

Everyone in the crowd went wild, especially those tied to Heaven.

" **Excalibur Flash!** "

Forming a holy ring of light, the power Excalibur Blessing suddenly made it burst with a flash, blinding Jeanne for a moment. When she regained her vision, she screamed as she saw the one ring had become hundreds with an empowered glow, hitting all five of the Glory Dragon Troopers to the ground.

'It's almost like Irina's purposely holding back to catch me off guard!' Jeanne thought, realizing how easily she was being overwhelmed.

Screaming with all her power, Irina gripped her blade tightly.

" **Excalibur Replicator!** "

The seven copies of Irina formed again, all of them rushing ahead.

"Ready girls? While it's still not perfect, we're going to pull off the new move!" Irina alerted her copies.

"Right!" The Irina clones responded.

Jeanne put herself on alert as she heard that, darting her eyes around the area as Irina and her clones began moving around in an erratic pattern.

"What kind of attack is she doing?" Jeanne asked.

At that moment, all of them came together, forming lines of holy light across the sky with their blades. The main one appeared overhead of Jeanne, putting the Pawn of Gremory on guard as she held up Hauteclere.

" **Pseudo-Star Strike!** "

Diving down, the lines of holy energy burst open, overwhelming the armors as Jeanne felt her balance shift.

" **Blade Blacksmith!** " Jeanne shouted.

"Go, Excalibur!" Irina shouted.

Their two swords clashed with one another, with a storm of holy sword shards flying out from Jeanne's thrust. The six Irina clones dispersed, causing them to empower the six lines of holy light flowing into Excalibur, which made six streams of it spin around the sword.

Both of the Holy Swords continued the clash with one another, and then... Jeanne's foot slipped from her unsteady balance, leaving her wide open as Irina gave a quick descent towards her.

"Looks like... victory is yours." Jeanne realized.

Closing her eyes, she accepted her defeat as Irina slashed through her, retiring her in an instant.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
One of Lady Rias' Pawns. Retired!**

_[Valiana Lucifer: 10 | Rias Gremory: 9]_

The crowd cheered, especially the Maou heirs.

"Vali did it! She drew first blood in this Rating Game!" Leelexe exclaimed.

"Keep going!" Shuriliu screamed out her cheer.

Irina landed on her feet as the Glory Drag Troopers disappeared, taking a moment to catch her breath from the intense battle. Though she was quickly distracted as she heard something that got her attention.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
One of Lady Rias' Rooks, one of her Knights, one of her Pawns, and both of her Bishops. Retired!**

_[Valiana Lucifer: 10 | Rias Gremory: 4]_

"I hope that new trick was the strongest among Rias' team, or we'll be in trouble." Irina panted.

* * *

Arthur, Kuroka, Yuuma, Bikou, and Mio were all seen around a forest created by the power of Kuroka's Youjutsu, with Gasper, Valerie, Xenovia, Tosca, and Rossweisse all lying across the ground unconscious. It was only seconds after that the retirement system kicked in, eliminating them all.

"Honestly, the moment the rules were decided, this match was ours." Kuroka smirked.

"Sheesh... alone your abilities are dangerous, but with all of us backing you up? We became outright game breakers." Mio remarked.

Yuuma gave a chuckle as she released a nervous sweat, rubbing her cheek.

"Come on, let's get on over to Issei and Vali." Arthur recommended.

Nodding their heads, the group of five headed over to the part of the arena where the Kings and Queens of each peerage were fighting.

* * *

Kiba dashed around the strikes of weapons and punches that Gogmagog swung his way, and the magic spells that Le Fay fired off from her wand, using Chrysaor to reduce attacks he couldn't avoid when he needed to.

"Alright, time to turn the tables!" Kiba announced.

" **Sword Birth!** "

The wave of blades smashed against Gogmagog, knocking the giant golem onto his back, and creating a loud thud. The entire audience shouted as they felt the recoil manifest as a strong gale.

"Goggy!" Le Fay shouted.

Holding out her wand, she transferred some of her magic into the Golem, which left her wide open.

"This is my chance!" Kiba shouted, rushing at her.

'Please, you can do it... get back on your feet, Gogmagog!' Le Fay begged, closing her eyes as she focused on her magical flow.

Right as Kiba's speed was about to give him the chance he needed...

『"Gogmagog won't let Le Fay be hurt!"』 Gogmagog exclaimed.

Kiba was instantly shot back by a beam from Gogmagog's eyes, and due to being caught off-guard, he wasn't able to reduce the damage he took with Chrysaor.

**【** **Izanami** **】** **  
In just a mere moment, Gogmagog was able to strike back... incredible!**

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
A crowning achievement of the Salathavean Kingdom's lost technology! However she got this thing, Le Fay's gotten a valuable ally to call through summon magic!**

Gogmagog gets back on his feet, and grunts his metallic sounds as he smashed his arms together. The resulting action transformed them into a large canon.

" **Magic Cannon!** "

Transferring more of her power into Gogmagog, his cannon blasted out a concentrated beam of magic.

Kiba quickly held up Chrysaor, while forming more swords in the air to act as a shield against the massive magical force aiming his way. Everyone in the crowd watched silently, wondering if the Knight or the Bishop and her summoned Beast would be the victor.

"Can't... hold it!" Kiba grunted.

The beam overwhelmed Chrysaor's ability to reduce the attack's power, and he was instantly overwhelmed by it.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
One of Lady Rias' Knights. Retired!**

_[Valiana Lucifer: 10 | Rias Gremory: 3]_

Gogmagog's arms return to normal, and he steams up a bit as he starts his recharge period.

"You're a good summon." Le Fay smiled, rubbing his head.

The metallic Golem somehow gave a slight blush in response, rubbing the side of his head in response. An action that made some of the crowd give a playful laugh.

* * *

Shirone jumped through the air, thrusting her palms against Asia's newest shield.

'I need the right moment... I can make it, I can do it! This time, I believe in myself!' Asia encouraged herself, sweating from the strain she was struggling to fight off.

Backing off for a moment, Shirone back flipped a few times, getting Asia's attention as the White Nekoshou clapped her hands.

"I was hoping to save this for when I got to my sister, but at this rate, we'll lose if I don't use it now." Shirone reluctantly sighed, closing her eyes.

Focusing her Touki to her body's central core, and ignoring all else... she suddenly grew a third tail made of that very power!

Asia gasped at the sight, along with most of the crowd.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Wait, a third tail!? But I thought Nekomata could only have two!**

**【** **Izanami** **】** **  
This is a special case, and it isn't permanent.**

Naud looked at Izanami, who continued her explanation.

**【** **Izanami** **】** **  
Focusing all of her Touki into that one point, she's limiting all other power she has to push her body beyond the normal limits it possesses. Such an action is so irregular, that it briefly changes the Youkai using it. For the case of a Nekomata, that means they grow a third tail.**

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
In other words, you wouldn't be wrong in calling it a magical version of doping.**

**【** **Izanami** **】** **  
Yes, that would be a plausible comparison.**

Shirone immediately moved at speeds one would expect from a Knight, catching Asia off-guard as the White Nekoshou thrust her palm into her barrier. The resulting act shot Asia through the air as it broke, making the crowd gasp as the Lucifer Bishop's defenses were finally broken.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Asia's finally been breached, this looks bad for her!**

Shirone rushed ahead, and instantly thrust her arms out, ripping the battlefield as Asia was struck by the recoil of long-ranged strikes.

'Come on, just a few more seconds... please, let me hold out until then!' Asia begged.

Shirone soon wrapped all of her tails around Asia, prepared to deal the final blow as she thrust both her palms out, when suddenly...

*ZAP*

Shirone was suddenly zapped to her surprise, with her ears and tail having their fur standing on end as she twitched a bit.

The source revealed itself to be Rassei.

"Thank goodness, I made it." Asia smiled in relief.

"How's this possible? I never even saw you create the summoning circle." Shirone questioned.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
She's right, how did that happen?**

**【** **Izanami** **】** **  
She has the power of Fafnir, so I'm guessing she relied on the Dragon Gate to call him here by just leaking out the dragon energy in her magic.**

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Ah, so her Familiar came of his own accord, and she simply nudged him to do so.**

Rassei quickly flew near his master's side, briefly nuzzling her.

"Rassei, are you ready?" Asia asked.

The little Dragon nodded his head, and flew into the air as Asia moved into a prayer motion, getting everyone's attention.

"Little Dragon, with my strength, spread your true wings if even for a brief moment." Asia chanted.

'Wait, she found out she's a Dragon Tamer recently! Is she trying to-' Shirone realized.

Asia released some of her power towards Rassei.

*GROWL*

*ROAR*

After giving a mighty growl, the little Dragon suddenly began to transform, soon having his growl become a roar he landed on the ground, now in an aged-up version of himself. He was only around the size of Regulus' true form at the moment, but that was still a fairly large size.

**【** **Izanami** **】** **  
My stars!**

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
How is this possible? Somehow, it seems she's turned her familiar from a baby into what I'm assuming is an adolescent Dragon!**

At that moment, a Devil was sent in, handing him an info card.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Ah! Everyone, we just got word that recently, Asia discovered she's the last of the Dragon Tamers! While she's still learning, it seems that Fafnir taught her a little something!**

Rassei roared again, as the transformation's nature meant that he was still too young to speak, before flying towards Shirone.

The Rook of Gremory readied herself, and then thrust her pals out again... only to feel wincing as she hit the diamond-hard skin of the young Dragon, and then got outright slammed by his charge.

**【** **Izanami** **】** **  
To all Youkai watching this, never strike a Dragon with your bare fists unless you've properly prepared, which does _not_ include using brute strength on its own.**

Naud nodded his head, still wincing at how painful the impact on the White Nekoshou's hands had been.

" **Storm Breath!** "

Rassei's mouth opened, and then he released his signature blue lightning, hitting Shirone with an even greater force of electricity than before. Shaking for a moment, the Gremory Rook felt her temporary Touki traits disappear, and then she fell over.

She retired a few seconds later.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
One of Lady Rias' Rooks. Retired!**

_[Valiana Lucifer: 10 | Rias Gremory: 2]_

The crowd cheered again, right as Rassei went back to his normal size, and was rewarded by a hug from Asia.

"Good boy." She smiled, rubbing his head.

* * *

The twin Dragons were seen flying around, blasting anything they could at Akeno, who retaliated with intense lightning attacks.

"Issei, ready on three!" Vali shouted.

"OK!" He replied.

Vali jumped back, and began charging all of her power.

**("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!")**

Akeno grunted as she felt herself get weakened, but shrugged it off.

"1..."

Issei slide back, before darting around Akeno's other side.

" **Heavenly Crest!** "

Swinging the Murakumo around, the sword was suddenly empowered, and then actually lengthened by the power of Holy Light.

"You'll need more than a longer sword against me!" Akeno responded.

"2..."

Issei rushed ahead, while Akeno unleashed all her lightning to create another electrical beast.

"3!"

Issei jumped into the air, looking like he was about to swing down his sword... only for Vali to toss an orb of darkness, creating a wormhole that Issei passed through.

Akeno's eyes widened, realizing what they were up to.

"I'm not falling for that!" Akeno shouted.

She turned around, expecting an attack from behind her... only, the crowd saw Issei land by Vali.

"And that's game." Issei declared, forming a white wormhole.

" **Primal Abyss!** "

Akeno turned around, only to suddenly be struck from the side as Issei's portal shot the Primal Abyss from the side.

Screaming from the attack, she looked at Rias.

"The rest is... up to you now." Akeno smiled, confident in her chances.

Rias finished preparing whatever she was intending, right as she saw Akeno be retired, and leave her as the sole member of her peerage.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Lady Rias' Queen. Retired!**

_[Valiana Lucifer: 10 | Rias Gremory: 1]_

At that moment, the rest of Vali's team caught up to her.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Looks like this might be it for Rias Gremory, because with such overwhelming odds, two Longinus wielders as her opponents, and no signs of a trick like Niruili's to turn things around... I honestly think she's toast!**

**【** **Izanami** **】** **  
Still, for someone in such a dire spot, it doesn't look like Rias is worried.**

Rias took a deep breath, focusing her sights on Vali's entire peerage.

"Big brother... this is it, time to put what you taught me to the test." Rias said to herself.

" **Aura Break!** "

The flow of power pushed out as waves, followed by Rias forming her Power of Destruction in both hands.

**「** **Akame ga Kill: Tatsumi's First Incursio Equip** **」**

"Everyone, stay on guard... something doesn't feel right." Vali warned.

Rias suddenly pressed the power into her body, to the shock of many, and the unexpected surprise of others, releasing a loud scream.

" **Aura of Destruction!** "

Vali's eyes widened in horror as she heard that technique name, turning to her peerage.

"Get away from her, right now! Don't ask any questions!" Vali screamed.

'Oh god... if Vali's saying that, then she's head to have seen this!' Issei realized.

The entire Lucifer team began fleeing, while everyone saw Rias' body turn into a humanoid Power of Destruction through her Aura Break.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
I can't believe it, right now, we're seeing Rias use the same power that her brother used to win us the Civil War!**

Homura shook nervously, looking at her parents.

"W-what does he mean by that?" She inquired.

"Lilith is probably the better choice for answering that question..." Shun answered, a look of fear on his face.

Homura looked towards the Devil Queen.

"This is the potential born of the Gremory's bloodline ability merging with the Bael Clan's, and it was so incredible, even Zekram was forced to stand down against his initial complaints and anger towards how Sirzechs and Rias were gifted with the Power of Destruction." Lilith answered, closing her eyes.

* * *

_Near the climax of the Civil War, everyone saw Sirzechs force his Power of Destruction into his body, horrifying them._

_"Sirzechs, what are you doing!?" Roygun shouted._

_"I'm winning this war!" He answered._

_As the transformation happened, the Anti-Maou Faction suddenly sweated as a feeling of dread appeared._

_" **Aura of Destruction!** "_

_He completed his transformation, and his power exploded out as a result!_

_In mere seconds, he unleashed a powerful storm of the Bael Clan's signature power, which instantly vaporized half of the Anti-Maou Clan's forces, which took all but the main traitors of the Maou Clan's to the grave._

_"Impossible!" Creuserey exclaimed._

_"Retreat, now!" Shalba ordered._

_Back in Lucifaad, many Devils watched the massive amount of power, with Lilith sweating a bit._

_"This is... what Venelana and Zeoticus gave birth to?" She breathed in disbelief._

* * *

Homura and her parents were now all shaking together, with Lilith nodding her head.

"This potential had passed to Rias and Millicas, and now... it seems that Sirzechs has passed on the knowledge to use it to Rias." Lilith stated.

"Such a terrifying power..." Homura remarked, shaking in a cold sweat.

Back on the battlefield, everyone saw Rias open her eyes, taking a heavy breath as she let the strain of the transformation pass.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

Vali turned to look, realizing the redheaded Devil was about to attack.

" **Extinguished Star!** "

Slamming the ground, a powerful burst of the energy she was currently made of spread out, ripping the entire arena to pieces. The silvery-white haired Devil quickly saw the attack near them, and instantly formed a portal.

"Quick, get inside before we're all hit!" Vali warned.

Issei and Vali both jumped through her Primal Abyss' portal, but the others didn't even get the chance as a powerful red wave of power shot through them. In just mere moments, the remaining eight members of Vali's peerage were all instantly taken down!

Vali and Issei appeared from a portal higher up, seeing what just happened.

"No way..." Issei breathed in shock.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Both of Lady Vali's Bishops, both of her Knights, both of her Rooks, and both of her Pawns. Retired!**

_[Valiana Lucifer: 2 | Rias Gremory: 1]_

Unlike before, the crowd was completely silent at what they had just witnessed.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
I can't believe it... with just one move, Rias has immediately turned the match on its head.**

**【** **Izanami** **】** **  
This was her plan all along... if Vali's team hadn't removed the rest of her peerage, there's a good chance that Rias would have been the victory at this very moment.**

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Hate to say this, but she already is. No one's ever managed to defeat this power. Even if they are the Red and White Dragon Emperors, they can't smash through energy of pure annihilation.**

Looking from his spot in the stadium, Zekram Bael gave a dark smile of victory.

"This is why we chose this kind of match for this Game. Because as much as I despise the Gremory Clan's inherited our power, this match has given Rias the means to overwhelming crush you... Valiana Lucifer." Zekram stated, believing Rias had already won.

Alanira looked at his way briefly, able to read his expression without even trying, before turning her focus back on Issei.

Vali shook a bit, then prepared her own signature ability.

" **Primal Abyss!** "

Vali unleashed everything she had against Rias' technique, but the heiress of Gremory simply stood there as it failed to do anything.

"N-no way, that's impossible!" Vali gasped in horror.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Even the power of the Sacred Darkness in its purest form isn't doing anything! While we still need the official results to declare anything, at this point, looks like Rias Gremory's victory is a done deal!**

The heiress of Lucifer shook before falling onto her feet, unable to see a way out of the situation no matter how she looked at it.

'Is this really how it ends for me? My promise to father, to mother... all of it's going to be stopped by this power?' Vali thought as tears filled her eyes, her voice nearly quivering.

Rias prepared another attack, when suddenly...

*SLAP*

Everyone was suddenly surprised by Issei slapping Vali across the face, instantly dispelling her DxD Form, and her Scale Mail with it.

"Issei?" She looked at him in surprise.

"Don't you dare give up... that's not the brave woman I've come to know you as." Issei shouted, tearing up a bit.

Vali looked at him in surprise.

"You've fought all this way to make it to the Finals, and through it all, through this road here, I've seen you always stare against the face of danger and uncertainty with all your strength. Even as children, you were the one that always that gave me courage." Issei exclaimed loudly.

Vali's eyes widened, tearing up even more as tears threatened to fall.

"Issei..." She breathed.

"The person that I am now became who he was because of you, because what I've learned is also a part of what you are, and nothing can ever take that! Now, stand up, and let's finish this together! We're not done yet, not until we both fall to the ground!" Issei screamed, giving all the encouragement in his voice he could.

Hearing that, Vali took a deep breath, standing on her feet once again.

"Look at me, I'm supposed to be the King, and yet right now... you're the one who's acting like a leader." Vali replied, chuckling a bit.

Looking at Rias together, the crowd watched closely, while the Gremory heiress waited in place.

'Why do I suddenly feel like I need to be cautious? Just before Issei spoke, I was so sure of myself, but now...' Rias thought, a few drops of sweat hiding under her energized skin.

"Vali, no guarantee it'll work, but I have a plan to overcome Rias' power and win this match!" Issei declared.

The crowd suddenly gasped at that, while Zekram just scoffed at Issei's supposed arrogance. Alanira on the other hand suddenly took more interest at the grand claim he had just spoken.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
I... I... I can't believe what I just heard! Despite everything we just say, Issei Akane has just declared he _can_ break through the Aura of Destruction!**

**【** **Izanami** **】** **  
My grandson's made a bold declaration, and now we're about to see if he's all talk, or all action.**

Taking a moment to shake her head, and regain her own bearings, she looked at her Queen, who still had a look of confidence on his face.

"OK, what is it?" Vali asked.

Moving to Vali's ear, he whispered it all, making her eyes widen as she heard it.

**「** **My Hero Academia: You Say Run** **」**

"Issei, that's completely crazy!" Vali exclaimed.

"I know, but you still trust me, don't you?" Issei smirked, already sure of her answer.

Vali closed her eyes, nodding her head with a smile.

"Alright, let's do it." Vali agreed.

They gave each other a handshake, which was followed by the two of them rushing towards Rias to the surprise of everyone, Vali's choice to not reequip her scale mail further justifying their reaction.

"I'm not sure what you're doing, but be my guest!" Rias shouted.

" **Ruin the Extinct!** "

Unleashing a storm of POD orbs, Issei instantly grabbed Vali's hand, and swung her around.

" **Heavenly Crest!** "

" **Force Crystallization!** "

Vali was swung forward using a rope of light, and her willpower instantly smashed against Rias' attack, dispelling all the orbs before she twirled herself.

"Do it, Issei!" Vali screamed.

"You can count on it!" Issei shouted back, smirking as he did.

Issei was launched forward, and soon came within very close range of Rias, who instantly reacted.

" **Cataclysm Wave!** "

In an instant, Rias' body flooded out an entire Ocean's worth of the Power of Destruction, making her already strongest attack become even more powerful. As it neared Issei, the Red Dragon Emperor instantly slid Murakumo into his left hand, and began emitting a fiery glow in his armor, marking a familiar ability.

"This is where the Lucifer Team proves we can do the impossible!" Issei promised.

" **Blazing Soul!** "

Issei released all his willpower, and focused it around his front and his fist.

**["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"]**

" **Crimson Strike!** "

Issei's left fist smashed into the wave of pure power standing in front of him, making the entire audience watch in surprise and awe.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
This is complete insanity right now! I don't know how, but it looks like Issei's trying to break through Rias' power with just his pure strength! This is impossible, this is just crazy, this is nothing more than a fool's desperate struggle against an unbreakable wall!**

Vali kept watching, sweat on her face, but refusing to drop her look of intense faith, trusting in Issei.

'Issei, you've always been the one that's given me my strength. You and I... we're two halves of a whole. That's why, I know you have the strength to do this, because even if no one else believes it, you've already become strong enough to be a King in my books!' Vali thought, reminding herself to believe.

"We will win this match! Nothing will stop us! Even if this wall goes onto infinity, even if breaking it only seems like a dream... I will make it happen!" Issei screamed, flaring out more power.

Screaming louder, he felt his feet get pushed a bit, yet he still pushed back in return, despite he wasn't getting any closer.

 **["Go for it!"]** Ddraig screamed.

 **("Do it!")** Albion shouted.

Issei continued pushing, exerting enough force that his scale mail armor began cracking!

Eventually, the Cataclysm Wave began to push Issei into the ground, rising over him like a tsunami that was about to crash. At this point, many were worried that Issei might push it too far, and end up killing himself as a result.

'Wait, hold on... is it possible that this is-' Alanira suddenly considered.

As she thought that, the wave crashed down over Issei, making everyone gasp as it seemed like Issei had just been retired. Naud even began checking the retirement room to confirm it, but didn't seem him.

**["ASBORB!"]**

Vali used some of the power she divided to restore her stamina to its upper limits, and then...

**["CHARGE: EXCEEDED!"]**

" **Force Crystallization!** "

Using the rest of the divided power to supercharge her magic, a suddenly light appeared within the mass of energy. Rias was confused by this... until she noticed a glowing string made by the Heavenly Crest, linking her to Issei.

"Issei, do it now!" Vali screamed, giving him the signal.

"Ddraig... this is it." Issei smiled.

Ddraig chuckled, his eyes beginning to glow in response.

**["Time to create what will be the biggest upset in the history of the Rating Games!"]**

Suddenly, everyone began to gasp as the sight of a shattered red armor, which was being empowered by the Force Crystallization, spread out against the Cataclysm Wave's power. In the middle of it, Issei stood without his scale mail, the worse being some scratches and a cut on his left arm.

"What is this!?" Rias gasped in surprise.

" **Blazing Soul!** "

The Gremory heiress felt the wave hit her, followed by her inability to move or act.

"I-I... can't stop my attack!" Rias exclaimed in confusion and panic.

"And now, I've carved a path for victory!" Issei exclaimed.

Holding out the Boosted Gear, the sight of a golden glow was seen covering it, before it was followed by a familiar red one.

" **Heavenly Crest - Empower!** "

**["BOOSTING BREAKER!"]**

An extreme amount of power gathered in Issei's hand, all for just one attack.

"I am Issei Akane, the Red Dragon Emperor, and the Queen of Vali Lucifer! And now, with this one attack, I will win... this game!" He screamed at the top of his lungs.

Rushing forward, the heiress of Gremory could only watch as he came closer.

**["EXPLOSION: MAXIMUM!"]**

**["PENETRATE!"]**

" **Crimson... Strike!** "

At that moment, Issei slammed his fist into Rias Gremory's body, and after a few solid seconds of striking it, with everyone thinking it was a useless attempt...

It shattered apart, leaving Rias to stare in disbelief.

'He... shattered the Aura of Destruction...' The Gremory heiress thought, overwhelmed by the shock.

Everyone in the crowd gave various reactions to what just happened.

Those who knew the power of the Aura of Destruction, like Sirzechs, the Great Devils, the Elders, Lilith, and many others, all had their eyes go white in complete shock and disbelief. Those who didn't had extreme surprise, recalling the Primal Abyss failed against it.

Regardless of how everyone reacted, they all shared the same thought over the same thing.

"That's impossible... it can't be, it has to be!" Zekram stuttered, refusing to believe he wasn't in a nightmare right now.

**【** **Naud** **】**   
**Issei just... he did the impossible! What was considered an impossible technique to overcome by many, a technique that stopped the Civil War in the Old Maou Faction's victory, was just overcome and defeated!**

**【** **Izanami** **】** **  
That's my grandson for you. Just like the color he represents, he has an unbreakable and unyielding passion that won't give in, no matter what's in his way.**

Rias looked at Issei and Vali, letting it sink in how little of a chance she had against them.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

"I... can't beat you two." Rias realized, hanging her head as she smiled.

"Wait, so that means-" Vali realized.

The redheaded Devil nodded in response, soon lifting her head back up.

"I resign, you've beaten me."

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
T-that's it... Rias Gremory has resigned, meaning the winner of this Rating Game is Vali Lucifer!**

The crowd exploded in response to that declaration, with everyone in Vali's peerage, Issei's family, and the Maou Heirs giving group hugs to each other as they celebrated her victory; while for Zekram, he kept staring at the result like he had seen a ghost.

"Issei!" Vali exclaimed, running towards him.

She tackled him to the ground, giving him a strong hug.

"You idiot, I can't believe you actually did it!" Vali cried, smiling despite what she said.

"Yeah, guess I am an idiot... but I'm also your idiot." Issei smiled back.

As she watched this, Alanira smiled as she finishing writing her clip board notes, and making one last mark on a certain check box.

"For what you pulled off today, it would be an insult to give you anything less." She stated.

On the evaluation paper, there were three check boxes that listed what class of promotion exam she felt Issei should take, and the words to the side of the one she checked were...

_Ultimate-Class._

* * *

**Oh yeah, you saw that last part right. For the sheer fact that he managed to create a plan that let him defeat the Aura of Destruction, which in-story, had been an invincible technique for so long, that everyone believed there was no way to defeat it... Alanira has decided that Issei is qualified to jump all the way to Ultimate-Class through the promotion exams!**

**Now, for why it's Ultimate-Class instead of simply High-Class? Well, because Vali is one herself, and the story shows they've got a powerful sense of teamwork, having synchronicity that even Ajuka was shocked by when he checked how much it was back in their first Rating Game with Riser. As such, it felt best to have Issei to qualify for the strongest class of Devil.**

**For how that promotion exam will work? Well, that's a surprise, but it'll be one I think you'll all like when I reveal it :)**

**To officially start off the end notes for today, I should bring up the elephant in the chapter, which is the fact that half of Rias' team got defeated off-screen, and without the rest of Vali's group breaking a sweat in doing so. There are many reasons for that, aside from the focus on everyone with new abilities (and what Issei did to give them the win), and the fact canon already did it with Kiba during the Rating Game with Riser, which I wanted to be an echo of sorts.**

**However, the biggest reason for this? It was because it made how Rias learned how to use her brother's Aura of Destruction, which I'm fairly sure is such a broken technique, that it'd be banned from use in the Rating Games to avoid one-sided fights, like with how Issei and Vali haven't been allowed to summon Tiamat and Fafnir for similar reasons.**

**And after a lengthy absence, Rassei's finally made another appearance, just in time for Asia to use a bit of her Dragon Tamer powers (at least the small bit Fafnir could teach her) to empower him. With Asia still in the process of gaining more offense, giving Rassei a means to aid her in battle was fun, and as a bonus? I'll say that it won't be much longer before we'll hear the little Sprite Dragon find his voice!**

**Well, this Season's nearly at its end, because now... there's only one more Rating Game to go before we finally move onto Season 5, and that's the game between Ineelana VS Sairaorg... the battle between two of the stronger Devil Youths. It'll be another battle between two Longinus users, and with Sairaorg having recently discovered he has the Power of Destruction, there's no way to know where things will go.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

* * *

** Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter ** **:**

**None**

* * *

** Pairings List ** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating  
Ddraig/Tiamat - Married  
Albion/Fafnir - Married  
Saji/Sona - Dating  
Gasper/Valerie - Dating  
Kiba/Tosca - Dating  
Sairaorg/Kuisha - Dating  
Rossweisse/Vidar - Chemistry is clearing forming between them  
Hina/Nanami - Dating  
Jeanne/Cao Cao - Jeanne has a clear crush, while Cao Cao's feelings are unknown**


	41. Chapter 41

**After a long wait, we're finally getting to the second match of the Semifinals, which is the last roadblock to both Season 5, and the Championship Match in the Finals! Now, before we begin, there's one thing I'd like to say to everyone, and that's... the announcement of this story having hit 500 favorites and follows! As the first big story I've posted on this site, this is a big milestone for me, so thank you everyone ^v^**

**For this chapter, we're gonna see an explosive clash between the two peerages, with each of them unveiling something new to achieve victory, especially as each of them has a reason to make it to the Finals. We all know Ineelana's already swore to meet her there, and Sairaorg's got his own reasons to reach the Top right now, so... the question is who will do it? Will canon repeat with Sairaorg, or will Ineelana be the first to defeat him in a Rating Game?**

**In regards to what their new tricks will be, I think you might have a good idea about Sairaorg's, leaving the big mystery for most to be what Ineelana will unveil... although, there might be a few people who've seen this as well if they've found the right foreshadowing to it. *giggles* Either way, this Rating Game will be nearly as explosive as the last moments of Vali and Rias' game! :3**

**Now, as we're near the end of this season, and we just saw Alanira decide to qualify Issei for an Ultimate-Class exam, it's time for me to bring up something that I've been waiting to share for a while. For most of the story, I've mentioned that Vali is the protagonist, but Issei is always close behind in catching up to her. Well, as you saw last chapter... I was being _literal_ when I said that.**

**The moment that Issei becomes an Ultimate-Class Devil, he and Vali will become equals, meaning by that point, they will officially share the role as protagonist! While it won't be until the events of JOHD that this change will really cement itself (due to when Issei becomes a King), those who've wanted Issei to gain a bigger spotlight? The wait will soon be over!**

**So, you might be wondering... who will be in Issei's peerage? Well, there are a few characters who'll mentioning wanting to join, or that they'll trade with Issei, but for the rest? That'll be OCs that may not even show up, or at least join up until JOHD. This is because of host most of Vali's group is either tied to magic or her Christian heritage (even if just indirectly, like the Pendragons), I want Issei's peerage to tie to Youkai and his Shinto heritage.**

**With all of that said, let this chapter and Rating Game... begin!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

 **[]** \- Ddraig Talking

 **«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

 **「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

 **【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

 **⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

** Regulus Nemea **

**One of the Sacred Gears among the Mid-Tier Longinus, and at the moment, the only one that has no true host due to unexpected circumstances. Its powers allow the user to manipulate the ground through striking it, which is defined as "splitting the Earth in half", and protect themselves from projectiles. (This works more with genuine projectiles, were magic rolls under a hit and miss process) powers that come from the mighty Nemean Lion, Regulus.**

**This Longinus originally belonged to someone else, and as an independent avatar-type Sacred Gear, this made Regulus a loyal protector to him. However, for some reason that Regulus seems to have lost his memories of, they were killed a short time before Sairaorg found the mighty beast. Upon doing so, the heir of the Bael Clan reincarnated him using 7 of his Pawns, making Sairaorg technically count as his new wielder.**

**In battle, Regulus takes a human form most of the time, and changes back into a Lion or his axe form when needed. As Sairaorg doesn't use weapons, his axe form is always used by Kirin, using her Vapula heritage to her advantage. However, she can't use Regulus' Balance Breaker, for reasons she defines as her being _too_ Lion-like in comparison to his original host.**

**Despite this, the Regulus Nemea can still use Balance Breaker through Sairaorg if Kirin uses the command "Purpure", allowing it to bypass Sairaorg not being his host, and equipping him with a scale mail. According to Kirin, this works because Sairaorg's lesser tie to his Vapula Heritage just happens to match the amount of Lion in the original wielder. (for the same reasons the holder of a Dragon-type Sacred Gear can learn the Seventh Impulse)**

**Regulus has yet to unleash his full power with Sairaorg, meaning either he can't, or... Kirin's never had the need to unlock it for him.**

* * *

**_ Season 4, Journey to the Finals Arc: Chapter 7 - The Most Unexpected Game _ **

Everyone continued cheering at the result of the most recent match, and after a bit, Naud finally had the screen show Vali being moved up to the one side of the two brackets for the Finals.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
And with this victory, Vali's earned her spot in the Finals, leaving only question remaining... who will be her opponent for the Championship Match? Will it be the heir of her father's right hand, or the Lion of the Bael Clan that started as nothing, but has become one of the greatest Devil Youths to date!?**

"Obviously, it'll be me!" Ineelana exclaimed, standing up from seat.

From where Sairaorg was standing, he gave a chuckle as if to challenge her claim, while Kirin face palmed before shaking her head at both heirs' antics.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
We'll see you all back here in three days, with a guest from the Hindu Pantheon as the guest announcer!**

**【** **Izanami** **】** **  
And my thanks for having today to be a guest announcer for you all.**

The crowd clapped at that, with Zekram giving an angered glare at what had occurred, moving a magic circle to his ear.

"Prepare our last resort... that Lucifer brat is in the Finals." He said quietly, a dark look on his face.

* * *

The members of Vali's peerage were all seen in their waiting room, celebrating their victory with a group high-five.

"Great job everyone! Thanks to all of our hard work, we've finally made it... we made it the Championship Match of the Rating Game Tournament!" Vali cheered.

"Yeah!" Everyone exclaimed.

Turning to Issei, Vali quickly shuffled to his side, and wrapped an arm around him, surprising the Red Dragon.

"And let's give an extra cheer for Issei, who easily earned the honor of being today's MVP!" Vali exclaimed.

He blushed at that, rubbing his head.

"To Issei!" They cheered again.

"Wow, this suddenly became embarrassing..." Issei chuckled in an awkward tone.

Lilith walked in, giggling a bit.

"Maybe that's because of what you told my daughter? You were quite the Romeo at that moment." Lilith remarked, giving him the teasing mom look.

Issei blushed at that, worried what the Devil Queen was implying.

"Well, let's head back everyone. I think we should get ready for what comes next. After all, we still don't know you'll be facing off against." Lilith suggested.

"Yeah, let's roll!" Issei agreed.

Opening up a portal of darkness, Lilith walks through it, followed by the others. However, when they arrived back at the Akane Mansion?

"Wait... huh?" Lilith blinked.

Standing in the middle of the room was a giant white egg, with Albion and Fafnir blushing as they looked away from everyone.

"Isn't that a..." Issei questioned.

"That's a Dragon egg, so wouldn't that mean?" Vali confirmed, sweating a bit.

Albion's face became even more red.

"Oh yeah, exactly what it looks like. Albion laid an egg!"

The White Dragoness' body froze as Ddraig and Tiamat walked in.

"While all of you were gone, Albion and Fafnir got quite lovey dovey with one another, and in the process of that? Well, the egg speaks for itself." Tiamat explained.

"Funniest thing? I walked in on it by complete accident, so the fact that an egg was laid? Despite the awkwardness of that accident, they still went at it to pop an egg out! Who knew the normally stoic White Dragon Emperor could be so bold." Ddraig snickered.

A sudden cabinet dresser was tossed at Ddraig's head, making it bobble for a moment.

"Shut up!" Albion screamed angrily, a blush still on her face.

Looking at the scene, Issei struggled not to laugh, making Ddraig grumble at how everyone saw what was similar to a small fight between two siblings.

Immediately after, everyone saw the symbol of the Phenex Clan form on the ground.

"Oh, looks like we have a visitor." Lilith remarked, looking like she expected it.

From the magic circle, the sight of Ravel manifesting came to be, wearing her usual outfit as she did. Once the circle's present disappeared, she opened her eyes.

"Forgive my sudden visit." Ravel apologized.

"Not at all, I was already sure you'd be visiting some point after the match." Lilith winked.

Ravel noticed this, and quickly realized what Lilith meant.

"So, what's the reason behind this visit, Ravel?" Vali inquired.

"Ah, yes... I was asked to deliver something to Issei on behalf of my older sister, as it would otherwise take days to come this way." Ravel answered, taking out a letter.

Holding it out to him, Issei took it.

"A letter from one of the Great Devils? I wonder what it is?" Issei thought.

Opening it up, he unfolded what was inside, and began reading it aloud to everyone.

"To Issei Akane, the Queen of Vali Lucifer; we among the Council of Lucifaad have evaluated your recent performances, and deem you qualified for an advancement exam. You shall be told the information on how you'll promote on a later date by the Devil Queen herself. Based on our decision, you have been deemed worthy to promote to..."

His eyes suddenly widened as he got to the last part.

"Issei, are you still there?" Vali asked.

"Come on, tell us what Class you get to become." Yumina shouted.

Issei took a moment to make a loud swallow, and reclaim his voice.

"This letter says they think I'm ready to become... an Ultimate-Class Devil!" Issei revealed, pointing to it on the fine print.

Aside from Lilith, and the four Dragons in the room, that revelation caused all of them to widen their eyes as they leaned closer.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS!?" They all exclaimed.

"Impressive, so what you did in today's match was enough that Alanira felt you were qualified to jump straight to the top." Lilith remarked, a look of praise on her face.

Everyone looked at her, making her giggle.

"Yeah, during the match, I asked Alanira to evaluate you. She's so blunt that she always knows how to judge a Devil's rank without any bias." Lilith confessed.

Issei chuckled a bit, rubbing his head/

"Not sure if that makes me embarrassed, or impressed." Issei replied.

"Regardless of how you feel..." Lilith replied.

Her face suddenly went serious, and with such speed that it instantly caused Issei to slightly lose his nerve.

"Issei, you must know this one fact. Excluding those born into the Maou Clans, most Devils don't get the chance to become Ultimate-Class without having first achieved High-Class status. In those instances, the battle half of the Mid and High-Class promotion tests are all that occur, but in three stages rather than one. Those who skip High-Class are given a much greater and special test due to that achievement... one with heavy stakes." Lilith explained.

Issei felt his fingers tremble, a bead of sweat dripping down his cheek as he became incredibly nervous.

"And in your case, that's a bigger mantle to represent, because if you succeed, you'll have not only been the fastest reincarnated Devil to reach Ultimate-Class, but the first Low-Class Devil to have achieved such a feat. When we finally free Hell, I hope what you achieve becomes an inspiration for them, as its the very thing that Sona hopes to achieve through her school." She finished.

"I... I..." Issei stuttered.

Lilith blinked a bit before kneeling at Issei, looking him in the eye.

"Is there something wrong, Issei?" Lilith inquired.

"Uh, well... no disrespect to you or to Alanira, but... I'm sorry. You should rescind this, because I don't think she's right about me being ready for this." Issei admitted.

Hearing this, the Devil Queen's cheeks puffed before she suddenly began laughing, confusing the Red Dragon Emperor.

"No Issei, she made no such mistake." Lilith disagreed.

"Wait... what?" Issei replied, looking confused.

"You've suddenly been told you can possibly become an Ultimate-Class Devil, and then say you aren't qualified because you don't think you are?" Lilith replied, sounding more like she was asking a question.

Shaking her head, she put a hand on Issei's shoulder.

"Issei, people like me, who've been here for a long time? We've seen so much, and while we can make mistakes, those experiences also give us wisdom for the future. Such knowledge that I can share with you right now? That I'm looking at a boy who's so overwhelmed by such an opportunity, he's letting what can go wrong making the decision for him." Lilith replied, as if answering a question she asked herself.

Hearing this, the redheaded Hero looked to the ground.

"No, that can't be... can it?" He asked.

"It is, because your actions at the end of the Rating Game are exactly why Alanira knew. When Vali wasn't able to see a way out, you took the lead, and you lead her and yourself to win what would have otherwise been your defeat." Lilith answered.

Looking into the air, she recalled the events from the Devil's Civil War.

"During the Civil War, our victory was made of many things. Among them was Sirzechs' Aura of Destruction, Serafall's ability to turn her Creation Wave power into the form of ice like a Leviathan Clan member, Roygun's charisma that turned enemies into allies, Ajuka's many creations, and Falbium's ability to act and command whole forces by instinct without letting sleep win him over... all of what made them special was noticed by Alanira, long before she knew what made them that way." Lilith revealed.

Issei's eyes widened at that, with even Ravel showing surprise.

"Anyways, you see my point? It's because Alanira's been able to see such great talent so many times that I know she's made the right choice. Even more, you proved it yourself through how you acted when leading Vali to your winning strategy." Lilith smiled, seeing his expression.

"Do you really think I was a good leader?" Issei asked, still holding some fear.

"Yes, and you know why? Being a leader is not a title you bring into battle. It's a symbol of your character, as the things you do, and the actions you take are what inspire to put their faith in what you believe in." Lilith answered, showing no doubt.

Rubbing his head, she gave Issei one last look of confidence.

"So, even if you don't think you have it, there are others who know you do. Don't focus on what you _may_ be unable to do. Because in the end, what inspires others isn't what you are, but what makes you special as a person, and I think Issei Akane is such a person for one good reason... because he saved my daughter from despair, and in turn, allowed her to save me from my sorrows." She smiled at him.

Issei's eyes widened, looking at the letter again.

"I don't know if I can succeed, but at the very least... I can try." Issei promised, setting his resolve.

Everyone smiled at the scene, even Ddraig cracked a smile.

"Don't worry Issei, you will succeed. I'm sure of it." Vali encouraged him.

"Thanks Vali." He smiled.

The two gave each other a kiss, making everyone smile at them.

"Yuck!" Kunou exclaimed, turning her head.

While that was happening, a slip of paper fell out of the envelope, which Yumina had her shadow grab.

"Issei, there's something else in here." Yumina alerted him, holding it up.

"Hmm?"

Issei grabbed it, and saw a magic circle form, revealing an older version of Ravel in it. She was the matriarch, and current head of the Phenex Clan.

"Mom!?" Ravel exclaimed in surprise.

"Ah, hey Shurui!" Lilith waved.

"Hello Lilith, it's been a while." Shurui greeted in return.

Looking at Issei, the Queen of Lucifer nervously fixed his stance.

"Uh... hello there, Lady Phenex." He greeted.

"Ah, hello there Issei Akane, glad to see that Alanira put this alongside your promotion notice. I apologize for our first meeting being like this." Shurui greeted back.

"Oh no, it's alright! It isn't the first time my first meeting with someone wasn't normal per say." Issei reassured her, pushing his hands out.

Clearing his throat a bit, he returned to his initial position.

"Anyways... did you have business with me, based on how you're contacting me?" He asked.

"Yes. Aside from sending my greetings to you, I have something that I'd like to ask. Something that Alanira and I know Ravel won't say on her own out of embarrassment." Shurui confirmed.

Hearing that, Ravel instantly turned blue as she realized what she meant.

"N-no mother, don't say it!" Ravel begged in a panicked manner.

Lilith grabbed her, keeping Ravel from doing anything.

"Huh?" Issei blinked.

"Ever since you two fought in a Rating Game, she's expressed the desire to be traded into your peerage once you finally received a set of Evil Pieces, hoping her managing skills, tactical expertise, and her strength would serve you well." Shurui revealed.

Ravel went white at that, while everyone looked at her.

"Really, that's it? Well... I don't mind having her if she wants to join me." Issei smiled, setting his acceptance.

Hearing that, the Phenex Devil showed surprise.

"That easily? Shouldn't you put more thought into it?" Bikou questioned.

"Don't need to. I remember how strong she was when we fought, and that's when she still had her brother's influence holding her back, so I bet she's an even stronger Bishop now. There's also the fact I already see the strengths in her power as a Phenex, and when we last talked, she said that Riser could never use her full potential, which means I haven't even seen everything she can do, especially based on that tactician comment." Issei answered.

The Monkey Youkai's jaw dropped at that, surprised how far Issei had thought things out.

"That's glad to hear. My daughter has respected you for a while, and now I know she'll be in good hands." Shurui smiled.

"I'll make sure to take good care of her." Issei declared.

Ravel blushed a bit, embarrassed, but a bit happy from hearing that Issei was willing to take her into his peerage.

"Ravel, until then, make sure you listen to anything Vali asks of you." Shurui requested.

"Of course, mother." Ravel promised.

With that, the magic circle disappeared, which is when Ravel fell to her knees as her emotions finally overwhelmed her senses.

"I... can't believe... that just happened!" She gasped.

Vali did nothing for a moment, and then began laughing a little, getting everyone's attention

"S-sorry, I'm not laughing at you! I just find some slight irony at the fact that one battle in my first Rating Game lead to this!" Vali giggled, starting to settle down her laughter.

"True, and it proves the world can work in mysterious ways." Lilith agreed.

Looking at Ravel, she put a hand on her shoulder, making the female Devil flinch slightly.

"Ravel, do your best as Issei's manager in the same way Yumina does for Vali, alright?" Lilith requested.

"Y-yes Lady Lilith, I promise!" She exclaimed, raising a hand up.

While Issei was watching the sight, a certain White Dragon Empress' eyes soon looked his way, getting his attention.

"What's up?" He asked.

"If you've already decided on someone for your peerage, then I guess this is as good a time as any to tell you this." Vali answered.

"Hmm?" Issei blinked.

Pulling a few of her peerage members into view, Issei saw Irina, Mio, Yuuma, and Asia all stumble a bit from being pulled over.

"Well, ever since they joined me, I had decided that I'd eventually trade Asia and Irina to you. Sometime after that, Yuuma and Mio came to me with a similar thought." Vali revealed.

"Wait, all of you?" Issei asked.

Irina gave an awkward chuckle, which answered for all four of them.

"OK, I guess Asia and Irina make sense, but... why Yuuma and Mio?" Issei inquired.

"Well, you technically met me first, and... while it still pains me, you helped free me from my self-made restraints when you took down my sister. I eventually felt under you, that I might be able to grow further, and asked Vali if she'd allow it." Yuuma admitted, blushing in embarrassment.

Mio didn't answer, just looking away... it wasn't hard for Issei to understand her reason for it.

"Ah... sorry for bringing that up, Mio." He apologized.

"It's alright, and thanks for not saying anything specific." Mio reassured him, wiping a tear form her eye.

Issei began thinking about them being in his peerage, but before he got far...

"If we're on the subject of trading? Issei, would you be interested in me trading Rossweisse into your peerage?" Rias offered.

Vali was surprised by that.

"Wait, are you serious? Why would you want to trade her?" She questioned.

"Because of circumstances beyond my control, mainly... the fact I'll eventually be in college, while Rossweisse is the teacher for Issei's class." Rias explained.

It took a moment, but Vali realized it.

"Oh... I get it, wouldn't be easy for you to call on her in those circumstances because you couldn't just come back to Kuoh's High School division." Vali summarized it.

Hearing this, Issei looked at Rossweisse.

"Hey Rossweisse, just to be sure... are you alright with this?" He asked.

"There's no need to worry, Rias already talked with me about it, and Lady Lilith showed me how my benefits package would change if I became tied to someone who'll eventually marry into the Lucifer Clan. Plus, it would probably benefit us both to be in the same peerage when we're both Half-Gods." Rossweisse replied.

While not getting any of that, he shrugged his arms.

"You know what, I think I'll take all these offers. You're all people I know and trust well enough, just like Vali with Bikou, Kuroka, Arthur, and Le Fay; because of that, you're all people I'd be happy to have as the initial members of my peerage." Issei decided with a smile.

Hearing that, everyone that was offered gave their own respective smiles.

"Looks like it won't be much longer before you can put me into your peerage." Yumina chuckled, looking at Vali.

"Oh, so you'll be taking one of her vacant spots?" Sona asked.

"Yeah, it was something we had agreed on long in advance. Issei and Asia joining her group put that on the back burner, so I've been waiting for when Issei earned his peerage, as that would finally open a spot for me." Yumina confirmed.

"Totally called it." Kuroka remarked.

Lilith giggled a bit, looking at all of them.

"So, are we gonna only discuss about peerages, or are we gonna celebrate today's victory?" She questioned.

Everyone blushed at that, and officially started to celebrate their victory.

* * *

Within the Leviathan Clan's territory of Lucifaad, the sight of Ineelana meditating underneath a waterfall was seen, currently wearing a blue Gi as she soaked under the chilly waters with closed eyes.

"Everything I've got... I'll put it into this match. I have to keep the promise I made to myself." Ineelana breathed.

From a distance, her entire peerage watched.

"Man, she's really serious about being in the Championship Match, isn't she?" Mine remarked.

"She told herself a few days ago. To her, this is a representation of how her ancestor was the right hand of Lucifer, faithfully doing her best despite having lost the battle of love him, and never truly losing those feelings." Stella answered.

Taking a sip of her drink, Shino soon replied.

"I think I understand her reasoning. Comparing the current generation of each clan's heirs to the original Maou, and considering what happened with each of them..." She mentioned.

All of them went silent, recalling the story Stella had told them from the incident that had Nanami join her peerage.

"She has something to prove, something she wants to give, and the only thing she envies is herself. Or rather, the fact she can't have no worries or confidence when she realizes who's the last Devil that stands in her way. This is what she wants to make her destiny." Ophelia stated.

"And we're all here to support her... even though I'm always worried how I could mess everything up." Murasaki replied.

Yumi put a hand on her shoulder, making her look at her.

"Don't sell yourself short. Maybe you have a Cursed Gear limiting you, but all of us are standing by your side." Yumi reassured her.

Murasaki blushed a bit, and then smiled.

"Thank you." She happily replied.

At that moment, the entirety of her peerage heard loud shouting, with multiple flashes going off at once.

Looking at what Ineelana managed to do, they all showed shock.

"Looks like this Leviathan's reached new depths in the great big ocean." Ineelana smirked confidently, clasping a fist as she stared forward.

* * *

The following day, the sight of Issei at the door of the Akane Mansion could be seen, putting on a pair of running shoes, before standing up to look at the rest of the Lucifer Team.

"Alright everyone, let's do this!" He cheered.

"Right!" They replied.

Everyone began running laps around Kuoh Town being their form of light training for the moment.

Issei took a quick lead ahead of everyone else, and before he knew it, finished all of his laps where everyone else was only about halfway done with their own. As he stopped to take a drink of water, he didn't notice a familiar pair notice him.

"Excuse me."

Issei opened his eyes as he recognized the voice, looking to the side as he saw Murayama and Katase. As he was still holding the masquerade of his Human disguise, neither of them realized who they were talking to.

"Oh, hey there. You need something?" Issei asked, playing along.

"Not really, we've just never seen you around here before. Are you new here?" Katase answered.

"Yeah, you could say that." Issei replied, knowing it was true in some sense.

He held out a hand to them.

"My name's Isai Akatsuki, nice to meet you two." Issei introduced, revealing the false name she created for situations like this.

Murayama took her hand and shook it.

"So, how long have you been here for?" She inquired.

"Not very long. Truth be told, this is more of a visit than anything. I'm from Kyoto, and some family lives here, though if things work out a certain way? Well, there might just be a chance that we stay here." Issei answered.

"If you do, we should introduce you to some friends of ours, you'd love them." Katase replied.

Issei smiled at that, while internally chuckling.

'Of course, because I'm already friends with them myself.' He joked to himself.

"Well, see you two again soon. I better head back before my parents worry." Issei stated, waving goodbye.

"OK, see you again soon!" Murayama waved.

Issei waved back, and then headed a certain away before slipping into a gap between buildings, using it to form a magic circle back to the house.

'I wonder how much longer it'll be before my grandparents decide they should know the truth?' He thought.

* * *

Kirin rushed across the fields of Sairaorg's training ground, wearing her armor's Sonic Knight form as she kept trying to accelerate faster than she already was. Liban was watching the scene, trying to gauge her progress.

"Alright, ready for the first layer of gravity?" Liban asked.

"Go ahead!" Kirin confirmed.

Liban nodded, and his Sacred Gear manifest through his eyes in a plus shape, which began pushing down on Kirin's body. The Pawn of Bael shouted as she struggled to move, but kept running despite the fact.

"Damn, this is intense... though I'm not stopping!" Kirin grunted, and continued trying to accelerate.

Kuisha watched as she poured some tea, then walking over towards Misla, who was currently sitting in a wheelchair.

"Kirin has become quite the determined young lady these past few years." Misla smiled.

"That's putting it lightly, considering she helped find the medicine you needed to wake up. Wouldn't be wrong to say she's the mind to Sairaorg's might." Kuisha remarked, handing Misla the tea.

She took it from Sairaorg's Queen, and took a small sip.

"I will admit, it does seem like she's working harder than usual. Is there any particular reason for that?" Misla inquired.

"Yeah, probably the fact we're fighting Ineelana." Kuisha admitted.

Using her Power of Hole to quickly grab a seat, she sat next to Misla.

"You're aware Ineelana's from the Leviathan Clan, right?" She inquired.

"I am, though I assume that has little to do with this." Misla confirmed.

"Yeah, it's the small part of the whole. See... while Sairaorg's currently considered the Strongest Youth at the moment, everyone agrees it comes as a result of his physical strength. In the case of Ineelana, she's the same if you replaced might with magic, and made him a girl." Kuisha explained.

"Ah, so my children are facing the strongest rivals they could aside from the heiress of the Lucifer Clan." Misla realized.

"It isn't just that either."

Both of them turned to see Coriana walk by, wearing one of her usual sexy outfits.

"There's also the fact like we have Regulus, she has a Longinus user on her team, and it's the perfect counter to our team... the Telos Karma." Coriana revealed.

"Ah, that's right. Our usual strategy won't work against her. We have to play smart, or Nanami will be enough to cream us." Kuisha remembered.

"Yeah, although... it may be less of a worry." Coriana replied.

The Bael Queen looked confused, and then noticed her boyfriend walk into view.

"What Coriana means is that the rumor is our match will use a new type of game where the King's defeat isn't an instant win, though probably not in the same vain." Sairaorg answered.

"Hmm... guess I can see that. Having both Semifinals be unlike the other games in the tournament would pump up the crowd for the Championship." Kuisha agreed.

Everyone soon heard a crash, seeing Kirin walking around in a daze.

"How about... we focus on my... Rook form now?" She asked.

She immediately fell forward, making everyone sweat drop at the sight of the downed Pawn.

* * *

The allotted time quickly came and past, eventually bringing everyone to rush to the arena for the next Rating Game, and leaving a huge crowd to surf through like the day before. Luckily, the Akane Mansion's residents got around this by Lilith taking them there ahead of time.

"Mom, you are a life saver." Vali sighed in relief.

"No problem." Lilith smiled.

After everyone got into the stadium, the screen opened up to reveal Naud's face.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Hey everyone! We've finally here at the Semifinals' last battle, and we've got two great teams fighting here today! However, before we begin? Time for me to introduce today's guest announcer!**

Everyone looked at the screen, and soon saw that today's guest was... Shiva!?

**【** **Shiva** **】** **  
Hey.**

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Surprised by my choice? Glad to see it, because I was just as shocked that he agreed to do it.**

Shiva shrugged.

**【** **Shiva** **】** **  
Just here on a whim, as these two are considered the two prime candidates among the 16 Devils that qualified. You should thank your little princess' boyfriend for getting enough of my attention to come in person.**

Vali blushed in embarrassment, unfolding her wings to act as a shroud.

While that occurred, Ineelana's team came from the West Gate, and Sairaorg's came from the East Gate.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Alright, time to reveal today's match type! We have our last new kind of Rating Game before the one-time special that'll be the Championship Battle's rules! This game is... a Point Battle!**

"Point battle?" Both Kings repeated.

**【** **Shiva** **】** **  
Let's see... ah, it's familiar to the Target Battle rules you have, where you have to smash all these targets while playing. In this case, the difference is that you gain points by causing as many retirements as you can until time runs out.**

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
That's right everyone! The rumors are true, because this match rule means no retires are permanent! You'll only be set aside for a brief moment, so all of our volunteer healers will be on standby to keep you in the game till the very end!**

Asia and Hina could be seen waving at the crowd.

"Wait, as in the goal is to continuously eliminate the other side as many times as you can?" Nanami asked.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Correct! Points depend on three things in this game!**

**【** **Shiva** **】** **  
100 points per the destruction of floating energy spheres that will often be in attacking range, while winning a battle against someone on the opposing team will net you 500, and winning a battle with their King is worth 1,000 points.**

Ineelana smiled a bit, realizing that there was a bit in her favor now.

"I'm not sure if I should say this match is in our favor, or against it..." Kuisha admitted, scratching her head in confusion.

"Well, at least there's something I know I'll need to do." Kirin replied.

She motioned to Regulus, who transformed into an axe.

" **Purpure.** "

And follow that, she took a deep breath.

" **Imperial** "

Everyone in the peerage gave a silent gasp as she said it, and then handed Regulus to Sairaorg.

"Let's go blazing from the very start." Kirin smiled.

"Somehow, we expected you to say that." Misteeta chuckled.

Clearing his throat, the crowd focused as Naud motioned his hand, ready to initiate the Rating Game.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Before we begin, there's something I'd like to tell Murasaki, and I think she'll like it.**

"Eh?" Murasaki blinked.

A magic circle dropped a black band into her hands.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Azazel created this device to help you manage your Cursed Gear, and not worry about going berserk. Now you'll be able to help your team out.**

Murasaki's eyes widened, giving a warm smile before she bowed.

"Thank you so much!" She sniffled happily.

"Let Azazel know next time we meet, lunch is on me!" Ineelana exclaimed.

Naud chuckled at that, and soon swung his arm down.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Now, let the Rating Game... Begin!**

The screen revealed a point screen, and revealed the timer, which had yet to start counting down.

**Ineelana's Team: 0 points**   
**Sairaorg's Team: 0 points**

Both sides felt the arena transform into what looked like clusters of stardust in space, with a huge orb of light representing the sun appearing. That sun burst apart, making many glittering stars flicker around.

"I'm guessing these are the targets." Ineelana realized.

Looking around, she noticed everyone's placements, which were everywhere. She jumped up a bit, soon feeling gravity was a little strange.

"W-whoa!" She exclaimed.

"No freaking way, they weakened the Gravity as well?" Nanami shouted.

**【** **Shiva** **】** **  
I recommended it for a small twist. Considering you have all these targets to hit, and you're trying to defeat your opponents at the same time? Felt like a good idea to limit your dodging ability.**

Ineelana began thinking a bit, and then looked at Murasaki.

"Hey Murasaki, I think this is your battlefield!" The Leviathan heiress exclaimed.

"Huh?" She blinked.

Ineelana moved her finger around in circles, making Murasaki realize it.

"I'll take the first move!" Kirin exclaimed.

" **Balance Breaker: Sonic Knight!** "

**«"KNIGHT!"»**

Immediately taking her scale mail's speed-based form, she rocketed through the area.

At the same time, Murasaki jumped into the air, with the shuriken on her hair beginning to spin as she began flying. Everyone watched as she suddenly spun around, and revealed her hair was prehensile!

"She has moving hair!?" Homura exclaimed in surprise.

"My guess is either she had a futakuchi as a parent, or simply descended from one." Sanae theorized.

"You're right. While those Youkai can't pass down their second mouth to anything that's not a pureblooded offspring, their prehensile trait can." Kuroka confirmed.

Both sides caused multiple burst like fireworks for every star they struck, making the younger members of the crowd all scream in excitement.

**Ineelana's Team: 3,800 points**   
**Sairaorg's Team: 4,100 points**

Kirin turned, still looking surprised at how Murasaki was flying right now.

"I get this is low gravity, but shouldn't she be-" Kirin groaned.

She soon felt herself slam into something, and turned as she saw Mine smirking at her, charging up her Sacred Gear.

"Uh oh..." Kirin realized, sweating a bit.

"Have a taste of this!"

Kirin screamed as she was blasted, with everyone seeing her get sent flying from the power that was amplified by Kirin's charge towards her, attacking her and multiple targets alike.

Moments after, Kirin suddenly vanished in blue light, landing in front of the healers while still in her armor.

**【** **Shiva** **】** **  
And that's why you pay attention to the fight. Kirin Vapula, defeat validated.**

"Dang... it..." Kirin groaned.

**Ineelana's Team: 8,300 points**   
**Sairaorg's Team: 4,500 points**

The crowd cheered, while Sairaorg's team quickly took that as a sign to get serious.

"Alright, that cost us the lead, so we better get it back!" Beruka exclaimed.

Whipping the reins, Altobrau immediately whinnied before he jumped ahead, able to move much faster in the weaker gravity without becoming any less nimble.

"You heard him, let's go!" Kuisha exclaimed.

"Lead the way!" Sairaorg shouted.

The members of the Bael Team all spread out, while Sairaorg held the Regulus Nemea in the air.

" **Balance Breaker!** "

Equipping his Scale Mail armor, the mighty Bael Heir instantly made the crowd go wild.

"Alright, let's-"

"I don't think so!"

Sairaorg was about to leap ahead, only to see Ineelana rush before him, and blast a typhoon of water at his chest. Everyone gasped as he was shot back, smashing through the stardust clusters like a ball through non-lethal glass.

"We're both Kings in this game, so why don't we actually fight like we're in one?" Ineelana challenged.

Breaking free of the cluster he was embedded into, Sairaorg instantly launched himself back towards the spot where Ineelana had struck him, showing an excited, toothy grin on his face when he landed.

"Very well, show me your strength, Ineelana Leviathan!" Sairaorg exclaimed, accepting the challenge.

Ineelana smiled, getting into a fighting position.

Sairaorg immediately rushed forward, and unleashed a mighty punch with his fist, using the Power of Destruction to enhance it, while Ineelana just stood there. At that moment, the Leviathan Heiress simply moved her right hand up.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Wait, why isn't Ineelana trying to dodge? Is she trying to tank the attack!?**

**【** **Shiva** **】** **  
That strategy will backfire in this gravity, because there's less ground with the lower weight their bodies are experiencing. Yet her face... it looks like she's aware of this.**

As the Hindu God of Destruction tried to figure out what she was planning, Ineelana's palm caught the attack, and a huge wave from the recoil went off...

While everyone saw Ineelana actually pushing back against Sairaorg!

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
HOLY SHIT!**

**【** **Shiva** **】** **  
Ah, now it makes sense. There was no reason to fear an attack she had the strength to overcome with her own power.**

Kirin was finally transported back onto the battlefield, right as she saw the sight.

"B-big brother's being held back!?" She exclaimed.

"This is..." Sairaorg grunted, noticing her strength.

Ineelana chuckled a bit, continuing her push against the Bael Heir's incredible strength, and then screamed loudly. Sairaorg was immediately blasted by the same flames as Stella's, sending him crashing into Kirin, and smashing many more stars in the process.

**Ineelana's Team: 10,800 points**   
**Sairaorg's Team: 9,500 points**

Right after the attack went through, the Leviathan Heiress stood with a smile on her face, and turned towards Vali. The silver-haired Lucifer immediately realized what she was saying through that smile.

"Ineelana... I don't believe it, you actually managed to pull it off." Vali answered, tearing up a bit.

"What do you mean?" Le Fay questioned, looking a bit confused.

Vali wiped her tears, looking at her Bishop.

"Long ago, she told me that she promised herself she'd gain more than strength in her magic, and would also get strong in body. Right now, we're seeing the very fruit of that effort." The silvery-white haired Devil answered.

Ineelana rushed ahead, and a certain memory rushed through her head.

* * *

_Within the office area of Lucifaad, the sight of Ineelana standing with Lilith was seen, who was looking at her request._

_"You're requesting a trainer for physical training?" She asked._

_"I am." She verified._

_"Alright, let me see who I can find, then we'll set you up with someone at the beginner-" Lilith replied._

_"I want the hardest course." Ineelana interjected._

_This surprised the Devil Queen, who looked at her face, and saw just how focused and serious it was._

_"You realize that's going to be hard, and you still want to go right off the bat?" She inquired, needing to be certain._

_"More than anything." She confirmed._

_Lilith sweated at that, starting to worry the Leviathan heiress had darker reasons for wanting to do this._

_"If you don't mind my asking... why?" She inquired._

_"Because... someone told me I could believe in myself, that my weak body could become strong beyond my skill in magic. I made a promise that I'd do it, so I can be worthy to give her a grand Rating Game when we can finally face one another!" Ineelana exclaimed, putting a hand to her chest._

_Hearing that, the Devil Queen blinked a few times, but ultimately gave a smile._

_"If you'd like, I can ask Surtr Second, my Rook, to train you. Will he be an acceptable teacher?" Lilith asked._

_"Yes, tell him I look forward to this._

* * *

_The sight of the Leviathan Heiress running across the sight of a field of sliding sand was seen, the ground bubbling in a few spots from the heat Surtr Second was creating through his mighty flames. Ineelana kept panting, feeling near dehydrated by the Flame Giant's boot camp._

_"Come on, just give up already!" Surtr Second shouted._

_"Abso...lutely... not!" She struggled to scream back._

_Whistling a bit, the sight of a few Hydras popped out of the ground, muzzled so their venom and teeth wouldn't be an issue. The blue-haired Devil's eyes widened as they tackled her, making her tumble back near the start._

_"You can't use magic, so there's no way you're getting past them!" Surtr mocked._

_Ineelana growled, and screamed before forcing her legs to rush forward, making another Hydra lunge at her... only for her jump it into a leg lock. Surtr watched in surprise as she put her arms together, then slammed her hand forward, letting her arms cushion the impact on her, while sending it through the large serpent's body._

_Using its falling body as a springboard, the Leviathan Heiress launched herself to the top, and then spun to the side, which allowed her hair to grab a flag placed at the top._

* * *

_Wearing multiple gravity badges across her body at an unset multiplier of gravity, Ineelana was sweating as if she was standing in a light drizzle._

_The Rook of Lilith watched as the Heiress of the Leviathan Clan was trying to lift up a large boulder, only allowed to pull it up via a rope... through her elbows. The huge rock was dangling over a large pool of water, with the exhausted Devil standing on the edge of two rocks._

_"Just fall into the water, you can't lift that thing! I bet not even your dead ancestor would be able to do this!" Surtr Second screamed._

_Ineelana grit her teeth, suddenly pulling up at those words, which caught the Flame Giant's attention._

_'Every time she's heard me insult her, she's suddenly pushed further... just what is she trying to achieve that she won't give in under this severe regimen?' He thought._

_She nearly slipped, but shifted her feet, managing to keep herself from falling._

* * *

_With raw skin that was red from all the strikes she made, Ineelana roared as she smashed her fists and feet into Nanami's barrier, who watched her worriedly as she saw nothing getting through her powerful defense._

_The other Maou Heirs were all present with Ineelana's peerage, and their own. Surtr Second was watching from the side as he been during all of Ineelana's training._

_"She's pushing herself too far... please, make her stop this!" Murasaki begged, tearing up._

_Aariliyn sweated a bit, then stepped up to do it._

_However, she was stopped by her own Queen, who looked at her with a shaking head._

_"But Hina-" She tried to say._

_"She needs to do it; her eyes say it all." Hina replied._

_The Mammon Heiress was surprised, and watched as Ineelana kept going, despite the stinging pain she felt in her arms and legs._

_"I... have to succeed... because if I don't? How will I be able to stand as the next Leviathan when I'm such a weakling compared to Vali! The next Lucifer can't have weak rulers by her side!" She screamed, pushing herself further._

_Aariliyn's eyes widened, seeing what Hina had._

_'This is... because of what Vali said to her, isn't it?' She realized._

_"I will become stronger!" Ineelana screamed at the top of her lungs._

_She threw her fist out one more time, but this time? Something in her muscles shifted, and as it shot forward, caused a heavy impact that Nanami felt._

_Right at that very moment, everyone saw the Telos Karma's shield crack apart, and knock Nanami to the ground._

_"She... broke it!" Yumi gasped._

_"She did it!" Stella exclaimed._

_Looking at her hand, Ineelana panted a bit, and smiled... before she finally collapsed onto the ground._

* * *

The Leviathan Heiress continued rushing ahead, her determination showing on her face.

"Everything I trained for, all of it has been for this moment. I will win this Rating Game, and then... I'll make it to the Finals, and have the battle with Vali that I promised her! Now, come at me, Sairaorg!" Ineelana stated, challenging the Bael Heir.

Sairaorg smirked as he got up, feeling his blood pumping.

"Kirin, go help the others gather points. I've finally found an opponent who can push me to my limits." Sairaorg ordered, smirking with excitement.

"Big brother..." Kirin breathed.

Nodding her head, she instantly flew into the air, and dove through more stars.

**Ineelana's Team: 15,900 points**   
**Sairaorg's Team: 16,200 points**

The crowd turned their focus to Ineelana and Sairaorg, feeling a strange energy in the air as they walked closer to one another.

**【** **Shiva** **】** **  
Pay attention everyone, because right at this moment... I believe we're looking at the battle that will decide which team will win this game.**

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Wait, you mean...?**

**【** **Shiva** **】** **  
I do.**

The two soon stared each other down as they got close enough, and then...

"Alright, time for me to show my full strength!" Sairaorg exclaimed.

 **«"You and I together, time to unleash the Lion within you!"»** Regulus roared.

Sairaorg began to glow with a purple light.

**「** **Hundred: Opening Song** **」**

"I knew it, that second word that Kirin said... you were unlocking a higher level than the Balance Breaker." Ineelana said to herself, putting herself on guard.

Sairaorg waved his arms around, and began to chant.

"This body and soul, even if it falls into an endless ravine!" Sairaorg began.

 **«"My Lord and I, we will exhaust this body, and this soul to rise up the endless royal road!"»** Regulus continued.

"Raze, triumph, play, and shine!"

**«"This is the body of the King of All Beasts!"»**

"Lodged on top of my fist, is the glorious imperial authority!"

**«"Dance!"»**

"Dance!"

" **BLOOM!** " They both exclaimed.

Sairaorg and Regulus gave a mighty roar that was so loud, it managed to cause gale force winds that hit the crowd!

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
This aura, it's... it's incredible!**

**【** **Shiva** **】** **  
And now, here it comes. The true power of the Regulus Nemea.**

Sairaorg's eyes sharpened into a cat-like form, and then stomped the ground, creating the stardust equivalent to a small earthquake.

" **Climb Over... Breakdown the Beast!** "

Sairaorg's armor burst before reforming in a stronger form, now both purple and gold in color, with his physical body having become even more like a Lion, just like his sister's Lion mode. Flowing from his body was visible, purple-colored Touki.

The crowd was initially silent, but quickly unleashed an uproar of cheers as they saw this new power unveil itself.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Shiva, it sounds like you knew what this power was before he used it. Do you mind elaborating!?**

**【** **Shiva** **】** **  
You recall your Heavenly Dragons' deadly ability, the Juggernaut Drive? This is essentially a non-lethal, and tamer version of that power known as Breakdown the Beast.**

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Whoa, so you're saying that right now, we're seeing Regulus and Sairaorg's complete synchronization?**

**【** **Shiva** **】** **  
Exactly how you'd define this. In fact, he'd easily match the Rating Game's second-best player in terms of his immense power alone, though that power comes with the heavy drawback of pushing the user past its limits. Even for Sairaorg, he's not gonna finish this match without collapsing, win or lose.**

Ineelana smiled, and then readied herself.

"So, looks like we both have something new to bring to the table. Let me show you what I can do now!" Ineelana exclaimed.

" **Attribute Thief!** "

Ineelana's body suddenly shot forward as she used the power of the Glasya-Labolas Clan's speed, followed by unleashing a burst of aura, and then... everyone gasped as she unleashed a combination of the Cosmic Render, her own ice magic, and the Power of Destruction!

"One, two, three, four, and..." Issei pointed out.

"She used five powers at once!" Vali exclaimed.

"Before this match, she definitely couldn't go beyond using three powers at once. I can't believe she's able to use even more than that as of now." Sona mentioned, her eyes shaking in disbelief.

Sairaorg skidded back a bit, having taken reduced damage due to Regulus' abilities, and then smashed the ground, causing an explosion of breaking stardust, with it further exploding like a supernova as his Power of Destruction was blasted through the clusters.

Ineelana back flipped out of the way, and then slammed her feet on part of the breaking clusters.

" **Serenity Mist!** "

A nice cool mist released itself from Ineelana's body, creating a wavy effect that got everyone's attention.

"What's this?" Homura asked, waving to get a feel.

"Hmm... it feels like being in water, without actually being wet-" Lilith guessed.

Hearing what she said, Lilith's eyes widened.

"No way, is this technique meant to do what I think it is?" Lilith realized.

Right on cue, everyone saw Ineelana's wings fold in, then briefly flash as they became more like fish fins, indicating Ineelana's body had considered her to be submerged in water.

**【** **Shiva** **】** **  
Her wings changed. If I recall, there's meaning behind the Leviathan Clan's wings morphing?**

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
You're correct, Lord Shiva. Their wings change when they're in water to cause them to double their speed instead of having it halved like most non-aquatic life.**

**【** **Shiva** **】** **  
Yet there's no water, meaning this is a technique to boost her speed.**

Right on cue, the Leviathan Heiress began accelerating at incredible speeds, with Sairaorg grunting as he felt electric attacks from every angle, which were amplified by the misty field that Ineelana had created.

"How do you like that?" Ineelana asked.

"I'll admit, this is impressive! You're truly a strong adversary!" Sairaorg praised, giving her a toothy grin.

"You're not bad yourself, but I'm still going to win this battle!" Ineelana answered back.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Only a minute remains in this match, who's gonna win it!?**

**Ineelana's Team: 18,900 points**   
**Sairaorg's Team: 19,500 points**

Sairaorg lunged at her, smashing Ineelana in the face, but not enough to take her down.

In return, she unleashed a powerful maelstrom, using her misty field's radius to catch him inside of it, and throw him around the clusters, which immediately created a chain reaction of explosions.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
We're at the 45 second mark!**

Sairaorg roared loudly, which manifested in waves of the Power of Destruction.

To defend against the attack, Ineelana used Iolava's power alongside earth magic, wind magic, water magic, and the Aura Break. The united forces reduced the damage as Ineelana was tossed back a bit.

**【** **Shiva** **】** **  
Only 30 seconds left.**

Everyone saw both Kings panted, and kept cheering at their hardest to get their respective choice of a victor to make the finishing blow.

"Finish her off, Sairaorg!"

"Give us a win, Ineelana!"

Both responded to their respective fans' words, and channeled everything they had into one final strike.

" **Raging Force of Nature!** "

He threw his fists outward, while screaming at the top of his lungs. This action caused an armada of Lions made from the Power of Destruction to launch forward, making most in the crowd gasp at the sheer force of the technique.

" **Attribute Thief: Change!** "

With her own water power, the sight of flames, lightning, stone, and wind all swirled around her, melding into the shape of five familiar Dragons. Unlike before, they began swirling around her in a certain manner.

"Honoryuu!"  
"Suiryuu!"  
"Ganryuu!"  
"Kazeryuu!"  
"Ikazuchiryu!"

Ineelana's eyes began shining, followed by her motioning her hands until she created a star outline with her magic.

" **Star Dragon Fury!** "

All five dragons immediately shot through the respective point of the star outline, which made them both larger and faster as a result. The two creatures of magical energies immediately collided with one another, exploding with incredible force that forced everyone back against their seats.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
We're at the final quarter, only 15 seconds left!**

The two Kings both shouted at the top of their lungs, with each of their respective attacks fighting one another for complete dominance. Eventually, their clash went long enough that the last 10 seconds of the match began to count down.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
10!**

Stella bit her nails.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
9!**

Nanami's eyes shook in worry.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
8!**

Yumi sweated.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
7!**

Murasaki whimpered, clasping her hands.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
6!**

Ophelia stared.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
5!**

Shino watched, praying her King would make it.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
4!**

Mine breathed heavily, the stress getting to her.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
3!**

Issei watched, wondering if she might actually do it.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
2!**

Vali gasped, standing up from her seat.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
1!**

At that moment, a huge flash went off as one attack finally overcome the other, causing that King to fall onto their back. They laid their defeated, and then...

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Time's up, Game Over!**

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

Both side's peerages immediately stopped as the arena reverted to normal, leaving only a cloud of dust where their Kings were.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Forgive us for not announcing the winner, but we need to see what's happened before we can give an accurate declaration of who one. We thank you for your patience on the matter.**

After a minute or two, the dust finally cleared up, getting everyone's attention. When they finally saw what was under it, everyone gasped at the sight.

Ineelana was struggling to stand on her knees, but... Sairaorg was on his back!

**【** **Shiva** **】** **  
It seems that Ineelana managed to overwhelm Sairaorg in that last attack, such a grand feat we're witnessing right now.**

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
OK, with that in mind, Ineelana's scored 1,000 points because she defeated the opposing peerage's King. So, that means the winner is...**

The scores were posted on the screen, and the end results?

**Ineelana's Team: 20,000 points**   
**Sairaorg's Team: 19,900 points**

Everyone's eyes widened, while Ineelana stared as she realized what she was seeing.

**【** **Naud** **】** **  
Everyone, we've actually seen it... Sairaorg's winning streak has finally been put to an end. The winner of this Rating Game is Ineelana Leviathan, meaning she's made it to the Finals!**

Hearing that, everything in Ineelana's chest well up as she began to cry tears, and then...

"I DID IT!"

The crowd cheered loudly, as if their feelings were all linked at that very moment. The Leviathan Heiress quickly turned with teary eyes, seeing her peerage rush towards her, and then tackle her with a group huge.

"You... managed to defy fate." Ophelia smiled.

"Can't believe what you did, you total idiot!" Stella sniffled.

"You were... amazing." Murasaki hiccupped happily.

"Nice going." Shino praised.

"I am proud to call you my Master." Yumi declared.

"That's our King!" Mine smirked.

"Great job." Nanami said, flashing a thumb's up.

From a distance, the Devil Elders all watched, looking at how happy everyone was, compared to when the Tournament began.

"We will show her soon enough that people not speaking out against us has nothing to do with fear, that they'll take our side when the right moment comes." Lord Bael stated, glaring at the sight.

"You'll lose your crown soon, Lilith." Zekram warned.

As they walked by, Diehauser briefly looked their way, and closed his eyes as he knew what this meant.

'The time is nearly hear, to finally show the filth needed to have everyone take action. Vali, all that's left is for you to win, and break down that wall blocking our path.' He thought, smiling a bit as he looked at Ineelana's peerage.

At this very moment, the Championship Battle's two teams had been decided, and it was a battle everyone knew they would love.

Lucifer VS Leviathan was on the horizon.

* * *

**There you have it, the one that will be fighting Vali in the Finals is none other than Ineelana! Before I say anymore, I'll admit this twist is an interesting twist, as my original plan had been for Sairaorg to be the victor, but the mother I actually thought about it? The more I realized that would feel too similar, and it didn't seem like he was the right fit when Vali is the main opponent, not Rias.**

**For when this change was made? Well, that was actually around Niruili and Sairaorg's match, as by that point, Misla was still going to be asleep. The fact she woke up was me deciding otherwise, and a subtle hint that Sairaorg had won his last match in the tournament. Either way, the end result had me follow up on Ineelana's promise, and be the victor, as it also confirmed she achieved her goal of getting stronger in her flashback... in a very painful manner ^^;**

**Now, for those who wonder why I had Issei suddenly get cold feet upon learning he can become an Ultimate-Class Devil? The answer to that is actually quite simple if you remember what he said to Vali after she considered giving up. For everything that Issei does to inspire Vali, being her hope, she in turn is _his_ courage, and he's able to do what he does because of her support.**

**The problem here? Well, as Vali was born an Ultimate-Class Devil, meaning she doesn't have any way to help him in this situation. Not to mention that, like Lilith herself mentioned, his worries are based on fear of not being good enough for what's justifiably a difficult test for many. Ultimately, it just felt more realistic for him to be frightened by such a huge opportunity than immediately accepting it off the bat.**

**Either way, as you can see, he's already got multiple Devils set to join his peerage when he finally gains his Evil Pieces. I think that Asia, Irina, and Ravel would already expected members, while Yuuma and Mio were at least considered due to their situations, though Rossweisse was probably the one surprise due to the fact in this story, the only real connection they have with each other is the fact they're both Half-Gods.**

**Well, maybe you can count Rossweisse being Issei's teacher as such a connection.**

**With that said, to anyone who asks why I have Lady Phenex being the head instead of Lord Phenex? Well, that's because of info I've seen in the story. Nothing has shown Lord Phenex's appearance beyond the manga, where the shading doesn't say he's blonde. Then there's the fact Lady Phenex doesn't play the Rating Game, which fits more towards someone who was born into the family, as they already have enough they don't really need to play it.**

**Basically, I see more that implies _she_ is the Head of the Phenex Clan, rather than her husband. As such, I'm considering this as true in the story.**

**Anyways, that's it for the Semifinals, but we still have one more chapter left before Season 4 comes to an end. The chapter that ties up a few loose ends, such as the details behind Championship Match, when it'll happen, having a scene with a certain character that'll show up, and having Lucifer's peerage return to prepare for the Finals... which will all be followed by setting up the Kyoto arc :3**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

**A/N: Because this chapter was made before Season 4 haired, Lady Phenex literally looks like an aged-up Ravel, rather than her canon appearance, which I've given to Alanira.**

* * *

** Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter ** **:**

**None**

* * *

** Pairings List ** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating  
Ddraig/Tiamat - Married  
Albion/Fafnir - Married  
Saji/Sona - Dating  
Gasper/Valerie - Dating  
Kiba/Tosca - Dating  
Sairaorg/Kuisha - Dating  
Rossweisse/Vidar - Chemistry is clearing forming between them  
Hina/Nanami - Dating  
Jeanne/Cao Cao - Jeanne has a clear crush, while Cao Cao's feelings are unknown**


	42. Chapter 42

**And we're finally here, the Season 4 finale! Like I said in the last chapter, this is mostly a breather to help set things up for Season 5, and get some information about the Championship Match out in the air for when we finally get to it. Said breather for this chapter? Well, considering the chapter's name, I think you've already realized the answer by now.**

**Before we go any further? I'd like to give a brief moment of thanks to everyone, because while we're not exactly at this point just yet (mainly because I don't know how many chapters this story will reach before we switch to JOHD), we've officially gotten through half of the story! I'm really excited that I've managed to make it this far, and this is just the first story of a trilogy, so there's still so much more.**

**Now, since some of you might remember where I said this story's stopping point is before we go to the second, this is the halfway mark for one main reason. The first four seasons of this story have had an average of 10 chapters, but due to the events in Season 5 and 6, they'll both be around twice that length. This is especially true for Season 6, and you'll see why when we finally reach it.**

**This chapter will also have a special surprise for the Epilogue Scene, one that I think will make everyone happy due to a certain thing I can't do in this story. Only thing left for me to say here is that for the start of Season 5, everyone will get to Kyoto through a school field trip, with the means behind it and more being what will be the surprise.**

**With all of that said, take off your business suits and flower necklace, because it's time to party!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

 **[]** \- Ddraig Talking

 **«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

 **「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

 **【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

 **⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

** Extinct Clans **

**A derogatory title given by the Devil Elders to any Devil Clan that, in order to survive extinction, were unable to keep themselves as Pureblooded Devils. During the events of the Great War, the number of Devils that fell into this status was a staggering 39 of the 72 Pillars, and while not officially as such, the Civil War led to the Maou Clans suffering similar discrimination until the results of Vali's first Rating Game.**

**The level of treatment that the Extinct Clans get is enough that Pureblooded Devils of the Low-Class believe they get better treatment because they're fully Devil, and that what their added heritage is means nothing, regardless of how strong the creature of that heritage is. The strongest example is the Bune Clan, who've carried the heritage of Dragons, which are normally respected.**

**Sairaorg's Peerage is the most famous example of Devils among the Extinct Clans, with almost half of them originating from such. As such, his wish for the Rating Game Tournament was to gain them better conditions. Not only that, but many actually do what to accept the Extinct Clans as equals, but just as the Maou Clans were discriminated against for the actions of the members that began the Civil War, they're too afraid of getting in trouble to speak up.**

**Lilith herself even implies as a possible theory of hers that this derogatory title is to make things so horrible that it'll eventually wipe them out, as they're considered "problematic" for whatever reasons they have. The Lucifer Clan being in a spot that risks them becoming an Extinct Clan is only further evidence for her to believe this. However, such a fact is why Lilith know the Devil Elders are in a good spot to be exposed upon Vali winning the Tournament.**

**Despite their current status, the Extinct Clans are still Devils with Households to inherit, and rights to Evil Pieces like anyone else. This was proven by Vali herself, who was originally a Human/Devil hybrid until the Naberius Clan made her the biological child of Lilith, which removed the former half in the process. Because of this, one of Vali's wishes after winning the Tournament is that they gain equal rights.**

**Ultimately, the Extinct Clans are a strong reminder of the Devils' current situation, and their possible fate if things don't change for the better.**

* * *

**_ Season 4, Journey to the Finals Arc: Chapter 8 - Party in Pandemonium _ **

The cheers of the crowd were still going strong as they echoed throughout the arena, the crying members of Ineelana's peerage still gathered together in a group hug. While this was going on, Shiva got to his feet, and formed a magic circle on the wall.

"Better get back before I hear Indra's paranoia made him do something idiot." He remarked.

The God of Destruction turned before walking through, looking at the spot where some of Ineelana's friends began moving to the stage, and giving a slight smile at the sight.

"Look at that God, the sign of your faith is glowing ever stronger right now." Shiva whispered.

"Hmm?" Naud blinked.

He turned towards Shiva, looking confused to what he heard the Hindu God say.

"You did it Ineelana! You really did it!" Niruili cheered, hugging the Leviathan Heiress.

"Guess all that torture under Surtr Second's training was worth every moment." Aariliyn smirked.

"You know, I could actually fall for you." Shuriliu remarked.

Everyone looked at her, with Ineelana giving a cold sweat at the response... until everyone heard the Asmodeus Heiress start laughing.

"Relax, I'm just kidding!" She giggled.

Ineelana immediately fell to her feet, with everyone seeing her spirit fly out of her mouth.

"No, don't die Ineelana!" Leelexe panicked.

"Uh... maybe that was too far..." Shuriliu chuckled nervously.

Hitting her on the back, Nanami got Ineelana's spirit to go back into her body, right as Vali and her peerage walked up to her. Standing on her feet, the Heiress of Leviathan immediately turned to her.

"I kept my promise, that I'd be standing on the last stage with you. Now, let me say this to you, with everyone as my witness..." Ineelana stated.

She pointed her finger at Vali, smiling as she did.

"Valiana Lucifer, don't you dare hold back, because I'm going at you above 100%! As long as I can help it, the title of the Devil Youth Champion will be mine!" Ineelana declared, with her peerage standing by her side.

Vali smiled at that, closing her eyes before she turned to her peerage and opened them again, seeing all of their looks.

"That's the last thing I'd do, but I'm afraid the one who'll become Champion will be me, Ineelana! So, we'll take all that you give us and return it twofold to you! Not just as the Heiress of Lucifer, the Princess of Hell, or the White Dragon Empress..." Vali responded.

"That's right, you'll be facing two Ultimate-Class Devils, and that second one is me, the Red Dragon Emperor!" Issei declared.

This got everyone's surprise.

"You heard him right everyone. After the previous Rating Game, it was decided that Issei Akane has qualified to take a Promotion Exam to become an Ultimate-Class Devil, which means if he succeeds? Both their peerages will be fighting together." Lilith announced.

Hearing that, many still in the crowd cheered loudly.

"So, the Red and White Dragons will be facing me on the same level..." Ineelana said to herself.

She smiled at that, holding up her fist.

"Then you better both give me a good game!" She exclaimed.

"You got it!" Issei replied.

All three pressed their fists onto one another, which made everyone smile as they saw the sight.

Lilith did the same, and then cleared her throat.

"Alright everyone, now that this match is over... time for us to celebrate! Everyone's invited to a party I've set up in Lucifaad!" She announced.

Many gasped upon hearing this.

"Did we... really just get invited to..." Rias questioned, her eyes shaking.

"You're not going deaf, we did!" Sona exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with happiness.

Issei looked at Vali in confusion.

"Because the City of Lucifaad isn't just the Capital, but the area where the Maou Clans are stationed, the right to be allowed there requires severe efforts to gain an admission pass, a high position, being a member or relative to the Maou bloodlines, or an invitation. I'm fairly sure 99% of the Devils in the stands have never even see Lucifaad." She explained.

"Whoa..." Issei replied shakily.

Lilith nodded her head, and soon raised her hand up into the air.

"Now, follow me!" She exclaimed.

* * *

Everyone stared in wonder as they all stood before the massive wonder that was Lucifaad, the Capital City of Hell. The entire area was big, Issei nearly fainted from how accurate Vali's definition of its size had been.

The City was full of some important Devils, most of which could be made out as the members of the Maou Clans (sans the Lucifer Clan for obvious reasons), the Extra Devils that served under them, the retainers serving in their peerages, and many more that would take way too long to describe. The only ones who definitely weren't here were the Devil Elders, as Lilith had no reason to keep them within arms' length.

"Incredible!" Asia exclaimed.

"I heard legends about how big this place was, but this is..." Irina remarked, feeling overwhelmed

Vali patted her back, trying to calm her nerves.

"Lucifaad is divided into seven regions as a representation of how us Devils are tied to the Seven Deadly Sins. The middle area is the Lucifer Region, while the other six corners of the city's hexagonal borders each represent the other Maou, with one being the Satan Memorial Region that only the Abaddon Clan owns." Vali explained.

"I'm guessing the party's in your area?" Issei assumed.

"Right on point, Issei." Lilith confirmed.

Lilith continued guiding them through the city, and soon brought them to the castle that acted as the Household of the Lucifer Clan. The sight of the huge gardens alone was an incredible sight to behold.

"Wow! Aariliyn, this is even bigger than the one at yours house!" Hina exclaimed.

"Remember, the Lucifer Clan has more money because while the Maou run the Devils as a group, Lucifer is still the big cheese that started it all." Aariliyn chuckled.

The Devil Queen smiled at that, right as she whistled with her fingers.

"We're here, sis!" Lilith called out.

"Just a second!" Eve shouted back.

Eve moved up to the roof, and then raised her hands into the air, giving a warm smile before closing her eyes.

"Let the celebration begin." She said softly.

Her hand released a sparkle that flew off around the garden area, causing everyone to look as various party supplies to form across the area. Everyone was amazed at what began to form, and after an entire minute, the entire garden was set up for a celebration.

Eve jumped down, smiling at everyone.

"Hello everyone, I hope all of you enjoy this party we've set up for you." Eve greeted.

Right at that moment, everyone cheered as they began enjoying the party.

"This is all so good!" Niruili said in muffled voice, stuffing food in her mouth.

"I wish my mouth was bigger!" Tohka agreed loudly.

The Beelzebub Queen starts scooping everything into her mouth, making everyone nearby look at her in surprise.

Leelexe had herself blindfolded as Amalya distorted a watermelon in the air, then spun around to get herself dizzy.

"I bet you my watermelon slash you can't hit it!" Iolava challenged.

"Oh, you'll regret that." Leelexe giggled.

Relaxing herself, everyone soon heard the Belphegor Heiress snoring, making them all stare in shock.

"She's asleep!?" They shouted.

Leelexe soon moved completely straight, and then swung the bat down. The entire Watermelon broke into even slices as a result before Leelexe removed her blindfold, now completely awake.

"Iolava, I hope don't you mind." She giggled, taking two slices.

"Aw man!" He complained.

Flapping could be heard overhead, causing everyone to look at Tannin flew into view, with a few other notable Dragons riding on his shoulder.

"I hope we aren't that late." Tannin smiled.

Lilith giggled at that, seeing the Great Devils gather with the members of their peerage. Before long, the entire garden of the Lucifer Region was filled up for this small celebration.

Vali watched the whole thing, right as Issei walked up to her.

"It's really big, isn't it?" He mentioned.

"It is... hard to believe I helped make this a possibility." Vali agreed, her eyes shining.

Issei smiled at her, taking her hand.

"I disagree, this is the easiest thing to believe, and that's because you had the strength to make it possible." Issei smiled warmly.

The Lucifer Heiress' eyes widened, before sniffling a bit.

Right at that moment, a loud cough was heard, and everyone turned see Sylvia standing on top of a statue fountain.

"Everyone, if I may have your attention for a moment." Sylvia requested.

The crowd before her turned to listen, and she took a deep breath.

"As you know, we're here right now because the two Devils who made it to the end have finally done so. Though in the process of that... many of us and our fellow Kings and peerage members failed to make it. At this moment, I think this party is also reminding you of that frustration." She announced.

Upon hearing that, everyone showed that's exactly how they were feeling.

"But, let's not see this as our dreams being blocked! Look at what each of our two Finalists are seeking, the dreams that they're about to achieve, and what they represent to all of us!" Sylvia exclaimed loudly, motioning her hand towards Ineelana.

"She has the goal to bypass all the restrictions that are preventing her from immediately challenging Diehauser, and then beat him! If she does that, it'll give many Devils the belief that they can achieve more than they are, rather than being restricted to a select few!"

Immediately after saying this, she motioned her hand towards Vali.

"And her goal is to change Hell from the ground up, restart everything from zero! Give those who are mistreated the same rights and chances! Allow those who are afraid to share their voice the right to scream without fear! Help make this land of Devils great once again!"

Right as that was said, many Devils suddenly went silent, as if afraid to let themselves reply their honest feelings.

"Say what you want everyone, don't be afraid." Lilith suddenly stated.

This caught the attention of many, leaving them surprised that she basically told them to speak without any worry.

"Lady Lilith, don't you think they're worried about-" Seekvaira inquired.

"The Devil Elders can't do a damn in this area. I've got layers of magic placed her by my peerage and Lucifer's to counter spying, hiding, sneaking, and anything that's short of pure physical force. If they tried that, all they'd do is expose themselves for who they were!" Lilith explained, laughing at the last part.

Vali sweat dropped upon hearing that, looking at Issei.

"Hate to say it Vali, but that's actually not unlike Human governments, and why you never hear stories about someone infiltrating them in the first place. This is just a more magical level to it." Issei answered, a sweat drop on his face.

The silver-haired Devil's eyes twitched upon hearing that.

Lilith resumed her encouraging look towards everyone, who still couldn't find their voices, leaving the Devil Heirs who did know a bit worried.

"Yeah, those stupid Elders need to go!"

Everyone turned as a male Devil panted, having just screamed out his voice.

"My own ancestor's one of them, and I've seen him do things I can't even speak about without giving away that I know, and meeting such a fate! I had to watch my own mother be executed for something she was completely innocent in!" He continued shouting.

"That's right, my family keeps having a lot of their money being taken by the Elder of my own family! We're barely struggling to avoid bankruptcy!" A female Devil shouted.

"I wanted to cheer for Vali so many times, but I can't because they make it feel like they'd kill me if I dared!"

"Lucifer was our King, they have no right to control us!"

"Rizevim became a monster because of them, I'm surprised they didn't leave to help that bastard!"

As she heard everything they said, Lilith showed surprise at their words, or rather... how much they showed they knew from those words. The same was true of the Tournament's participants.

"Wait, so... you've all known this whole time? I thought you were just being silent because you felt you had to act like the people around you?" Lilith questioned in complete surprise.

"Lady Lilith, isn't what you saw among every Devil the reason you and Lucifer had tried to do something about it?" A young Devil asked.

Hearing this, the Devil Queen gave a quiet gasp.

"I... don't believe it. All of this time, it was obvious to the people, and I never even figured it out?" She asked herself, feeling ashamed.

Eve put a hand on her back, getting her attention.

"Don't feel bad, I fully understand how we could have missed it." Eve reassured her.

"Really?" Lilith asked.

"Yes, and that simple fact would be had to see things from our position. We aren't the people, but the ones who lead them. Because of that, we sometimes might not see how big of a problem something is, and believe it's small enough to only be visible in our eyes." Eve explained.

Hearing that, the Devil Queen began laughing at how simple that answer was.

"When you say that, it makes me feel so dumb!" She laughed.

"Hey, wait a minute... if this is true, then it would mean-" Issei realized.

Everyone gave looks to confirm his thoughts.

"Yeah, we've supported Vali ever since she stated her dream on the day the tournament was announced. I'm sure some of us weren't on your side when you fought Riser, but when you said that, so many of us knew what you were truly fight for." A Devil heir confessed.

Vali's eyes shined at that, her eyes briefly shining from what she just heard.

"Come on, give everyone a speech!" Sona cheered.

"Speech! Speech! Speech!"

Hearing that, the Lucifer Heiress sniffled happily before nodding her head, and moving to take Sylvia's place on the fountain.

**「** **Yugioh Arc V: Glittering Tears** **」**

Taking a deep breath, she began.

"Everyone, listen closely. I first came to Hell only 2 years ago, after having spent years under my horrible grandfather, and living in Kuoh while Governor General Azazel was acting as my guardian, with the rest in between coming from training on my way here. I met my great grandmother, who soon took me in as her own daughter, and met my fellow Maou heirs, got to see everything that made up my birthright. It may have been in a horrible state, but... I grew to love this place, and began sharing Lilith's desire to help it!"

"Back on that day, she told me what she wanted to do, and for the first time in my life, I wanted to truly stand up for what was right. Do something with all my heart in it! There are things I can't undo, or take back, and there's blood on my hands that I can never truly wash away. One of my own retainers' mother was one of those I was forced to kill against my will or control... all because I was too weak to fight things from where I was."

"My life started as crap because I was Rizevim's granddaughter, and he only say me as a weapon to use as his tool, just to relish in his own sick and evil ways. However, the fact that I'm standing here now? The fact I was able to escape from that horrible start of my life? If I can do that, then all of Hell can do the same, and I know that because just as I give a certain someone courage, they give me the hope that let me all of yours, the very light bearer that I'm named after."

"There's a saying in the Human World that says Heaven can be a living Hell, and if such a saying can exist? Then I believe it's possible to make Hell its own Heaven on Earth! I'm not naive, so I know very well this can fail, as Ineelana's still fighting me without holding back, but you know what? I don't care! Yes, there's the real chance I'll fail, and nothing changes, and maybe everyone could lose faith to the point everything goes back..."

Vali's fist shook, and then she took a deep breath, causing everyone to see her determined face as she began a silent cry.

"But I'm not... giving up! What I went through to get here, what changed my life for the better? I want everyone to know what that is, and truly make this land the amazing place my father intended for it to become! All of you standing here, everyone that's stated they support me, when I go into the Championship Match, let's all go there as if we're fighting together! One day, I'll become the new leader of Hell, so I'm going to show that I've earned that title, and win not just the Rating Game, but our future!"

Hearing that, everyone cheered loudly, while the members of Vali's peerage all began crying happy tears at the sight.

Lilith began doing the same, crying into Eve's shoulder.

"How ironic... the savior of Hell was brought into this world through the worst thing it ever made. Truly, because of her and Issei, we'll finally made this land the utopia we want it to be." Eve smiled, shedding tears herself.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

Vali panted a bit, looking at everyone with a smile, finally letting all her tears flow out like a waterfall.

'You're no longer that the shy crybaby you once were, Vali... you've become a wonderful young lady.' Issei smiled, wiping his eyes as he kept shedding happy tears.

Letting everyone settle down, Eve readied for herself and Lucifer's peerage to announce the rules of the Championship Match.

* * *

Meanwhile, within the colorful space of the Dimensional Gap, two familiar streaks of red and white were seen clashing against one another. The streaks soon vanished, being replaced by the Dragon forms of Great Red and Ophis.

Breaking off from one another, the two begin charging up a powerful attack.

" **Infinity Blaster!** "

" **Endless Dream!** "

Ophis unleashed a powerful white beam that unleashed an eternal stream of power, while a storm of red meteors made of energy shot formed around Great Red's body, and then launched themselves at the beam. The two attacks created a huge explosion that flung both of them across the never-ending nothingness.

"Tch, another draw." Great Red growled.

With the battle over, both of them shifted back into their human forms, with Ophis smirking at him.

"I think you're starting to slip, I'd have clearly won if you didn't use that attack." She taunted.

"In your dreams!" He shouted.

As the two sibling deities began to growl at one another, the Ouroboros Dragon suddenly noticed something. Great Red's attention was immediately caught by the strange reaction.

"What's up?" He questioned.

"It seems the host of our children have reached the Finals." Ophis answered, smiling a bit.

"Hmm?" Great Red blinked.

He focused a bit, allowing him to feel it as well.

"So, the runts actually made it to the end." He remarked, trying to avoid showing he was mildly impressed.

"We do need a break before we go our next round, so why not watch?" Ophis suggested.

"Eh... whatever, got nothing else to do." Great Red replied, cleaning his ear.

As the two prepared to leave, a sudden ripple appeared around them, getting their sudden attention... right as a ton of black chains suddenly shot out to restrain them!

"What the!?" Ophis screamed.

"Are you freaking kidding me!?" Great Red roared.

Both tried to channel their powers, but the Dimensional Gap's energy began to randomly fluctuate and distort. While it didn't make sense at first, the two noticed their auras twisting in erratic manners.

Eventually, the two felt their own powers turn against them, binding them even further, and actually harming them!

"N-no, how can this..."

Both of them soon blacked out, and once they did, the sight of a dark silhouette appeared in the Dimensional Gap, giving a dangerous smirk that showed his jagged, red-colored teeth as he gave a wicked cackle.

"How the mighty can fall!" He exclaimed.

* * *

Once everyone had calmed themselves down from Vali's amazing speech, Eve got everyone's attention, making them all turn to focus on her and the rest of Lucifer's Peerage.

"Alright everyone, this Championship Match is a special Rating Game unlike any we've had before." Adam announced.

"Before we begin... Vali, Ineelana? We need your peerages gathered around you." Edelweiss requested.

Hearing that, both teams immediately grouped themselves into one spot, listening closely as beads of sweat slid down their nervous looking faces.

"First thing we should explain? You already know by now that all of us will be guest announcers for this match, but why we're in such a position? Because as you saw with the unique matches in the Semifinals, the way to win this Rating Game is different... because the match will be decided by vote!" Eve revealed.

Everyone gasped at that, with many voices being quickly raised.

"Then that means you're not just acting as announcers, but judges who'll vote for us." Ineelana realized.

"That's right!" Meliodas confirmed.

"But wait, wouldn't it be fairly hard to judge a Rating Game that way?" Amalya questioned.

Adam struggled to contain his snickering, but immediately failed.

"Why are you laughing?" Riser questioned.

"Because this isn't like your typical Rating Game, which is a single-round war simulation... it's a series of 12 one on one battles between the members of each peerage." Acnologia revealed.

And with that declaration, everyone gasped.

"This special rule is the brethren match type for special situations we call the _All for One_ , with all the restrictions thrown out the window, allowing everything for one major battle. The enhancements of all Evil Pieces are rendered negated, so you only have your natural skills to fight, giving each match's fighters equal ground." Uzume explained the rules.

"In the end, all of these fights will be what make us decide who both us, and the audience themselves decide as the winner. In a sense, the way everyone praised Niruili despite she lost her Rating Game with Sairaorg is a perfect example for how this works." Edelweiss added.

"Holy... Crap!" Vali breathed.

Issei blinked a bit, soon realizing that Acnologia had said there would be _twelve_ matches.

The main problem there?

"Hold up just a second! How can we have 12 matches when Vali's Peerage has 10 members, and Ineelana's has 8?" He asked.

"Yeah, that doesn't make any sense." Vali agreed.

"We set it for 12 because of my personal request. You see, back when Lucifer left Heaven, and we began the journey that lead to Hell's creation... there were 12 of us. Each round is a representation of the great change us 12 brought together." Lilith explained.

Issei showed surprise, and thought back to the picture Vali had showed everyone the time Kokabiel was causing trouble. Then again, Adam and Eve weren't in it and had been mentioned to be part of their group.

He assumed that with how important Mephisto seemed to be, he was that 12th member, and said picture was simply before the three joined their group.

"OK, guess why you chose 12 makes sense, but what are we supposed to do about our peerages lack of numbers? Have some of us fight multiple battles?" Ineelana inquired.

"No, mainly because that means you'd have more reason to bring out your Longinus wielder, who'd have a bigger advantage in the long run. Instead, you'll be allowed to add people onto your team, but there are some rules on how this will be done." Adam clarified.

Lilith held her hand out, with a single finger raised in the air.

"The first rule? Among every respective peerage available, each side can only choose one person."

She held out the second.

"The second rule? Those you borrow must be assigned a position as if they were on your peerage, so they can only represent pieces that are either unused or someone took multiples of."

The third finger rose.

"The third rule? If you choose someone that's on another team, they will only be worth a single piece, so for example? While Ophelia is worth 8 Pawns, should someone choose her, only the one would be considered."

The fourth finger came out.

"The fourth rule? If you choose someone that has no Evil Piece, or give them a position that's different from their official Evil Piece? The point value will apply, meaning spots used up because multiple pieces were consumed will be limited by this."

Lilith finally lifted up her thumb.

"And the final rule? You are _not_ allowed to choose another King to be on your team under any condition."

Taking a deep breath, the Demon Queen continued.

"So, this party makes the perfect opportunity to choose who you'd like to help you fight the Championship Battle." Lilith smiled.

"Hmm..." Vali hummed.

Issei tapped her on the shoulder, getting her attention.

"Considering who you'll be trading to me when I finally get my peerage, I think ours is pretty simple. We'll just add Ravel and Yumina to the team." Issei decided.

"That's right! If Yuuma and Mio get counted as a single Pawn each, then Ravel and Yumina can easily take those positions!" Vali agreed.

Lilith giggled, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"And since that leaves out Rossweisse from your team, why not make her one of your two Advisers?" Lilith suggested.

"You mean like a coach or an aid for the match?" Vali asked.

"Yeah, and since they won't be fighting, you have no restrictions to who you as... well, except that it can't be someone like me or Diehauser." Lilith confirmed, giving an odd chuckle at the end.

Everyone gave a playful laugh in response to those very words.

"Well, if that's the case... Ravel, Yumina? Would you two like to be my extra teammates based on what Issei just said?" Vali offered.

"I am your Lucifuge, so why would I say no?" Yumina replied without hesitation.

"Well, it's only proper I accept such an invitation." Ravel replied, blushing as she turned her head slightly.

Issei gave a light giggle, looking at Rossweisse.

"Rossweisse, you don't mind being one of our advisers, do you?" He asked.

"Not at all." Rossweisse agreed.

Vali looked around for who she should pick as her second adviser, but no one felt like a good choice, so she only came up with blanks.

"Hey mom, do we have to choose a second adviser right now?" Vali asked.

"Not at all. As long as you do it before the match, you can take all the time you need, as we can't hold the Championship until after the Promotion Exams and King Ceremony's that will follow it." Lilith reassured her.

Vali sighed in relief, feeling some pressure taken off her chest.

"Then I'll withhold choosing my second adviser for right now. Ineelana, you can start choosing now." Vali replied, looking at her fellow Maou Heiress.

The blue-haired Leviathan began scratching her head, knowing her choices had to relate to Stella and Ophelia having used all her Knights and Pawns respectively. After some thought, she made her choices.

"For my Knight position, I'll choose Xenovia Quarta." Ineelana revealed.

This caught Xenovia by surprise.

"Now, for my Pawns? I'll choose Kirin, and Saji, and since that leaves me five Pawns... I'll take Xuelan for my last spot." Ineelana continued.

"Yes!" Saji cheered.

"Alright!" Kirin jumped for joy.

Xuelan blinked a bit, and then shook her head as she pointed at herself.

"Me? Really?" She asked.

"You're a Rook said to have strength rivaling a Queen's, and since I only have 5 pieces left to work with? Seems like you'd be a good choice." Ineelana explained.

"Oh, guess that makes sense." Xuelan replied, seeing her logic.

Ineelana soon turned to Rias and Sona, and pointed at the two of them, which quickly got their attention.

"Rias and Sona? I'd like the two of you to be my advisers." Ineelana requested.

"The both of us?" Sona asked in surprise.

"Both of you know Vali fairly well, so I feel you're the best advisers I could choose." Ineelana explained.

"She does have a point there." Rias chuckled.

Lilith smiled at that, then clapped her hands together as a sign of approval.

"And there we have it! While there's still an empty position for a second adviser on Vali's side, we have our two teams for the Finals of this Tournament!" Lilith cheered.

Everyone cheered and clapped, feeling excited over the upcoming Championship Battle.

"Now, with that out of the way... let's resume this party!" Lilith announced.

"Yeah!" Everyone agreed with a loud cheer.

* * *

Deep within the lowest regions of Tartarus, the sight of an annoyed Hades sitting in his throne was seen, with his skeletal body strained the best it could into showing his anger at the news he had just gotten from Hermes.

"Those stupid bats... acting the way they are right now over their so-called _princess_ about to achieve some new Golden Age for their kind..." Hades growled.

"Uh... Lord Hades, maybe you should-" Orcus suggested.

He instantly felt his head struck by Hades, who swung his arm in screaming rage, which caused his head to spin like a corkscrew.

"When will the world realize it would be better off without them, those crows, and those lizards!?" He furiously demanded.

Orcus didn't respond as he put his head back in place, being unable to say anything.

"Whoops, did I come at a bad time?" A male voice said, followed by a snicker.

Hades' attention immediately turned to the entrance of his chambers, where the sight of Indra walking in caught the surprise of every Grim Reaper, who immediately lowered themselves to the ground.

"Indra, what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" Hades questioned, still looking annoyed.

"Sorry, if this is a bad time, I'll leave with the good news that I brought." Indra smirked, holding his hands up.

Hades' eyes glowed brighter, representing his widening of them.

"Go on..." He ordered.

"Some of my Daeva have noticed something off about the Dimensional Gap, and last I checked, the two resident Dragon Gods are inside there." He stated.

Hades eyes widened even more, and his face's anger shifted into a smug smile.

"In other words, the next phase of our plans can start proceeding." Hades realized.

"That's right. Heck, if things go well, then I'll be able to destroy that Devil Princess and that pathetic Queen of hers without any effort at all. What they see as the road to their future? It'll end before we even begin the worst of it!" Indra chuckled darkly, a terrifying look in his eyes.

"Still, let us not be too hasty." Hades warned him.

Indra waved his hand before tossing him an orb, causing the skeletal God of Death to catch it.

"As if I'm that dumb. Regardless of that, the difference between Loki and me is as big as the Heavens from the Earth, which is why I won't let those two get anywhere near it." Indra smirked, his eyes glowing in excitement.

Hades laughed at that, looking at him.

"Now I see why you get called the worst among us Worst Gods, your thoughts are outright vile!" Hades praised.

"I'll take that as a compliment." Indra replied.

Listening to this, Orcus began to sweat a bit, yet kept his face down so neither God was able to notice.

"I'll let you get back to your work now. I need to finish my own plans, and get back before Shiva notices I'm gone." Indra waved, walking out of the chambers.

Once he left, Hades began laughing as he brought out a second orb alongside the one Indra gave him.

"Soon, everything will go as its meant to be... soon." Hades chuckled darkly.

"L-Lord Hades?" Orcus looked at him nervously.

"You are dismissed, I have things to take care of." Hades ordered.

The Grim Reaper bowed a bit before leaving the room, and the moment he was far out of Hades' sight? He ran somewhere as fast as he could, looking panicked.

At the same time, Hades opened a magic circle.

"Is there something you need from me, father?" Jingu replied, slight excitement hidden in her tone.

* * *

It didn't take Orcus long to rush into a hidden location, where the sight of many other Grim Reapers was seen. Upon seeing his arrival, a particularly large Grim Reaper could be seen looking his way, and immediately turned to face him.

"Orcus, what have you just learned?" He asked.

"Thanatos, it's... this is really bad news. Hades and Indra are talking like they want to drag the world into chaos! I heard them mention killing the Princess of Hell and her likely spouse!" He revealed, shaking as he did.

All of the Grim Reapers who heard it looked horrified.

"Damn it, are they serious!? I was already finding my father stupid for aiding that skeleton bastard's plans with Loki!" Pluto II raged.

Thanatos slammed his scythe end into the ground, immediately silencing the Grim Reapers.

"Silence! Right now, this is not the way to solve anything!" Thanatos ordered.

Upon hearing the original Grim Reaper, and their leader, speak as he did? All the others settled down, giving him the chance to continue.

"We've had to act in secret against Hades' will, and now the situation is dire. However, as we are right now, we can't make a move without compromising ourselves... without risking bringing the world into another Great War." Thanatos reminded them, looking angry at his inability to act.

"Or putting our loved ones at risk..." Orcus added, thinking of his wife and child.

"Well put, and as such... we must wait for now, even if it's the hardest thing we can do." Thanatos requested.

Many of the Grim Reapers hated this, because they knew he was right. As such, they had no choice but to agree, knowing they needed to find a way before anything could be done.

No one, not even the Grim Reapers against Hades, knew what would happen in the coming days.

* * *

Back at the celebration, everyone was enjoying themselves, with Lilith sitting by a tree, looking at the skies of Hell with a longing look. Before she realized it, Eve decided to walk over and take a seat by her, getting her attention.

"So, how have you been holding up?" Eve asked.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Lilith asked.

Eve shook her head, knowing that her older sister was trying to dodge the question.

"Don't try to fool me Lilith, you know more than anyone how I stopped being the naive girl I was when our father made us." Eve playfully interrogated her.

Lilith sighed, wondering how Eve became so smart at times.

"So, I'll ask again... how have you been holding up?" Eve asked.

The Devil Queen didn't give an answer, which was when she felt Eve hug her into her bountiful chest, making her blush as she relaxed into it.

"After Lucifer died, you lost an important part of yourself, and even though we were all here for you... it wasn't enough. Then all of a sudden, two years ago, you find out Rizevim did have a child, and then that child had his own, who you eventually made your own daughter. I'd like to think that because you met Vali, it's had a good effect on you." Eve comforted her.

Lilith sighed, hugging Eve close as she teared up a bit.

"I wouldn't be lying if I said that when I see her, it reminds me of him. It's just..." Lilith answered.

"Take your time." Eve comforted her.

Lilith breathed a bit before doing so.

"Call me crazy, but she resembles so much, enough that it's like I'm seeing a female equivalent of her... there are times I wonder if she's not just his descendant, but his own reincarnation. As if the great powers tied to Mother Nature gave her life, just so we could meet, and things could change for everyone's better." Lilith confessed.

Eve just rubbed her head, and silently began crying herself as she was reminded of Lucifer's death.

'I'm so sorry... I wish that I had been there to save his life. I'm sorry that I couldn't protect him!' Eve apologized, using all the willpower she had to not make noise as she cried.

Watching from a distance, Adam took a deep breath before turning to the side, knowing the thought his wife had... and sharing the same feelings.

"Sorry, this is a party, and yet I'm unloading the feelings opposite to what a party should be." Lilith apologized.

"No, don't be. I think it's sweet for you to say that he lives on in a way, more than just his blood, but his dreams and legacy." Eve reassured her.

Lilith smiled a bit, nodding her head.

"Yeah, to think something so wonderful could be born from something so awful. That's another big reason why I accepted Issei so easily, because... through him, Vali truly became that shining gem I see her as." The Devil Queen remarked.

Standing back up, Lilith wiped away the signs that showed she had been sad.

"And he will be back someday, which is a day I need to make sure Vali, and ever Devil is ready for. But, for right here and right now... Vali's fighting to change all of Hell, and I know she can do it." Lilith promised, smiling at the end.

"Don't sell yourself short, sis. You've become quite strong as well, because while the burden you've have to carry was a heavy one, it never crushed you under its weight." Eve smiled with closed eyes.

The two sisters each put an arm over the other's shoulders, simply enjoying the moment they had.

Meanwhile, as that was happening, Jeanne found somewhere to sneak to, and made a magic circle as she called a familiar Longinus wielder. After waiting for a few seconds, she heard him pick up.

"This is an odd time to call, Jeanne. Is something wrong?" Cao Cao questioned.

"No, just thought you should know that the Tournament Finals have been decided, and it'll be a while before it happens." Jeanne clarified.

"How long?" He asked.

She whispered it through the magic circle, getting his attention.

"Hmm... alright, I think it's finally time to put the Heavenly Dragons to the test." Cao Cao decided.

"You sure?" Jeanne inquired.

"I am, so tell Lilith about this. She should be able to find a good time to set all of this together. Hopefully, we'll be able to give their group the test they need, and hopefully buy just a bit more time before the worst happens." He confirmed.

The Maiden of Orleans hummed a bit, and remembered something else.

"You know what? I think you're right, because Issei's qualifying for an Ultimate-Class Promotion, which means this would be the perfect test for him." Jeanne mentioned.

"I have wanted the chance to fight him, so tell Lilith that it works fine with me." Cao Cao agreed.

He prepared to hang up, but before he did...

"Wait, one last thing?" Jeanne asked.

"What is it?" He replied.

"It's just... be careful with this, alright? I... don't want to lose you." Jeanne begged.

Cao Cao paused for a moment, knowing what she meant.

"Don't worry, the Trimurti helped train me. All of us will be able to get out alive, so I will come back to you, and... be able to uphold the promise I made about saving them." He reassured her.

Sniffling a bit, she nodded her head.

"OK, good luck." Jeanne replied before hanging up.

She got up, and walked over to the area where everyone was, panting loudly as she intentionally ran towards the direction Lilith and Eve were.

"Oh no... Jeanne, is there something wrong?" Lilith questioned.

"No, just the opposite! It's about Yasaka!" Jeanne panted.

The party instantly froze as they heard this, with the young Kyuubi rushing over when she heard it.

"You have news about my mom?" Kunou asked, looking hopeful.

"The Hero Faction... they've been showing actions within Kyoto's borders, and they've managed to determine they have Yasaka with them! We've found her!" Jeanne revealed.

Lilith saw her make a certain finger motion, while Kunou's eyes watered up from the news.

"Kunou, isn't that great? We can finally go rescue your mom!" Issei cheered.

"Y-yeah!" Kunou cried happily.

"Well, if that's the case, then looks like I'll need to need to change up the Field Trip that Kuoh Academy set up." Lilith decided.

Everyone looked at her, while Lilith smirked.

"The perfect excuse to go, give everyone a fun show, and... as of right now? Issei, your Ultimate-Class Promotion Test will be to lead everyone to rescue her in place of Vali, no exceptions." She declared.

"What?" Issei blinked a bit.

Everyone showed surprise at what Lilith said, and it took a few more seconds for Issei to fully register everything.

"WHAT!?" He repeated with a loud scream.

* * *

Everyone was currently within a personal arena inside the Lucifer Castle, watching as Issei stood on the battlefield, with Sairaorg standing against him. Rather than either fighter's team outfits, they were in their normal outfits.

Sairaorg tossed his coat to the side, revealing a tight black shirt with red line designs across it. Issei similarly removed the jacket he was wearing, and then held his Boosted Gear into the air, which released a red aura around his body as it activated.

"Alright, this is a mock battle between Issei Akane and Sairaorg Bael! The rule of this fight is neither side can use more than pure physical force! The winner will be called by my choice when I feel we've seen enough!" Surtr Second announced.

Up on the stands, everyone was watching with excitement, as this was a battle that wouldn't get to be in the Tournament due to Sairaorg's defeat.

**「** **Future Card Buddyfight: Opening Song - Instrumental** **」**

"I can't believe your mom had this fight set up." Yuuma remarked.

"I think a lot of people were hoping for such a fight, so who am I to complain? Not to mention, this is a good opportunity for Issei, especially after that bomb she just dropped on him." Vali answered, getting a nervous sweat upon saying that last part.

Both fighters readied themselves, with everyone watching as they waited for the duel to begin.

"Let the match... begin!" Surtr Second screamed.

Sairaorg rushed forward, with Issei instantly holding his arms up to tank the attack, grunting a bit as he was shot back. Despite that, he seemed relatively fine from the right hook that the Bael Heir had just delivered.

"I definitely felt that! It was like your fist was an entire mountain." Issei praised, soon regaining his bearings.

"You're pretty durable yourself to take that like you did." Sairaorg praised back.

The Red Dragon Emperor soon rushed ahead himself.

"Alright, my turn to attack!" He exclaimed.

Sairaorg readied didn't move as he gauged the attack, and it quickly became apparent that Issei had a lot of power as he was thrown back a bit... followed by a powerful wind that was released from the fist, creating a concentrated line that smashed into the barrier walls.

"Whoa!" Saji exclaimed.

"I had a feeling he's built up a lot of power, maybe he'd notice if he put down that sword of his every once in a while." Ddraig chuckled.

Both fighters soon took a charge, and threw their fists at each other.

The moment their strikes connected, a huge shock wave was felt by everyone in the stadium.

**_"On that day, everything was like a ray of light for tomorrow. Well, to be fair, it actually was that. The real problem that we had?"_ **

A huge went flash went off, and in the process of that... came the sight of an area of pure shadows.

Within that dark area, the sight of light particles raining down could be seen, with a single spotlight marking something within what was an endless black. The screen continued to lower, slowly leading to what the spotlight was shining over.

**_"It was hiding the terrible, and dangerous darkness that we would have to vanquish."_ **

Finally, the spotlight's bottom area was reached, and the sight of a red and white glow reflecting off the light could be seen. However, what was reflecting that light didn't bring anything good or hope for those who finally saw it.

Because, it was the shards of two destroyed gauntlets of red and white gauntlets... the Boosted Gear and Divine Dividing.

**‹LEGEND OF THE HEAVENLY DRAGONS: SEASON 4 - END›**

* * *

**Ooh! That's right, you heard Lilith correctly... the Ultimate-Class Promotion Test for those that skip High-Class? They have to solve a huge incident while being the leader of what to do, which means like how Issei had to lead in Volume 9, he has to lead here form the start, and that's what will make or break his chances of promoting into an Ultimate-Class Devil.**

**Considering how a High-Class Devil will become a King, it made me feel that if someone could jump past High-Class, they had to truly prove they were at that level. As such, this is the kind of test Issei faces, one that have heavy consequences. I will admit this only works because of the Hero Faction being moles, and it is possible for him to fail, as if the Hero Faction just gives her back? He won't be counted as having rescued her.**

**Anyways, now we've hit the end of Season 4, and as you just saw... everyone is already aware of the Devil Elders' nastiness, but they've had to keep it secret, despite they've wanted show Vali their support ever since she stated her dream to take them down. I'll admit, this might seem like too bright of a revelation, but I ask you hear me out for a moment for why I chose it.**

**That reason is because I feel the story gets much more serious after Volume 8's events.**

**See, what I mean is, at least based on what I see and feel, that the ORC never had anything major at risk until Volume 9, because most of the problems they faced had been averted. It didn't help they had no genuine defeats due to various reasons. However, when they fought Cao Cao for the first time? Not anymore. However, this truly revealed itself when in Vol 11, despite it was only temporary... Issei died.**

**Basically, why I made this revelation is because this is the moment in the story that things will start getting a lot more serious, and what you saw with Hades, Indra, and the Grim Reapers that are against the former's plans was the scene to help introduce those factors. Heck, when we get to Season 6, this will truly be the case, and things will likely stay that way until at least "Dawn of the Heavenly Dragons", if not the rest of the series.**

**Now, the last thing before we end this chapter? We've learned the special rules behind the Championship Battle, which we now know won't happen till after the Promotion Exams, and both sides have been given additional forces for what will be a series of 12 battles where everyone votes for the winner, which the Devil Elders will likely sabotage. Even worse, in the Dimensional Gap... what happened to Ophis & Great Red?**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

* * *

** Vali's Finals Team ** **:**

**King - Vali Lucifer**   
**Queen - Issei Hyoudou**   
**Bishops - Le Fay Pendragon, Asia Argento**   
**Knights - Arthur Pendragon, Irina Shidou**   
**Rooks - Bikou, Kuroka Toujou**   
**Pawns - Yuuma Amano, Mio Naruse, Yumina Lucifuge (x3), Ravel Phenex (x3)**

**Advisers - Rossweisse, Undecided**

* * *

** Ineelana's Finals Team ** **:**

**King - Ineelana Leviathan**   
**Queen - Murasaki**   
**Bishops - Yumi, Tamara Harrison**   
**Knights - Stella Vermillion, Xenovia Quarta**   
**Rooks - Sinon, Mine**   
**Pawns - Ophelia Landlufen, Saji Genshirou, Xuelan (x5)**

**Advisers - Rias Gremory, Sona Sitri**

* * *

** Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter ** **:**

**None**

* * *

** Pairings List ** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating  
Ddraig/Tiamat - Married  
Albion/Fafnir - Married  
Saji/Sona - Dating  
Gasper/Valerie - Dating  
Kiba/Tosca - Dating  
Sairaorg/Kuisha - Dating  
Rossweisse/Vidar - Chemistry is clearing forming between them  
Hina/Nanami - Dating  
Jeanne/Cao Cao - Chemistry seems to exist, but the form of it is unknown**


	43. Chapter 43

**Welcome back everyone, it's time to initiate Season 5! Before we start this chapter, I have something important to say about a scene that will appear during this chapter, and _only_ that scene. Remember how earlier in the story it was mentioned that Issei and Vali have a show based off them, which is this story's equivalent to the Oppai Dragon show? (You may not, but it was during the Diodora Arc if you need to find it)**

**Anyways, that scene is what's important, as some of the characters are playing roles in this show. Due to this, I'll be telling you which characters play who, that way you'll know who I'm referring to, as they're all referred to by their show characters during this moment. Oh, and another important thing to note? Pay close attention to that scene, it'll be important later in the series, but I can't say any more due to spoilers.**

**Now with that detail out of the way, we've finally reached the Kyoto arc! As a quick refresher, the events of this arc will also be Issei's Ultimate-Class Promotion Exam, so for the rest of this arc? Issei's the main character, which actually makes sense because after this arc, and once he gets his Evil Pieces... he and Vali will share the role of protagonist! *cheers***

**Because of which arc this is, I think most of you are probably worried what that means about what will happen with Kunou after this. Well, good news and bad news there. The bad news? Unfortunately, to those that want her to stay, Kunou _will_ be staying in Kyoto when her mother's finally rescued, as her sister's only letting her stay at the Akane Mansion for safety reasons. The good news? She'll regain the group eventually, but when she will is another story.**

**Something else I'll bring up is some important aspects about this season. The first, if you remember what happened in the final chapter last season with Indra and Hades, then I think it's clear what's replacing the Raynare Curse in the storyline, though how it'll actually go down is a secret for now. Secondly, the Issei/Rias drama in Volume 10 will be replaced with some long-awaited romance between the story's other couples.**

**There's also a revelation from Vol 24 I'd like to talk about, as it kind of surprised me. The first thing is something I'm not completely sure is true or not because of how shocking it was, but apparently, the last two Longinus might be owned by the same person? That kind of thing is like winning the lottery, so if it does end up being true, then... wow.**

**With all of that said, let me reveal the (current) in-story cast for Issei and Vali's TV Show:**

**Issei - Issei Lucifer  
Ddraig - DxD Red Crimson  
Vali - Vali Lucifer  
Albion - DxD White Ivory  
Asia - Princess Argentine  
Rassei - Blue Thunder  
Yuuma - Black Dragon Kaiser  
Kuroka - Great Hell Cat  
Shirone - Little Hell Cat**

**OK, now that I've gotten all of that said, it's time to finally begin Season 5!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

 **[]** \- Ddraig Talking

 **«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

 **「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

 **【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

 **⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

** Magic **

**One of the three primordial energies that gave life to everything on Earth, and the tied most to the Christian Pantheon, due it somehow creating God, and giving birth to all the forms of life through the chain reaction of his choices. Among the three, Magic is the weakest overall, but also the easiest to use, as it focuses on one's mental energies and imagination. Other Pantheons notable for using it are the Norse and Greek Pantheons.**

**Magic's most common forms tend to come in elemental spells or abilities resembling superpowers that need magical energy to be cast. Rarer forms become special abilities that most need to be either taught to learn, or require other special conditions, like mastering a spell, or knowing a certain group of spells. Finally, there are the abilities tied as deeply as blood, which can only be learned by being born with the power, or the potential to use it.**

**Another notable thing about magic is that some people have more potential for it than others. Usually, those who do best in magic are Support-types, who use it in more defenses manners, or Wizard-types, who use it in more offense manners. Asia is an example of the former, especially due to her personality, while Vali is an example of the latter.**

**Potential wise, Vali is an example of someone with great potential, even for a Lucifer. This is further proven by her half-sister, Lavinia, who also has great magic potential, and also implies their mother had incredible potential herself. For the reverse, Arthur is someone with horrible potential, which is why he learned swordsmanship under the Pendragon family traditions.**

**Like with all of the primordial energies, those who use Magic best tend to have little skill with Chi or Prana.**

* * *

**_ Season 5, Kyoto Arc: Chapter 1 - Return to Kyoto _ **

Various people were gathered in a stadium belonging to the Gremory Clan, where a live-action performance of the show based on Issei and Vali, the now famous: **"Heavenly Dragons: The Series"** the duo learned about when the Rating Game Tournament had just begun.

As things were happening, Irina turned to the crowd, revealing herself in a pink announcer's outfit.

"It seems the Black Dragon Kaiser has obtained a dark power for this occasion, will Issei and Vali be able to fight off their mortal enemy without Princess Argentine's help!?" Irina wondered, giving an acted look of panic.

The Black Dragon Kaiser, who was revealed to be a black-haired woman wearing a black and gold mask, revealing black armor, and a dark gray cap dashed forward. Issei and Vali were knocked back by two black spears she suddenly formed, causing a small faked explosion to knock them back as small fog machines on the cape replicated a black aura surging.

Watching from a rope held from the ceiling, showing a blonde-haired princess wearing a silver dress and tiara with a worried look on her face.

"Issei, Vali!" Princess Argentine shouted.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! You won't be able to stop me this time, give it up already!" The Black Dragon Kaiser demanded, cackling heavily.

Both Issei and Vali acted out a struggle to get up.

"Curses! If we only had Princess Argentine on our side, we could unite with the Ancient Dragons to use our full power!" Issei shouted.

"If only we could rescue her!" Vali grunted with frustration.

At that moment, Irina let out a scripted gasp.

"Oh no kids, Issei and Vali are in a real pinch! But wait... someone's missing, this may be their chance!" Irina exclaimed.

"What!? You speak nonsense foolish woman, I've made sure to account for everything!" The Black Dragon Kaiser retorted.

"Kids, call out the Heavenly Dragons' sidekick!" Irina begged.

Hearing that, the Black Dragon Kaiser gasped as realized the absence of his mortal enemies' little pet.

"Blue Thunder! We need you!" The kids cheered.

" **Your calls have been answered!** "

Using his voice to act out the character, some blue-colored flares acting like lightning, which is when the ceiling opened up to reveal a teenage-sized Sprite Dragon flying into the stadium.

"How did I forget you!?" The Black Dragon Kaiser questioned.

Using some wires, the Black Dragon Kaiser flew to try and attack Blue Thunder, and then thrust her spears forward. Black flares went off to represent her attack, and she gasped as Blue Thunder dodged it.

Swinging his tail, Blue Thunder hit the rope, cutting it in half. Magic lowered Princess Argentine onto his body.

"Thank you, Blue Thunder! Now we need to help Issei and Vali!" Princess Argentine shouted.

" **Right!** "

Irina turned to the crowd, raising her hands out.

"It's time everyone, we have to help them say the magic words to awaken their full strength!" Irina exclaimed worriedly.

Princess Argentine walked before the two, placing her hands on both of their forehead.

"Here we go kids, say it with us!" Issei and Vali shouted together.

"DxD!" They exclaimed, making a certain motion with their hands.

Everyone cheered at that.

"DxD!" The kids repeated, doing the same motion.

An illusion of a red and white dragon appeared, going through their bodies, and creating a pillar of light that let them change into their Scale Mails in a way matching the way the show had them transform.

" **Red Crimson!** "  
" **White Ivory!** "

Both of the dragon illusions roared, making everyone cheer.

"This means nothing! Even with your powers, I am still stronger this time, and will be victorious!" The Black Dragon Kaiser roared.

She rushed at the duo, jumping from the high in the sky.

The duo immediately jumped at her, holding their legs out as an illusion showed them glowing.

" **Twin Dragon Kick!** "

At the moment of contact, the entire stage made a bright explosion to hide everyone for a moment, leaving the Black Dragon Kaiser to be knocked back into a pillar.

"You're done!" Issei declared.

"Give it up, Black Dragon Kaiser!" Vali exclaimed.

She slid down the pillar, growling at them.

"I don't think so! Come to me, my faithful right and left hands!" She screamed.

At that moment, a spotlight focused on two figures wearing cloaks to cover their appearances. The Heavenly Dragons gasped as they saw it.

"Who are those two? Are they birds, are they planes?" Irina questioned.

"Neither!" The Black Dragon Kaiser answered.

Both of them tore the cloaks off, revealing a Black Nekoshou with a sexy black-colored leather outfit and masquerade mask on her eyes. By her side was a White Nekoshou in a more conservative, white-colored leather outfit with the same mask.

"No, it's the Hell Cat twins! Great and Little Hell Cat!" Irina announced.

Both of them made a pose with their hands, being the right and left hands respectively.

"Meow." The two said together.

Many fan boys screamed in excitement.

"GREAT/LITTLE HELL CAT!" Their voices echoed in unison.

Irina sweated in surprise, walking back a bit... and making herself fall onto her back.

"I'm OK!" She shouted.

* * *

Inside of the dressing rooms, Vali and Yuuma was seen drying off their sweat.

"Yuuma, even now I'm surprised by how well you can act out your character, much less the idea to give us a villain based on a Black Dragon." Vali remarked.

"Well, to be fair for the former, I have experience from seeing my sister as a basis for BDK." Yuuma answered.

Both of them turned as they saw Asia healing Irina's leg.

"Still can't believe the cheers for the Nekoshou sisters managed to make you twist your ankle." Yuuma said in disbelief.

Irina chuckled a bit.

"Well, to be fair, I shouldn't have walked backwards when it happened." She answered.

For Issei himself, he was walking through the halls, drinking a cold milk to help him calm down... only to hear the sound of someone crying by a door to the outside.

"Hmm?" Issei blinked.

Opening up the door, he looked outside to see one of the staff, standing across from Lirenkus and his mother.

"No fair! You said we'd get to see the show, you promised!" Lirenkus cried.

"I'm so sorry, but we've already sold out on the meet and greet, and the autograph spots for this evening." The staff member apologized.

Realizing the situation, Issei sighed with a smile.

"I see... how unfortunate." Lirenkus' mother remarked.

At that moment, they all heard Issei clearing his throat, making them turn as he waved to them.

"Hey there Lirenkus, what's up?" Issei waved.

"Issei, you actually remember me!" He smiled, his tears ceasing.

"Oh, you know him Mr. Akane?" The staff member asked.

Issei nodded his head.

"Uh... Mr. Akane, we can't accommodate every child comes that comes through here. It sets a bad precedent." He replied worriedly.

"Hmm... is there anyone else in this situation?" Issei inquired.

"This would be the only one." The staff member answered.

Hearing this, he smiled.

"Which means it shouldn't be a problem in this instance." Issei stated.

"Eh... alright, but be quick just to be safe." The staff member relented.

Grabbing a pen, he put an autograph on Lirenkus' hat, which was based off his scale mail's helmet.

"A word of advice? Real men don't throw fits, OK? You've got to become strong, so you can protect you mom." Issei smiled, finishing his signature.

"OK, and thank you!" Lirenkus replied in understanding.

Having gotten to meet Issei for the day and get an autograph, Lirenkus and his mother began heading home.

"Thank you for today, my son's a big fan of yours." Lirenkus' mom smiled.

Issei blushed at that, rubbing his head.

"No biggie, just make sure you keep your sons hopes up." He replied, waving goodbye to them.

"I'm glad you were able to handle that situation as well as you did. I'm certain you'll be a good King for Hell one day." The staff member thanked.

"Whoa! I do want to marry Vali, but let's not jump too far into the future." Issei chuckled.

Vali watched him from the doorway, giving a warm smile at the act of kindness that Issei just gave to Lirenkus.

* * *

***High School DxD: Switch, begins playing***

**(*normal guitar strumming plays*)** Issei and Vali began walking down a hallway, right before their bodies are enveloped, and replaced by their Scale Mail armors.

 **(Turn the light switch on!)** The screen focuses to one of their lenses each, showing the eyes hiding behind them.

 **(I want to protect the dreams of my tomorrow, because they are a vital piece of my heart!)** The sight of Vali appearing on the left side of a blackened screen, showing her body slowly rise up to look towards it. From the other side, Issei did the same, only she was being lowered onto the new white screen.  
 **(With this overflowing love that's seeping deep through my skin.)** A flash went across the screen as Irina appeared, holding the True Excalibur in her hands as Kuroka did a back flip over her.  
 **(Let this feeling become strong... then embrace it in life's song!)** Le Fay appeared below her, with Gogmagog's eyes glowing as he came into view, followed by Asia descending on an adult-sized Rassei's head.

 **(*electric guitar strumming plays*)** The title for " **Legend of the Heavenly Dragons** " blazed into view as shadows seared over some flame. It was quickly shown Ravel made the former, while Yumina appeared from her shadow, revealing she made the latter.

 **(*electric strumming continues, and then slows down to a few focused strums*)** Issei stood by a man with green hair and stubble, while a beautiful looking blonde woman stood across from Vali. Both of them held a hand out to the adults before them, with all of them smiling. Issei and the man's faces appeared on a divided screen overlapping the scene, only to be replaced by Vali and the woman moments after.

 **(I've hidden my sins in my soul, and now they're overflowing with negativity!)** Arthur was seen holding Caliburn in his hands, while Kelsey dropped into view with her wings out. The last one to show was Yuuma, wearing a green dragon-based armor that looked familiar to the artificial Yu-Long scale mail.  
 **(Because I wasn't myself, you were never free!)** Leonardo turned into view, with Typhon's silhouette behind him. Georg took his place while he pushed his glasses up, with Jingu showing up behind him, with her silhouette changing into a black shadow that only showed only glowing red eyes and a shark-like grin.  
 **(Now, the world's calling for me to act, and I must atone for the mistakes of back then...)** The faces of Belzard and Elsha briefly appear, shedding tears before they completely faded from view, leaving their broken Sacred Gears to manifest themselves in an infant Issei and Vali.  
 **(So, please help me shine, because you're my dearest friend!)** Cao Cao appeared alongside Liu Bei, with the True Longinus thrusting by to shatter the image, and showing shards that contained Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Jian Long inside of them.

 **(Life... has been piling up against my mind!)** Indra slammed his foot down, showing a bloodthirsty look on his face as he stood over an area he ripped apart from a battle he was just in.  
 **(In my mind!)** The screen flashed dark as Hades was shown in a similar position, but standing in his lair within Tartarus.  
 **(Yet, I was just too afraid to let you see me cry...)** Ineelana rushed forward, unleashing five if her elemental dragons at once, vaporizing the two scenes with the arena for the Championship Battle of the Rating Game Tournament.  
 **(Hand me the key, and I'll show you why once your free!)** Issei and Vali looked at each other, and rushed forward with their respective peerages, making the crowd cheer as the Final Match of the Tournament began.

 **(*a near-quiet whoosh was heard*)** The sight of someone's feet leaving a train at Kuoh Town was seen.

 **(I will bear all my karma, and become the hero I was always meant to be!)** Thin Shinto Trio, their parents, and Kagutsuchi all flew by the screen with their respective powers being used. Soon gathering in the middle of the screen.  
 **(Clear the way for me, so your innovation will finally let me see!)** A flash went off, and a girl with bluish-black hair was seen taking their place, holding a sword that resembled the Kusanagi in her hands. Swinging the blade, a powerful wind made her disappear from view.  
 **(This time will carve a path together, rather than build one by ourselves!)** Indra unleashed a blast of power, but Issei dodged the attacks before smashing some of his own against the strongest of the Worst Gods.

 **(Your kindness has touched my heart that yearned for forgiveness!)** Vali dropped from the sky, clashing with Hades as he jumped up towards the White Dragon Empress, managing to match her blow for blow.  
 **(And it makes the potential in my heart glow!)** Hades and Indra strike the two back, causing their Scale Mails to break as they went flying into the sunlit sky, and eventually causing their flight paths to intersect with one another.  
 **(There is a dream that I must not allow to die, and that's while I'll protect it with all I've got!)** They grabbed each other's hands, spreading their Sacred Gear wings out, and charging at the two Gods. The force was so powerful, they were both swallowed by the intense light.

 **(So, turn the light switch on!)** Both of them landed on the arena's floor, turning to each other before they leaned forward, and gave each other a passionate kiss to emphasize the moment.

* * *

The next day, Issei and Vali were in their classroom, talking with their fellow students about the upcoming field trip.

"Vali, you're mom's awesome! I can't believe she set up this whole trip for us!" Matsuda praised.

The Lucifer heiress chuckled at that.

"My mom and I can't take all the credit, Rias' father is on the school board, and helped her get the approval. When that was done, she just had to pay all of the travel expenses for us." Vali replied.

"And there's the fact my, Katase, and Murayama's grandparents all live there. They also helped pitch in." Issei replied.

Hearing that, the Kendo duo remembered that.

"Oh yeah, I forgot they live there. Now we'll finally get to meet them." Katase recalled.

"My new sister's getting picked up there as well, so you'll get to meet her as well." Issei added.

Kiryuu coughed a bit.

"Glad you're excited, though it might be a good idea to get our field trip schedules ready?" She reminded them.

"Actually, that's already taken care of." Vali replied.

She pulled out a list showing every location they'd be visiting, and when they would be seeing it.

"My mom has everyone set to see everything, and scheduled all the groups for a chance to see them." She smiled.

"Once again Vali, your mom is awesome!" Motohama praised.

Vali blushed again, and as she did, Issei began looking at the window. Shortly after he did, a recent memory began to surface in his head.

* * *

_Issei jumped into the air, making everyone stare at him before he spun around, simply throwing a bunch of magic blasts at him. Upon seeing this, Ineelana widened her eyes slightly._

_'His attacks are so sloppy, why isn't he showing the same finesse he's shown with Murakumo?' She thought._

_Taking a moment, she suddenly rubbed a finger on her chin._

_'Wait, now that I think of it... didn't he fight Riser Peerage without any weapons? He could only use the Knight's speed. No, more than that, he had to use his fists and magic, and... the latter looked better than this.' She wondered, squinting in further thought._

_"Damn it, I'm not getting through." Issei panted a bit._

_Sairaorg noticed the same thing as the Leviathan Heiress, especially after recalling Issei's initial move._

_"Don't tell me... is that your limit?" He inquired._

_"Huh? No, this isn't my limit, it's just..." Issei replied, struggling to give a proper answer._

_That was enough of an answer for the Bael Heir._

_"Let's stop our battle here." Sairaorg decided, crossing his arms._

_"Huh!?" Issei was surprised by that._

_Everyone else gave a similar reaction, though Ineelana quickly pieced it together._

_"Guess my thoughts were right." Ineelana stated, heading back to her Mansion._

_Lilith sighed, nodding her head._

_"This battle has been concluded without a result." She announced._

_Issei was confused, looking at her and then Sairaorg._

_"I don't get it, why just suddenly stop like that? You'd normally keep going until you or your opponent fell." He questioned._

_"Because your first and last attacks have told me enough. If we fought, then I wouldn't be getting the fight I want, because you're not living up to your full strength." Sairaorg explained._

_"Huh?" Issei blinked._

_Riser suddenly widened his eyes, noticing the same thing Sairaorg and Ineelana had._

_"Back when you fought in your first Rating Game, you didn't have the Murakumo, even in its form of Ascalon. The only thing you had was your own strength, physical and magical. Despite that, the moment you suddenly got your hands on a sword, you acted like that was the only thing you could use. In all your fights, it seemed like that was the only power you had available."_

_"You had your Ethereal Light, the Boosted Gear's natural abilities, even the powers tied to your body having a stronger connection to Chakra over Magic... yet it seems like Murakumo's the only thing you'll use. If it doesn't work, you just throw anything else until it helps, or lets Murakumo finally do some damage. If you want my honest opinion... you and Vali should have been able to beat Rias much more easily than you actually did."_

_Issei and Vali's eyes widened at that, with most of the crowd going into shock at that claim. It wasn't because it was an insult, it wasn't because they couldn't believe it, and it wasn't anything negative._

_The problem was Sairaorg trained so much in his life, such a claim from him had strong weight to it._

_"U-uh..." Issei felt his eye twitch as he said it._

_If he had turned his head to Vali, he'd have notice she was giving a similar reaction, but a slight tremble of her body instead of a twitching eye._

**_["Finally! I was hoping this guy would realize it himself, but nope! He's failed to notice this, and I'm fairly certain that Albion's had the same thoughts about Vali's standings right now."]_ ** _Ddraig shouted, relieved by the Bael Heir's reply._

_"Wait, so you agree with him?" Issei replied with wide eyes._

**_["I've lived for nearly forever. Making it sound like I'm blind enough to miss this is like saying pigs can fly without wings, without magical aid."]_ ** _Ddraig answered._

_Issei flinched at that, having no possible retort against that._

_"T-then..."_

**_["You're a one trick pony, Issei. The battle against Rias was proof that you're barely willing your way to victory. For someone that's a Queen Piece, you fight more like you're a Knight with no magical ability, or amazing strength without boosting your power."]_ ** _Ddraig confirmed, being blunt out of necessity._

_The Red Dragon Emperor sighed, feeling disappointed at himself._

_It was at that moment Sairaorg put a hand on Issei's shoulder._

_"Use that frustration and damage to your pride, and grow stronger to tear those truths into lies by using your full potential. That first punch was enough to show me that. I fact, this might be the best time for you to realize this, because it feels like you and Vali might be on the verge of some kind of evolution." He stated._

_Hearing that last part, Issei's eyes widened._

_"When you finally become your strongest self, then we'll fight again." Sairaorg promised._

_Lilith smiled at that._

_"And you'll have the perfect opportunity for that soon enough." She replied._

_"That's right, the eventual International version of this tournament you're planning for every faction to join." Sairaorg smirked._

_This caught the crowd's attention._

_"Aw man, you found out?" Lilith chuckled, rubbing her head._

_"Wait, so he's..." Issei replied._

_"He's right, I'm eventually planning to make a tournament after Hell's freed, and we can share some of our technology to the other Factions." Lilith confirmed._

_Lilith put a hand on Issei's head._

_"You'll have some powerful rivals who'll want the chance at fighting you, so make sure you gain the strength they want for a good fight." The Devil Queen smiled, hoping she encouraged him._

_Issei's eyes shook for a bit, staring at Lilith's words to him._

_'Sairaorg... he got strong because he went past his limits. He didn't grow as the traditional Bael, even if he's awakened the Power of Destruction since then, and grew as himself. I didn't grow up knowing I was a Hero until recently, and didn't train with a sword or weapon like most did. That's right, I began knowing I was nothing more than the Sekiryuutei, meaning I have to find my own fighting style!' He realized._

_At that moment, he nodded with an expression filled with a powerful sense of resolve and determination._

_Bumping his fist with Sairaorg, he set his promise._

* * *

Right as his thoughts ended, he began hearing a voice.

"Issei? Earth to Issei, are you there?" Vali asked, poking his shoulder.

"Huh?"

The White Dragon Empress sighed as she looked at him.

"I've been trying to get your attention for a while now. Ravel's having a bit of a... situation." Vali warned him.

Issei groaned at that, not liking the sound of that.

"Oh no, what happened?" He asked.

"Well, nothing really happened per say..." Vali replied, scratching her head.

And now Issei was just confused.

* * *

In the Class where most of the First-Year students tied to the Supernatural were placed, Ravel was seen surrounded by a few students, with said Supernatural students all currently absent from the room aside from herself.

"So, tell us all about where you're from?" A student asked.

"Phoenix is such a cool last name, it's like a superhero!" Another student praised.

Ravel smiled at them, but a slight sweat could be noticed.

"This Class is big on oversea transfer students. Not that long ago, we got this total cutie named Asia!" A third student remarked.

She gave a friendly laugh, with the twin Dragons picking in.

"Lady Phenex just had her transfer here, so I wanted to check in on her. It seems like she's really nervous." Vali remarked.

"I know, thought she'd be more comfortable with that noble lady vibe of hers." He agreed.

At that moment, Issei noticed who was missing.

"Hey, where's everyone else?" Issei asked.

"Not sure about most of them, but I know that right now, Asia's with Kiyome for her Tamer training." Vali replied.

Before Issei could answer, both of them moved back as Ravel walked out of the room.

"Hey, you alright in there?" Vali asked.

Ravel sighed a bit, shaking her head.

"I've never had to transfer schools before, and unlike you, Rias, or Sona, I've never had any experience being in a Human school. I'm not sure how to act when I know Humans don't really have the same systems that Lady Lilith wants to eventually abolish when you win the Tournament." Ravel admitted.

"Oh... yeah, I guess being used to Human Schools at a young age would make us more comfortable with this." Vali realized, a slight sweat drop on her face.

"What about your fellow Devils and such?" Issei asked.

Ravel trailed off on that, recalling how things went anytime that she tried talking with Shirone or Kuroka.

"Eh... never mind then." He awkwardly replied.

Vali gave an awkward chuckle, right as Issei's soon to be Bishop looked at her.

"Something up?" Vali asked.

"Well... since you recently had Sairaorg tell you and Issei about where you're lacking, my brother realized how things changed since your game with him. Because of that, he wanted me to tell you that he's offering to show you the complete form of his fighting style." Ravel answered.

"Complete? As in he can't use it himself?" Issei questioned.

"Exactly as it sounds. From what I can tell, there's a few factors involved, but I think the biggest one is he's not fast enough to use it in a completed state." Ravel confirmed.

Vali hummed a bit, recalling the way Riser fought.

"Tell Riser that I'm interested. One thing I'm sure of is that it'd be too hard for me to completely change being an expert in magic, but that doesn't mean I can't figure out a way to use it that's not simply blasting out spells until something gives." Vali decided.

"Alright, I'll let him know when I get the chance." Ravel smiled.

Someone's throat cleared itself at that moment, making the three turn to see Asia behind them, with a busty young woman with long, brown hair, in multiple drill-like curls.

"Oh, hey there Kiyome, are you and Asia done with today's training?" Issei asked.

"I am. She's definitely learning fast, though on the downside, it seems that Rassei doesn't behave well with any of my male beasts. A good chunk of the time was spent on breaking up those arguments." Kiyome answered, a slight bead of sweat dripping down her face.

Vali sweated at that, giving an awkward chuckle.

"I see... either way, thanks for being so willing to help Asia learn how to be a Dragon Tamer." She replied.

"No biggie, it's a good way to kill some time. Then there's the fact I did owe Rias for agreeing to become her new Rook after she trades Rossweisse." Kiyome replied, waving her hand.

The twin Dragons showed surprise at that, making Kiyome flinch.

"Crud, that was meant to be a secret... don't tell her I let that slip." Kiyome requested.

"We heard nothing." Issei promised.

Asia giggled a bit, with got Issei's attention as he remembered Ravel's situation.

"Hey, Asia?" He asked, getting her attention.

* * *

Back at the Akane Mansion, the sight of Issei looking at a bunch of information Ravel had given him was seen, with him scratching his head as he tried to take in everything without losing his cool from it.

"Man, studying all of this is almost overwhelming... though I can't really complain about it. With how I'm becoming an Ultimate-Class Devil compared to most, these are high standards, especially when the Strongest Longinus user is one of our foes." He sighed.

 **["Glad to see that you're at least taking this serious."]** Ddraig replied.

The Red Dragon Emperor sighed again, leaning back with crossed arms, while recalling how his first meeting with Cao Cao went.

"I have to... the way Cao Cao spoke that day, he was clearly showing his strength." Issei remarked.

Ddraig hummed a bit, then nodded his head.

 **["True, and you still haven't even seen what he can do with the True Longinus."]** Ddraig realized.

"However, that doesn't mean it's impossible to defeat him." Lilith replied.

Turning his head, Issei saw the Devil Queen walking up to him.

"Lilith, you need something?" He asked.

"Not a bit, I just thought I'd see how you were handling this. Especially after Sairaorg gave you that harsh, but in my opinion, also necessary criticism on you and Vali falling into a single pattern of battle." She replied.

Issei chuckled, rubbing his head.

"Speaking of which, how are you going to get around the Murakumo issue he emphasized?" Lilith inquired.

"Decided to use Penetrate to get a small shard of it off, as the sword heals itself from any damage. That way I can use those powers by the shard into my Boosted Gear, and use it without Murakumo itself, which I've decided to pass full time to Homura." He answered.

Lilith smiled at that, liking what he had considered so far.

"You're definitely doing a good job acting like a planning leader. I'm sure that everyone who joins you on this massive field trip will be confident that you're leading them for every decision." Lilith praised.

Issei gave a bashful blush at that.

"Oh, there's two things that I'll need to give you before you leave tomorrow. For the first, it needs to arrive, and the second is still being finished up by Ajuka. You'll need both of them when you reach Kyoto." Lilith remembered.

"Alright, and I'll have Ddraig remind me just in safe." Issei replied in understanding.

 **["Got it."]** Ddraig replied.

Lilith walked out of the room, hiding the embarrassed sweat drop on her face.

'I better prepare to tell him how set up this whole thing was when it's over. The Hero Faction won't be able to stay moles after this is done.' She thought.

And yet for some reason, there was a bad feeling she wasn't able to shake off, but she wasn't sure what was causing it.

* * *

Cao Cao held a magic circle to his ear; hearing Liu Bei talk to him.

〖"Everything's been set up. Nainen and the Youkai are believing this is the real deal, but the local Gods know the truth. We're ready for the arrival of the White Dragon Empress' group."〗 Liu Bei stated.

"Got it, rendezvous back with us at Point K, and we'll set ourselves up from there." Cao Cao replied.

Dispelling the magic circle, he looked at the Elites that were with him.

"Jeanne just gave Liu Bui the confirmation. Tomorrow, they'll be arriving to Kyoto with their entire school's High School division." He alerted them.

"Then we'll need to begin the plan. I just hope things don't get too messy, considering what the situation will need to be." Georg replied, adjusting his glasses.

Leo shrugged at that, lazily looking at Jingu.

"We already caused a mess for what we did, seeing as Jingu utterly failed at making sure Yasaka's kid was alright." Leo stated.

"Oh, shut up. You didn't exactly bother creating monsters to locate her after the fact." She glared at him.

Hercules smashed his fists together, causing the two to jump.

"This is no time to argue with each other. For now, we need to ready ourselves, or we'll risk being seen as suspicious to the Khaos Brigade. If that happens, we lose our chance to renew Trihexa's seal." Cao Cao reminded them.

The two quickly relented, and the group began to follow, though Cao Cao didn't notice Jingu's cruel smile.

'You have little to worry about, my father's plans will make sure of that.' She thought darkly, giving a silent chuckle.

* * *

With everything set up, all of Kuoh Academy's students began gathering at the train station on the following day. As the students began boarding, Issei was seen being held an ID talisman by Lilith.

"This will be your proof that you were given permission by the Shinto Deities to enter Kyoto, and make sure the Youkai don't mistake you for a threat by the card's unique Chakra signal." The Devil Queen explained.

"I get it, this is the equivalent of when Izanagi brought me to meet Homura and Nainen." Issei realized.

Lilith nodded her head, confirming his words.

"That's right, just like those two went on ahead to meet you as part of keeping up the illusion. Now, for the last thing you'll need..." She replied.

Issei watched as Lilith handed him something like a black passport.

"Uh... what is this exactly?" He asked.

"Because you'll be leading the charge while you're there, the Kings aren't allowed to interfere, meaning all Promotions will need to happen through your request. This also makes you decide which Promotions to use, while locking out the ability to promote anyone into a Queen." Lilith explained.

"Ah, so this is how he'll activate the Promotions on his request." Vali realized.

Right as that was done, the sound of the train's bell going off was heard, signaling to the Second-Years that they could now board.

"Better hurry." Jeanne stated.

The Second-Years began boarding the train, but before Issei and Vali could do the same, Lilith grabbed their hands.

"One last thing you two should know? Azazel told me that by now, it should be possible to communicate with your past possessors, as they've likely cleaned up most if not the entire mess from the Juggernaut Chimera debacle." Lilith revealed.

"Really!?" Vali replied in surprise.

"Why would we need to talk with them?" Issei asked, looking confused.

"Do you two remember how Sairaorg said he believes you two are nearing some kind of evolution? I believe that your possessors may know the answer to this, which might even relate to why Great Red and Ophis gave you new titles beyond the Sekiryuutei and Hakuryuukou." Lilith explained.

Both of them widened their eyes at that.

"You'll have to dive deep into your own consciousness for this, so I'd advice doing it on the train. There's also quite likely that most of your predecessors won't talk with you. However, if you dig deep enough... I'm sure you'll eventually find an answer to properly use the true power of your Dragons, and not create something like the Juggernaut Drive." Lilith said confidently, hoping to encourage them.

"Alright, we'll try it." Vali promised.

Lilith smiled, and watched as they got on the train. It wasn't too long after that everyone headed off to Kyoto.

Once they did, Ddraig and Albion walked up to her.

"That's quite the homework you've given those two, let's see if they figure it out while we keep watch over this town." Ddraig smirked.

"I think they can." Lilith smiled.

"As do we, but it's the how and when that we're more interested it." Albion remarked.

At that moment, the trains left Kuoh Town's borders.

* * *

Yuuma was seen with a green face as her motion sickness on trains kicked in.

"Whoa, are you alright?" Kiryuu asked.

"Trains make me motion sick..." Yuuma groaned, her cheeks puffing.

Kelsey walked up to her, holding out some ginger ale and crackers. Yuuma turned to her, then grabbed them with her hands.

"Thank you..." Yuuma smiled weakly.

Opening the can, she immediately began chugging down the beverage.

"Whoa! Slow down there, or it'll have the opposite effect!" Kelsey warned.

"I don't think she hears you anymore." Kiryuu replied.

Meanwhile, the sight of Kiba walking up to Arthur was seen, getting his attention.

"Hey there, mind if I sit here for a moment?" He asked.

"I assume you have something you need to ask about?" Arthur questioned.

Kiba nodded, sitting down.

"In case something comes up, I figured it might be a good idea to mark places we can check in with everyone during our few free periods in the trip." Kiba suggested.

Arthur put a finger to his chin, humming a bit.

"Yes, we should ask the Shinto trio about that, possibly even Kunou or Nainen if needed." Arthur agreed, while mentioning other options.

And then at the very back seats, a few students were taking a nap, with Issei and Vali appearing to be one of them. A few of the students may have found it cute they were cuddling in their sleep, but none of them knew they weren't truly sleeping...

* * *

As his eyes were closed, Issei felt his consciousness begin to sink deep within the Boosted Gear's framework. After phasing through a blazing sea of flames, he landed in a realm of red, finally opening his eyes.

"Does this mean I made it?" He questioned.

Looking around for a bit, he put a finger to chin, and realized there was only one way to know for sure.

"Ddraig, are you here!?" He shouted.

"Well, looks like you've come to visit me for once!" A familiar voice replied, chuckling a bit.

Seeing a shadow looming over him, Issei turned around before letting a hoarse gasp at Ddraig's true form as a Dragon, being much larger than his wife was.

"Holy shit!" Issei exclaimed.

"This is the first time you've seen what I looked like as a Dragon, are you impressed?" Ddraig smirked.

"Biggest understatement of the whole millennia!" Issei shouted.

Remember why he came into his Longinus in the first place, he shook his head to regain his focus.

"Hey Ddraig, know where I can find my past possessors?" He inquired.

"Can't say for certain, but I know a certain crowd of them seems to be gathered somewhere around the northern area." Ddraig answered.

Nodding his head, Issei went towards that direction.

He eventually found that location after walking for a few minutes, and once he got there, he saw the sight of the kind of seats you'd see in theater performances. Sitting on it looked to be around five dozen people wearing white robes, all with dead looks.

"Uh... hey there, you're all some of my predecessors, right?" He greeted, sweating a bit.

They all briefly glanced at him, but then they all just looked away. It seemed the theory that his predecessors may not bother talking to him was true.

"Let's see... I'm the 100th to have Ddraig's power, so it looks like half of those who came before me don't really care." He said to himself.

 **["I'm fairly sure all of them were aiding the Juggernaut Chimera when it was birthed, so the purge of negative power has left them in this state."]** Ddraig responded.

"So, they all hate me?" Issei asked, looking at his left hand.

 **["It isn't hate. More accurately, they just don't know how else to react because they drowned in such emotions. They're lost because they lack the one thing they had while in here... pretty sad story for such your past lives when you ended up proving the curse was not absolute."]** Ddraig explained.

Issei looked at them, and did notice their expressions were kind of broken.

"Wow..." He breathed.

Among those seated, he saw one particular boy around his age.

"Wow, this one seems pretty young." He realized.

 **["My 77th host, who had the most innate talent at birth. I believe his name was Wu Chan if my memory's right. However, that talent was his own downfall, as he unlocked his Juggernaut Drive at a young age. I don't think I need to say way happened."]** Ddraig shared his story.

Issei sighed, clearly seeing where things went for him.

"I, who shall awaken... I am the Red Heavenly Dragon who stole the principles of Domination from God." Issei said, recalling the first verse of the chant.

 **["You seem interested in that former power's chant, penny for your thoughts?"]** Ddraig questioned.

"Yeah, just wondering if that has a connection to why everyone here got into such a state? The only verse that I can understand anything from is the third." Issei answered.

He clenched his left fist while thinking about it, looking to the sky.

"Mocking the infinite must be an insult to Ophis, as she gave birth to Albion, while fretting over the dream is definitely talking about Great Red." Issei assumed.

"Exactly, you worry over your fellow Red Dragon, as he gave you life." A voice answered.

Issei's eyes widened, turning around to see who spoke it, as he swore he was somewhat familiar with it. The moment he did, the sight of a man with dark green hair and a slight stubble of a beard was seen, wearing a black suit of sorts with a cape.

 **["Ah, it's been a while, Belzard."]** Ddraig smirked.

Belzard chuckled at that, with Issei blinking as how normal he seemed compared to the other Sekiryuutei inside his Longinus.

"Uh, Ddraig... a little 411 here?" Issei asked.

 **["This is your immediate predecessor, and the final Sekiryuutei if we go by my father rechristening your title. This is the man who earned the title of my strongest possessor."]** Ddraig revealed.

Issei gasped, realizing this was the possessor that had fallen in love with his time's Hakuryuukou, which had left Vali worried because they had failed to defy fate like they had.

"Wait a minute... now I recognize your voice, form when I unlocked my DxD G form!" He realized.

"You got it kid, and it's impressive you remembered my voice all that time." Belzard confirmed.

Issei chuckled awkwardly.

 **["He may have an odd sense of humor, but his strength is the real deal. In his time, he killed the 97th and 98th Hakuryuukou, as well as the hosts of his time's True Longinus and Annihilation Maker."]** Ddraig stated.

Hearing that, the Red Dragon Emperor gasped, his eyes going white.

"You beat two of them!? Holy crap you had to have been around for like a century if that's the case!" He exclaimed.

"Pretty much, and it seemed like fighting would be what I'd always do... until I met my beloved Elsha that is." Belzard replied, sighing a bit.

"Let me guess, Elsha's the Strongest Hakuryuukou that was Vali's predecessor?" Issei assumed.

Ddraig said nothing, which Issei took as him being right.

"We fell in love, but we couldn't stop the cycle, and our predecessors awakened our Juggernaut Drives... leading to our ends." Belzard stated.

"What did me and Vali do that made us succeed? Do you know?" Issei inquired.

"It was fairly simple. From the moment you two met, neither of you wished to fight the other, nor did you seek combat. What saved you and let you succeed was that strong bond evading a love of combat." Belzard revealed.

Issei's eyes widened, surprised to hear he had succeeded all this time without even knowing it.

 **["Well... that was anti-climactic."]** Ddraig chuckled awkwardly.

"Either way, I have something for you." Belzard stated.

He held out a red and gold box, making Issei look at it, and sense a strong power within.

"What is this?" He asked.

"The potential you can awaken, the full strength of Ddraig himself. The Juggernaut Drive was a forced attempt at this. The first wielders were both warlords hungry for power and control, and they tried to force this power out. Unfortunately, this didn't work the way they intended, and they corrupted part of the power. It led to a curse, which lay siege to heart, gnawing away at them piece by piece... especially by clinging to doubts and/or negative emotions." Belzard explained.

 **["Of course, that's why I couldn't remember why the curse began. I was left unconscious from something my first host had done."]** Ddraig remembered.

"And... you think I can unlock this safely?" He asked.

"Yes, which is why Great Red gave you a new title. That there is when he gave you the key." Belzard confirmed, smiling as he said it.

Issei's chest glowed, showing a red key forming.

"Be cautious with what you do next. While I'm certain this isn't the fate you'll receive, this kind of power can destroy you, considering what happened the first time. Be cautious of what comes next after you open it." Belzard warned.

"I understand." Issei promised.

Putting the key in the box, it suddenly glowed, making Issei squint as the light blurred his vision.

* * *

Vali was in a similar situation to Issei, and ended up at the moment where she was seeing the empty predecessors within the Divine Dividing's frame. Where most of Issei's were male, the reverse was true for her case.

"I, who shall awaken... I am the White Heavenly Dragon who claimed the principles of Supremacy from God." Vali said, thinking about that chant.

 **("Something about that chant that's on your mind, Vali?")** Albion inquired.

"Yeah, namely what is stands for... I only get the part about longing for the infinite, and envying the dream. That's gotta relate to Ophis and Great Red, and the fact the former's your mother." Vali mentioned.

Scratching her head, she tried to figure out something.

"If only there was someone who knew more to help me see deeper into this." She sighed.

"There is." A voice answered.

Vali blinked, looking around for someone, only to jump back when they appeared in front of her. It was a blonde woman with wavy hair that was in a ponytail. She was wearing a purple dress that resembled something a royal court mage in certain anime might wear.

"Glad to see that my successor inherited my beauty, your man's quite the lucky one." She replied.

 **("Elsha, good to see you again.")** Albion greeted.

"Successor... wait, then you're the Strongest Hakuryuukou!" Vali realized.

Elsha giggled a bit.

"The very one. At least, that's what people say because I matched Belzard after his achievements, though only after I killed the hosts for the Dimension Lost and Zenith Tempest of my time." Elsha confirmed.

Vali's eyes went white, blinking a few times before reverting to normal.

"My sweet Belzard's likely dragging things out with Issei, so let me give you the full story without wasting time." Elsha decided.

Putting a finger on Vali's head, the White Dragon Empress felt the same info as Issei flow through her in an instant. Albion's eyes widened through the Divine Dividing upon recalling the JD's origins.

"Whoa... that was a rush." Vali breathed, taking a moment to let it all sink in.

"My apologies for that, but I figure it'll be odd if you and Issei don't wake up at the same moment. I've come to bring you this." Elsha replied.

The box that Issei saw reappeared, but this one was white and silver to represent it came from Albion.

"A box?" She blinked.

"Not just any box, it's a box holding the height of Albion's power that none before you have ever managed to obtain, not without that accursed Juggernaut Drive. As I showed you, the curse's origins were quite horrible... truth be told, me and Belzard's last moments were horrible because we knew we failed despite our efforts. However, you changed that the moment Issei and you made your promise." Elsha replied.

Vali's eyes widened at that, looking closer.

"OK, but... how do I open it?" Vali questioned.

Elsha giggled at that, confusing Vali.

"Didn't Ophis give you a key last time you spoke? Perhaps one tied to the title that replaced your previous one?" Elsha asked.

"I'm not following..." Vali answered.

However, the answer quickly showed up as a white key left her chest, surprising her.

"Oh... never mind." Vali chuckled awkwardly.

"Your story is an interesting one, and that show based on it made me fairly happy after so long. You're an interesting host for Albion, so promise me you'll give us a new light of hope for us all." Elsha requested.

"Not sure if I can, but I'll at least try." Vali answered.

Putting the key in the box, the Lucifer Heiress got hit by the same blinding light as Issei.

* * *

At that moment, the two suddenly woke up at the same time, and then looked at each other.

"Whoa... that was strange." Issei remarked.

"But wait, the box... where'd it go? No, where did what was inside of it go?" Vali questioned.

Their respective hands lit up.

 **[No worries, you definitely opened them.]** Ddraig reassured them.

 **(However, both of your potentials flew out. My guess is they need to do something before returning)** Albion mentioned.

They both looked confused.

"Why would they need to do that?" Issei questioned, scratching his head.

Suddenly, they heard Matsuda scream, flailing around like he was in pain.

"Matsuda, what's wrong!?" Katase panicked.

"Motohama? What's wrong, are you sick?" Murayama asked.

The twin Dragons turned to see Motohama looked like he was internally made into an empty husk, looking all drained.

 **[Oh boy... I don't like what that's implying.]** Ddraig realized.

 **(It looks like Issei's potential is giving those it flies through too much energy, while Vali's is sapping it away.)** Albion remarked.

Issei and Vali gulped at that, going blue in the face.

Luckily, at that moment, the effects went away, and the two suddenly went back to normal.

"Whoa... I think I had an adrenaline rush out of nowhere!" Matsuda panted.

"Weird, how'd I suddenly get so lethargic?" Motohama wondered.

Kiryuu's eyes motioned to the twin Dragons, giving them a certain look as she raised her eyebrow.

'Looks like those two accidentally did something that effected those two. Maybe it's time I let them know how much I _really_ know.' Kiryuu realized, smirking a bit.

"Kiryuu, what's with that face?" Yuuma asked.

* * *

Everyone of Kuoh Academy's students was now off the train, looking at the city in question as some of the staff helped them get through.

"Wow, this place is amazing!" Xenovia remarked.

"Yeah, such a beautiful place." Vali agreed.

As everyone prepared to head to the hotel they would be staying out, a scream was heard. The sight of one of the women staff members holding herself like she was burning was seen. Not only that, a male staff member was lying on the ground, drooling in a half-asleep state.

"Help me, it feels like I'm burning up!" She screamed in pain.

A few of the students looked a bit concerned at that.

"Weird, it seems like there's an epidemic with some people getting too much energy that it hurts them, and those just collapsing like anemia." Kiryuu stated.

"I didn't hear anything about an epidemic, you don't think it's contagious, do you?" Murayama wondered worriedly.

Issei and Vali struggled to keep poker faces.

Soon enough, everyone got to a hotel that had been constructed by Serafall, and boy was everyone shocked.

"This is a 5-Star Hotel, best field trip ever!" Katase exclaimed.

"Everyone, listen up!" Rossweisse announced.

All the students looked at her, and she cleared her throat for a moment.

"You may have noticed form the station that some people seem to be randomly having energy spikes in the form of either an increase or decrease. We're going to try getting answers, but for now? Stay in your groups, and be careful of anything you touch. Everyone understand?" Rossweisse announced.

"We understand!" Everyone replied.

As everyone went to their rooms, Issei sighed in relief, looking at Rossweisse.

"Thanks for covering that for us." Issei stated.

"Be lucky it works with any strange happenings that may occur from the Hero Faction, otherwise that excuse would die fairly quick." Rossweisse sighed.

She tossed him a key, which he caught.

"Your grandparents set a special room for everyone to meet in if needed. As they helped get this trip going, it shouldn't raise too many eyes." She mentioned.

"Uh, are you OK?" He asked.

"No, thanks to you and Vali, I had to follow up on this whole mess from your potential... at this rate I'll need a drink." Rossweisse answered.

Issei gave an awkward chuckle as she left, with Vali blushing in embarrassment.

"Sorry about that Rossweisse..." Vali apologized.

* * *

In a certain area, Issei and Vali's group was gathered, consisting of most of the usual group, along with Motohama, Matsuda, Katase, Murayama, and Kiryuu; all of them were standing in place, waiting for something.

"OK, are we waiting for someone?" Kiryuu asked.

"Yeah, remember our group guides? Ours will be my new sister and a friend of hers. Guess they're a little late." Issei mentioned.

He threw his hand a certain way to give a cue, showing the two were on the roof, Kunou being in her Kyuubi form. With the signal given, both of them dropped down into a blind spot that left no one to notice they jumped off the roof.

"Sorry that we're late!" Homura said cheerfully.

Everyone turned, seeing the two standing by them, with Issei smiling.

"Ah, there you are Homura, Kunou." He greeted.

Kunou gave an odd look at the perverted duo looked at her, making her a bit uncomfortable.

"Whoa, is this girl some shrine princess?" Matsuda asked.

"Is she the new sister-" Motohama asked.

Both of them suddenly got knocked aside as Kiryuu hugged her.

"Ah, such a cutie!" Kiryuu cooed, showing a different side to her.

"Unhand me you foul-mouthed Demon plebeian!" Kunou said, clearly disliking it.

Kelsey blinked at her usage of the word Demon.

'Why did that feel specific to this scenario?' She wondered, looking at Kiryuu strangely.

"Bonus, you even talk like a princess! Let me take her home!" Kiryuu squeed.

Homura immediately intervened and pulled them apart.

"I wouldn't take Kunou anywhere, not unless you want to invoke the wrath of the royal shrine family." Homura warned her, wagging her finger.

After that, she bowed to everyone.

"Glad to meet you all. I'm the new sister Issei's likely told you about, Homura Akane." She smiled.

"So, you're our new cousin?" Murayama greeted back, smiling.

Issei smiled at how quickly the three got along, and kneeled by Kunou while everyone was distracted.

"Anything I should know?" Issei whispered.

"My sister hasn't seen anything just yet, but we've got Youkai on high alert." Kunou whispered back.

Issei nodded, and soon everyone had their attention back on her.

"Everyone, let's head to our first stop." Kunou smiled.

* * *

The group began walking through thousands of gates, with Issei sweating at how many there were.

"Kunou, just how far do we have to go?" Issei questioned.

"Up the whole mountain." Kunou answered.

Issei gasped loudly, shocked by that revelation. Homura took the opportunity to give him a teasing laugh.

"I know a way to get Issei motivated... race you!" Murayama shouted.

"Seconded!" Katase replied.

The two rushed ahead, making Issei's eyes widened.

"Wait, don't!" Issei panicked for a different reason than they'd think.

"Oh, this could be bad." Vali agreed.

The perverted duo looked confused, unaware of the whole scheme of things.

Meanwhile, at the top of the gates, a shrine was seen. Realizing they had made it to the top, the two cousins gave each other a high five.

"Since we're here first, let's use the time to make our wishes." Katase suggested.

"Right." Murayama agreed.

As they prepared to walk up to it...

"So, you're some of the Red Dragon's allies." Someone said.

Both of them looked around, confused where the voice came from... right as a bunch of Daeva suddenly moved into view. Jumping from above, the sight of pale blonde-haired girl with deathly white skin was seen.

"Who are these people?" Murayama questioned.

"Red Dragon? Uh... sorry, but I think you have the wrong people. Dragons are real." Katase replied, giving her an odd look.

The girl glared.

"Your attempts to deceive me are futile. Daeva soldiers, kill them both!" The woman shouted.

Hearing that, the two suddenly panicked as a bunch of weapons were drawn towards them. It was clear that this wasn't some funny joke, but a real life or death experience they had gotten themselves into.

"Run!" They both screamed.

Both of them tried running from the Daeva, struggling to evade their attacks. At that moment, the noticed the forest.

"Quick, we can shout for help as we run down!" Katase shouted.

They both dived that way, screaming as they did. Issei quickly noticed them rushing by as the Daeva gave chase.

"What are those!?" He shouted.

"Those are Daeva, but why are they here?" Vali questioned.

The perverted duo was confused.

"Uh... Issei, Vali? What are you talking about?" Matsuda asked.

Issei grunted.

"They're in danger... secrets out everyone!" He decided.

Issei's disguise vanished, making the two screamed in surprise, while Kiryuu didn't seem surprised in the slightest... not that anyone noticed because of the situation they were in.

"Irina, rush ahead and intercept while we catch up to them!" Issei ordered.

The Half-Angel nodded, vanishing with her Knight speed, while the others rushed around the gates to meet them. Homura grabbed the duo and Kiryuu so they weren't left unguarded.

As the kendo duo kept running, they soon got caught.

"This is it... we're dead." Murayama cried, closing her eyes as she hugged Katase close.

Right as they expected death...

*CLANG*

Both of them opened their eyes, seeing seven copies of Irina block the attacks, with white wings on her back.

"Irina!?" Katase said in surprise.

"You two alright?" She asked.

The Daeva jumped back, while the sight of the mysterious woman came into view.

"So, the infamous daughter of Gabriel... your expecting King too chicken for facing us himself?" She mocked.

Right as she said that, she rose a hand as a small black hole formed, causing Issei to launch out in his scale mail, smashing his fist forward. The punch hit her arm, pushing her back a bit.

"Ah, so the fabled Issei Hyoudou's finally here. Glad to see attacking your family got your attention!" She smirked with a cruel expression.

The kendo duo's eyes widened at that, but were even more shocked from his voice.

"You psychopath, I guess you're an example of how sick and twisted the Hero Faction is!" He shouted.

"Hero Faction? As if I'd aid those pathetic humans, I'm here on my own terms because I just want a shot at you!" She cackled, swinging her arms out to form blades on each of her sleeves.

"Issei, the substitute promotion card!" Kelsey shouted.

He nodded his head, holding it up.

"Yuuma, promote to Knight! Kelsey, promote to Bishop!" He announced.

Silhouettes of those respective pieces showed before they disappeared, with Yuuma immediately disappearing from view. The Daeva were all struck hard, knocking them unconscious.

Kelsey screamed before unleashing her gravity, forcing the girl down.

" **Murakumo!** "

Homura drew her legendary blade, and then dashed at the girl.

"They're right, you're no threat to them." She smirked.

She vanished from view, making Homura tumble into a tree, and making all the Daeva vanish with her.

"Crap, they got away." Vali said through gritted teeth.

Issei dispelled his Scale Mail, making the kendo duo stare at Issei's true form.

"I-Issei?" Murayama said in shock.

"Sorry, right now I can't say anything, but... later on? We'll have... a lot to talk about." Issei answered with a sigh.

The cat was out of the bag now.

* * *

**How's that for a cliffhanger? I think some of you had expected for Murayama and Katase to learn of the supernatural since their Hero lineage had been confirmed, but for Matsuda and Motohama to get dragged into it? That wasn't implied at all. On top of that, it seems Kiryuu is actually aware of things, but has been acting like she hasn't... wonder if that relates to when Kunou called her a Demon?**

**Now, for those of you who are wondering about the scene with Sairaorg saying that Issei and Vali are getting predictable? That came from me realizing that was exactly how I began starting to write them. I was worried if I'd need to fix it, but when I remembered how this arc has Issei gaining potential to use the Triaina near the end of Volume 9, so... it worked out perfectly for me ^^**

**So far, it seems that Issei's Exam is going off rail, because we have someone not from the Hero Faction sticking her nose in, even if it was just once. The whole test before this was set by Lilith through Jeanne's intermediary status, but now there's a real threat mixed in that could threaten not just Issei's chances... it could threaten the safety of everyone in Kyoto, including their fellow Kuoh Academy students.**

**I will say the Hero Faction still takes the main threat of the arc, but aside from that? Anything else goes, as this arc still needs a genuine threat to it, and the Deva and this mystery girl's appearance are the signals to that. *breathes* Hope that Issei can handle it, though with just a few limited people on his side, he was at least able to keep his cousins safe... though that might not last much longer.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

* * *

** Bust Size of New Female Characters ** **:**

**Kiyome Abe - 95 cm**

* * *

** Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter ** **:**

**None**

* * *

** Pairings List ** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating  
Ddraig/Tiamat - Married  
Albion/Fafnir - Married  
Saji/Sona - Dating  
Gasper/Valerie - Dating  
Kiba/Tosca - Dating  
Sairaorg/Kuisha - Dating  
Rossweisse/Vidar - Chemistry is clearing forming between them  
Hina/Nanami - Dating  
Jeanne/Cao-Cao - Chemistry seems to exist, but the form of it is unknown**


	44. Chapter 44

**This is a big turning point everyone, last chapter ended with the cliffhanger of both the Perverted and Kendo duos learning of the Supernatural (though still unaware of Kiryuu hiding she's the Heiress of the Agrat Clan) through an unexpected attack. As a result of this, our heroes now have to explain things to them, because there's no going back, especially once Katase and Murayama learn they're both Heroes.**

**Oh, and something I'll clarify now is the woman that attacked them in the previous chapter was definitely tied to Jingu, as while no one in-story has realized she's the one genuine villain in the Ancestral Faction, you've all known this for a while. There's no other way she'd been able to get into Kyoto due to the heightened security. As for how they're connected, that's a mystery I can't reveal just yet.**

**Something I'm definitely excited for in this chapter is there's a special scene with Shirone and Kuroka, but I can't say any more about that for now. We'll also get our first appearance of the one Shinto Deity (among the main six that is) that Issei hasn't met, and that I've been trying to how show up for a while: Kagutsuchi, so that'll be an enjoyable scene when I finally get to it.**

**Most of this chapter will be a bit comedic, if only due to how the two duos adjust into becoming new residents of the Supernatural World, though I swear that it won't be for the entire chapter. I do need to show the Ancestral Faction readying the stage for Issei's Promotion Exam, since everyone that's not Jingu has no idea about the unexpected guests that have showed themselves in.**

**Without further ado, let's begin this chapter!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

 **[]** \- Ddraig Talking

 **«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

 **「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

 **【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

 **⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

** Chi **

**One of the three primordial energies that gave life to everything on Earth, and the tied most to the Shinto Pantheon, due to God using it to create Izanagi, and then Izanami to create the first female deity. Among the three, Chi is in the middle ground in terms of strength and usage, as it focuses on one's physical energies and the study of chakra paths. Other factions notable for using it are the Hero Clan, and the Youkai.**

**Chi's most common forms tend to come in the power of Senjutsu, or the power of Touki, with Youkai (and certain Hero Bloodlines) having the exclusive usage of Youjutsu at their disposal. Usage of talismans are also common, and with a stronger focus on the physical body, those who use Chi have stronger senses, and have much greater detection skills, as shown through Issei, Shirone, and Kuroka.**

**Another notable thing about Chi is among the Youkai, certain species have a great level, with the Kyuubi having the greatest due to the connection to Kyoto's Leylines that was formed by Tamamo-no-Mae finding them. Usually, those who do best in Chi are Power-types, due to the focus on one's physical energies, or Wizard-types, due to some of the more mystical uses of it. Issei is an example of the former, while Kuroka is an example of the latter.**

**Potential wise, Issei is an example of someone with great potential by a Hero/Human's standards, while Shirone and Kuroka are this for a Youkai's standards, with all members of the Kyuubi and Kitsunes being this by default. For the reverse, Suiji was someone with horrible potential, with Kelsey mentioning that he was only strong when it came to swordplay and martial arts.**

**Like with all of the primordial energies, those who use Chi best tend to have little skill with Magic or Prana.**

* * *

**_ Season 5, Kyoto Arc: Chapter 2 - Battle of Descendants _ **

Rossweisse sighed, dealing with her usual teacher work, and then noticed a magic circle form in front of her. Issei appeared from it, showing himself in his true form.

"Issei? Why are you not in disguise?" She questioned.

〖"Because we just had a situation... Katase and Murayama got attacked by someone not with the Ancestral Faction, and she brought some Daeva with her. Both of them, along with Matsuda and Motohama, are now aware of the Supernatural."〗 Issei reported.

She slammed her hands down as her eyes widened.

"Are you kidding me!?" She screamed, briefly forgetting where she was at the moment.

She noticed a few people work at her.

"Uh... excuse me for a moment." She chuckled, hiding the magic circle.

Moving into the Ladies' Room, she formed a magic field, and used it to continue talking without any risks or moments like the one she had accidentally caused.

"Alright, so what happened exactly?" She asked.

〖"We were going through the Thousand Gates in our group, and my cousins ran up ahead as a joke... and then they got attacked. I don't even understand the whole reason, but when the attacker brought it up, it seemed like she did it just for her own sadistic pleasures."〗 Issei explained the best he could.

"I see... guess this is something I'll need to tell the Shinto Pantheon, considering we'll be meeting with them tonight. As for the four of them, since they know now, bring them with us so we can thoroughly explain everything. As of now, they're just as involved as the rest of us." Rossweisse replied.

Issei nodded his head.

〖"Alright, we'll try to get back into public view without looking suspicious for now. Good luck."〗 He replied.

The magic circle faded, leaving Rossweisse to give a loud sigh.

"At this rate, I am _so_ gonna end up drinking..." She cried, placing her head on the stall door.

* * *

Kelsey held her hands out, using her magic to restore any damage to the area, while Issei found a spot to revert to his disguised form. The Kendo duo were both shaking, the experience they just went through having left a noticeable effect on them.

Yuuma sweated a bit, wondering how they should help comfort the traumatized duo, and coming up with nothing.

"Uh... anyone have ideas?" She asked.

Awkward silence followed, making the Pawn of Lucifer release a defeated whimper.

"I'm... still confused here." Matsuda admitted.

"Am I crazy, or did Issei actually have breasts for a moment?" Motohama questioned, his Scouting Sight on the fritz.

Kiryuu sighed worriedly, looking at Issei.

"I don't think we're getting through to them within the immediate present." She stated.

"Wait a minute, how come you're taking it like you've seen this before?" Motohama asked, glaring at her with suspicion.

"Simple, because I'm as inhuman as the others here." She answered.

The two duos looked at her, with Kiryuu nodding her head.

"Yep, that was definitely the reaction I was expected from you four." The Agrat Heiress remarked.

Vali cleared her throat, getting everyone's attention.

"I think it might be a good idea for us to get out of Kyoto's Forests before we someone not from the Supernatural finds us here." The Lucifer Heiress suggested.

* * *

Soon enough, the group managed to get themselves back into the public eye without any suspicion. When they did, Vali took a deep breath, deciding to at least give the basic run down of what they could while in a more secluded area.

"Alright, guess we can give you some basic answers. First thing you should know... my real name's Vali Lucifer, and my father is the very Angel that went against God." The silver-haired Heiress revealed.

"No way, then that means you're a Demon!?" Motohama gasped.

Vali shook her head, confusing him.

"No, what I am is a Devil, and the Princess of them no less. Kelsey here is an actual Demon, and what makes is different is that Devils are beings of pure Darkness, while Demons used to be Angels that threw away their Holy Light, but not enough to completely remove it from their veins." She explained.

To give them an example, Irina held out her hand, emitting the glow of the very power just mentioned.

"And I'm an Angel, with Yuuma here being a Fallen Angel, which is an Angel that's been tainted with some darkness because of being cast out of Heaven." She explained.

"I'm a bit different, as I was reincarnated into a Devil after a little... accident in April." Issei chuckled, making Yuuma release a bead of sweat.

Clearing his throat, Issei continued.

"For what I officially am? I'm a special kind of Human known as a Hero, which are Human bloodlines that were blessed by the Gods of the Shinto Pantheon, and allied themselves to the Hero Faction that lives within secret areas of their territory." He explained.

"How does that explain why you seem to actually be a... girl?" Murayama asked.

"Please tell me we're getting that wrong!" Katase begged.

"And you are, but it's a lot more... complex than that." Issei reassured them, giving an awkward chuckle.

Both of them sighed in relief.

"You still look hot in that-" Matsuda stated.

"Don't finish that sentence." Vali interjected, showing a familiar close-eyed smile.

He immediately felt a chill from Vali's aura, and listened.

"Well, best place to start my explanation? You see... my mother is Eve of the Bible." Issei revealed.

The Kendo duo spit out their drinks, prompting Issei's group to duck before the sprays hit any of them, and Homura to grab some napkins to wipe the spray spill that they created after they were finished.

"OK, now you're making things up!" Matsuda shouted in disbelief.

"My big brother's not lying, she is our mother." Homura confirmed.

"Wait, did you just say _our_? As in both of you?" Katase asked, suddenly realizing something.

Issei chuckled a bit.

"Yeah, me and Homura are... biological siblings, meaning my real last name is also Akane." Issei admitted.

All four of them froze, with Motohama's glasses slipping down slightly.

"Now, for why I'm basically a boy in a girl's body? Well, because of how my mom was born from Adam's rib, it seems God didn't realize possible errors that could have come from making her that way. The end result that if she gives birth to a boy, their body will not fit that of the male gender." Issei explained.

"So, it's basically some kind of genetic error, but more magical in nature." Motohama summarized it, fixing his glasses.

"Yeah, that's a good way to explain it." Issei verified.

The four normal members of the group all took a drink of tea and then...

"OK, so... you're basically saying anything that seems like a myth isn't one?" Murayama summed things up.

"Not 100%, but a lot of it is." Vali answered.

"We promise that we'll give you the full story later, but for right now? Let's enjoy our field trip like we're supposed to." Issei smiled, hoping to relieve them.

"Not sure how easy that'll be, but... guess we'll take that advice." Katase reluctantly agreed.

Kiryuu adjusted her glasses, giving a slight chuckle.

"Just know that while it is a fun field trip for all our normal classmates, we didn't choose to come here by coincidence. We're here helping out little Kunou with something important." She asked.

The sound of someone's throat clearing was heard, getting everyone's attention as they saw all the normal guests had suddenly went to sleep.

"Oh no, please tell me this isn't another attack..." Matsuda sweated.

"You don't need to worry, we simply put them asleep to avoid causing any suspicion." A female voice stated.

They all turned to see the sight of Kitsune Youkai walk up to them.

"All of these are Kitsune who serve my family, my big sister must have sent them to pick us up." Kunou realized.

Everyone looked at them, with one of them nodding as a form of confirmation.

"We've been sent to take you to Takama-ga-hara in the Youkai Realm, the call of nightfall signals your meeting with Lord Izanagi and Lady Izanami." The Kitsune explained.

Issei nodded his head, then gave a look at the Kendo and Perverted Duos.

"Well, guess the time to give you the answers we've promised you just happens to be right now." Issei smiled.

They all looked nervous, but soon followed as they were lead to an odd Torii gate, and once they walked through it... most of them of would be in for a big surprise.

* * *

Upon walking through, only Vali, Kunou, and Homura had normal expressions, with everyone else showing complete surprise. They were seeing a realm with dark colors, but a powerful glow everywhere, and the many odd creatures that made the Youkai entered their sights.

"Wow, so this is the Youkai Realm, the home of the Astral and Spiritual Races... it's amazing." Issei breathed, his eyes wide with shock and awe.

"Yep, this is where most Youkai, the Shinto Deities, and a few others call home." Homura answered with a smile.

As they were lead towards Takama-ga-hara, a bunch of the Youkai noticed Issei was walking by, and immediately gasped at the honor of seeing the grandson of their head deities.

"Look, the Red Dragon Emperor really is here!" A kappa exclaimed.

"I can't believe I'm seeing this, where's my camera!?" An Oni panicked, looking for their phone.

Seeing the praise their cousin got, Murayama looked at Issei.

"Are you some kind of celebrity?" She remarked.

"Well, once you get some answers, you'll learn why the Youkai are crazy for my big brother." Homura smiled.

After a bit of walking, they reached a large palace of sorts, where the sight of Izanagi, his wife, and all four of his main children were seen. Nainen and Rossweisse were also present with them, though they were expected for separate reasons.

However, the ones they didn't expect were Tobio, Lavinia, and Sae, making Vali's eyes widened as she saw them.

"There you are, glad everyone made it." Izanagi smiled.

"Good to see you again my little Issei, and a pleasure to meet the rest of you." Izanami greeted, walking to them.

Kunou ran up to Nainen, who gave her a bug hug.

"Who are these people?" Matsuda asked.

Issei turned to the newcomers, and smiled as he held a hand out.

"Starting with the ones not wearing Kimonos of any kind? This is Tobio Ikuse and Sae Toujou, who were tied to the Ryoukuu High Incident, and why all the students safely returned home. The blonde next to them is Lavinia, a Magician that's also Vali's Half-Sister." Issei explained.

"Whoa, so she's a Devil as well?" Motohama questioned, using his Scouting Sight on the woman.

"Oh no, she's Human in every sense. I was originally a Human/Devil hybrid, but sometime after I was adopted by my great grandma Lilith, I had myself turned into her and Lucifer's biological daughter via genetic manipulation that made me a pureblooded Devil." Vali clarified.

"Vali and I were born from the same mother, who had the heritage of a Magician." Lavinia added.

Issei then motioned to the others.

"And these are the Shinto Gods known as Izanagi, Izanami, the Shinto Trio, and... I'm guessing you're my Uncle Kagutsuchi?" Issei continued, looking at the black-haired God for the last part.

"Yes, glad to finally have a chance to meet my nephew in person." Kagutsuchi confirmed.

"Wait, so you're..." Matsuda gasped.

Issei waved his hand, chuckling a bit.

"Not exactly. While they are my family, it's because Izanagi and Izanami adopted my father. See, they his birth parents on a mission when he was a baby, and they never came back, so they adopted him to atone for what happened." He explained.

"Oh, though this at least explains why the Youkai consider you a celebrity" Murayama realized.

"Yeah, though I guess that I'm still somewhat related to them in a biological manner due to how the blessing works, meaning it's not technically wrong to say as such." Issei confirmed.

Izanami smiled at the group.

"How about we go in? The others have already arrived, and you're all lucky starving by now." She suggested.

"Yeah, I could eat." Motohama agreed.

* * *

Inside of the castle, a table showing every one of the school's Supernatural members was seen as Issei's group came in, with Jeanne waving once she saw them.

"Oh, hey there guys, glad you finally made it." Jeanne greeted.

"Hey everyone, we have a small and unexpected surprise with our arrival." Issei replied.

Everyone saw a familiar group of four follow them in.

"Wait... your cousins and their boyfriends? Why are they here?" Bikou asked.

Rossweisse followed them, sitting herself down.

"They got attacked by someone that wasn't with the Ancestral Faction, and they had Daevas with them. As such, none of them are ignorant to the Supernatural World anymore." Rossweisse explained.

"Wait, seriously?" Le Fay asked, looking worried.

Kiryuu sighed as she sat herself down, taking off her glasses as she took her real appearance, surprising the two duos as they saw her real appearance.

"That's what you really look like?" Matsuda questioned.

"Yep, and since we're talking about what's really me? My real name's Kiryuu Agrat." She answered.

Vali took a look at Shirone and Kuroka, who were sitting by the white Lynx that was Sae's Sacred Gear, better known as Hibiki.

"Hey, does that mean you two..." She realized.

"We have, and even if it's somewhat weird, I feel so happy to be with my mother again. Regardless of her current form." Kuroka smiled.

Shirone nodded her head, and Vali sighed at the sight.

After that, Issei turned as Saji came in with the whole Student Council, along with the remaining Longinus users that were on the Alliance's side.

"Wait, all of you are here too? And you guys are in on the Supernatural was well?" Issei said the other Longinus wielders, and new members of the Student Council respectively.

"Because this mission also acts as your Ultimate-Class Promotion, we're here just in case we need to salvage the situation." Dulio explained.

Saji chuckled, rubbing his head.

"Just found out myself, but it turns out Ryuuta here is the current Ouryuu of the Nakiri Clan, while Tadami is an Onmyouji, and for Millarca here? Well... turns out she's a Pureblooded Vampire." Saji revealed.

"Don't worry, I'm actually one of the rare Vampires that's nice to others. I don't have any issues with Gasper or Valerie." She smiled, relieving the two Dhampirs.

Ouryuu held out a hand to Akeno.

"I've heard about you from Suzaku, it's nice to finally meet you in person." He greeted.

Akeno accepted the handshake.

Realizing that everyone was here, Izanami closed the door, and turned to face everyone.

"I hope you all enjoy your meal." She smiled, giving a light bow.

"Before we begin, I'd like to say it is a pleasure to finally meet you Katase, and Murayama." Izanagi greeted.

"Wait, you know our names?" Katase asked.

The leader of the Shinto Pantheon nodded his head, and began explaining.

"We do, for both of you are like Issei and Homura here, members of the Hero Faction, but your parents chose to raise you in Human society as part of a process to one day give Humanity a seamless transition into the Supernatural." He explained.

Hearing this, the Kendo duo showed surprise, while their boyfriends felt their jaws drop open.

"Guess that's one semi-subtle way to drop the bomb on someone..." Homura chuckled, sweat drop going down her cheek.

Izanami seated herself.

"We feel its best you know of this now, because of the situation making it vital you have some awareness of your abilities." Izanami explained, a slightly serious expression on her face.

"Alright then, I guess... tell us everything." Murayama replied.

With that, all six of the Shinto deities present began explaining everything, including the world's origins to the others. The reactions were varied, though for the four that only just learned of the supernatural, both fear and awe were seen on their faces.

It took only 30 minutes to tell them enough to make sense, but not drag too much time away from the current situation.

"So, how do you feel?" Amaterasu asked.

"Well, I guess... it feels a bit heavy to take in all that, but I guess the evidence int his room gives little room for doubt." Matsuda admitted.

"But what about the situation here? You implied the School Trip is related to it." Motohama inquired.

Tsukuyomi took a sip of tea before replying.

"Right, to start things off, do you know of the legendary Kyuubi known as Tamamo-no-Mae?" The Moon Goddess inquired.

"It's not that uncommon of a story, so yeah." Motohama confirmed.

"Well, as you can tell by Kunou and Nainen's ears, both of them are descendants of hers. See, before Kyoto came to be, she discovered a special energy across Kyoto that we know as the Leylines. This meeting made the Kyuubi into the strongest race among the Youkai, and left her bonded to them that left only the Kyuubi capable of controlling the flow." She continued, showing a painting of the legendary Youkai.

"Over the years, her bloodline has been the leader of all Youkai, and kept the city safe, however... around the time your Summer Break officially began, Kunou's mother was kidnapped when the two of them came to meet with us." Susanoo explained, taking a sip of sake.

A few gasps were released on that.

"Kidnapped, by who?" Katase asked.

"There's a terrorist group known as the Khaos Brigade we've been dealing with, who don't seem to want peace the rest of the Supernatural World is trying to form right now. Many factions make it up, and the one that kidnapped Yasaka, that's their mom's name if you ask, was attacked by what we call the Ancestral Faction." Issei explained.

Jeanne sighed, making the four look at her.

"I was once part of them, and the group is made up of pure Humans who have Sacred Gears, but its name is mostly the result of their ancestry, with many sharing their names with their ancestors." The Gremory Knight clarified further.

Matsuda gulped a bit, and sweat broke across his face.

"So, why do they want her in the first place? Is this related to the Sacred Gears or something?" He asked.

"To a degree, it is, but not in the way you might be expecting it. They want to use Yasaka's strong link to the Leylines in order to do something, likely through their three Longinus wielders, and based on the Khaos Brigade's modus operandi... they want Trihexa unsealed." Kagutsuchi answered.

The four screamed at that.

"And... you're here to stop them, which is also a test to become ranked higher in the social system of Devils?" Murayama asked, looking at Issei.

"Yeah, the whole trip was set up to limit their movements because the Supernatural tries to not get Humanity involved due to risks it could echo onto themselves, even the Khaos Brigade is careful not to break them." He confirmed.

The Red Dragon Emperor sighed a bit.

"Although, it seems with this unknown group added in, we may have been somewhat cornered. I honestly hope that's not case." He sighed.

 **["Let's hope the Ancestral Faction doesn't want them around anymore than us, it'll work to our advantage."]** Ddraig replied.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to how a Dragon's living in your left hand." Matsuda remarked.

"Eh, you get used to it after a while." Issei shrugged.

Izanami pupped some teriyaki chicken into her mouth, and then looked at the group.

"For now, let's not focus too much on what's to come. We should enjoy this meal while the Youkai try to get more information for us." She suggested.

"I'm down for that!" Bikou agreed.

The Monkey Man began gobbling up his food, while everyone focused on eating themselves.

'Whatever's happening, I just hope it doesn't interfere with Issei's Exam, or possibly ruin Cao Cao's efforts to strengthen the seal on Trihexa.' Jeanne thought worriedly.

Issei grabbed something with his chopsticks, and suddenly froze... right as Vali looked down at her plate with worry.

"Oh crud... Issei, you just ate the entirety of my wasabi!" Vali warned him.

"I ate what?" Issei whimpered.

Nanami chuckled a bit, finding their reactions as strange.

"Come on, if he's got Ddraig inside of him, then he should be able to handle eating spicy-"

At that moment, she suddenly saw Issei's body shaking as his entire went turned red, followed by him screaming as he actually breathed out fire. Everyone panicked before ducking, with only the room's special properties preventing a fire.

"Hot! Hot! Hot! Hot! Hot! My mouth's on fire, help me!" Issei screamed in pain as he ran around the room.

"What's going on!?" Hina asked.

"According to what Albion has told me, the hosts of Ddraig are resistant to spicy foods... they're more vulnerable to them! Issei can't handle anything that's even remotely spicy!" Vali explained.

Issei held his throat as he started rolling across the room.

"So, he can't handle spice, yet you can? That's a strange inversion on the usual them..." Nanami said with a twitching eye.

"Issei, dip your head into the koi pond we have outside!" Tsukuyomi shouted.

Hearing this, the host of Ddraig immediately rush outside, and he dipped his head into the pond. The heat from his mouth caused the area to bubble, taking a good minute before it finally stopped.

"That... was... painful..." Issei said through a burnt tongue.

* * *

After everything ended, everyone left the Youkai Realm to return to the hotel, with everyone deep in thought over what was going on.

"So, we not only have the Ancestral Faction that has Kunou's mother, but an unknown party we know nothing about other than there are Daeva working with whoever that one girl that attacked my cousins." Issei thought aloud.

"Why do so many people want to abuse their powers? It seems like a waste." Murayama asked.

Vali sighed, having expected them to ask that question eventually.

"Honestly, if that was something we knew, then my homeland wouldn't be under corrupt Elders that are perverting and corrupting my father's dream for it to be a land of freedom." She answered.

At that moment, Kunou suddenly caught a whiff, looking around.

"What's wrong?" Issei asked.

"Something's not right, I smell something moving, but it somehow lacks a scent entirely. It's like when I smell Yumina's shadow moving." Kunou answered, looking nervous.

Hearing that, everyone got on guard, surrounding the normal four of the group.

"Over there, in the... wait, no!" Kuroka gasped.

At that moment, a bunch of shadowy humanoids with pointed heads began charging at the group, a yellow glow marking their eyes.

"All knights, take the front lines!" Issei ordered.

"Right!"

They all rushed ahead, and cut across the shadowy figures... only to phase right through them!

"What the!?" Irina said in surprise.

" **Shadow Strike!** "

Yumina's shadow stretched out, and swiped its hand across one of the figures, taking it out.

"I knew it, these are living shadows! You have to use energy attacks!" Yumina told Issei.

He nodded his head, looking at Dulio.

"Give us a windstorm!" Issei shouted, making the Joker nod.

" **Typhon Typhoon!** "

The shadows were all decimated, which is when a silhouette could be noticed, which seemed to be the Sacred Gear's owner.

"Ruruko, intercept him, now! And promote to a Knight!" Issei pointed him out, holding up the ID card.

" **Promotion, to Knight!**!" Ruruko shouted as the very piece formed by her.

The Pawn of Sitri sped up, but the one hiding in the shadows screamed, causing a cyclone of shadow to shoot up, and making her stumble. As she went through the darkness, she looked back to see the culprit had got away.

"Crap..." She groaned.

She came back, with her Pawn reverting back to normal.

"Based on what I just saw, that looked like one of the Sacred Gears that helped create mine. The Night Reflection." Tobio remarked.

"In other words, someone that can control shadows." Issei realized, looking at where he was.

While the group pondered what just happened, Connla reappeared on a higher ground, panting at how close that was.

"He didn't do bad for a one-man ambush, but we'll see you do tomorrow." He stated.

As he retreated, Yumina suddenly noticed something moving, and her eyes widen as she swore what she saw was something she recognized.

"That could have been a scout, so let's be..." Issei warned.

At that moment, he noticed the Lucifuge Heiress looking in a certain direction.

"Yumina, is something wrong?" He asked.

"Eh? Oh, no... just thought I saw something, but I think it was just a flying trash wrapper the wind blew past us." Yumina replied, wanting to be certain before saying anything.

Issei nodded, and the group returned to the hotel.

* * *

The following morning, Issei was seen on the rooftop with Ravel watching him fight with Homura, who was using Murakumo against his weaponless form. He thrust his left arm forward, letting a slight graze hit his Longinus before he grabbed the blade.

"Uh oh!" Homura gulped.

"And take this!" Issei shouted.

He pulled her into a headlock, making the red-haired Heroine struggle before she found herself pinned.

"Dang it, you beat me again!" She pouted with puffy cheeks.

The Red Dragon Emperor chuckled as Ravel tossed a towel

"Great job Issei, it looks like you're getting the hang of fighting without that blade." Ravel praised.

"That's good, though I can tell I'm still way too stiff, so I still can't just charge straight in like I normally could." Issei smiled, wiping his forehead with the towel.

Some of the others showed up, including the kendo duo with Jeanne.

"How about more practice partners? That's the best way to help you grow your power gap." The Maiden of Orleans suggested.

"We don't mind helping you out." Katase replied.

Oh, hey there you three. I also see my cousins have some new swords on hand." Issei greeted.

Katase and Murayama both revealed some blades that Tsukuyomi dropped off during the night.

"We figure if we're not part of this, then we should be ready for anything. No more taking changes this time." Murayama smile.

"I also formed some daggers for Motohama and Matsuda, it's not the ideal solution, but it's something." Jeanne added.

"Thanks Jeanne, I feel better knowing they have some manner to defend themselves with." Issei smiled.

The Maiden of Orleans nodded her head, and soon heard groaning from downstairs, getting everyone's attention. Ravel sighed as she realized what it was.

"Hey, wasn't that Rossweisse?" Homura asked.

"I think she finally touched some alcohol... she's as big a lightweight as Kiryuu implied it was." The Phenex Devil clarified.

Back downstairs, Hina panicked as Rossweisse was with Susanoo, who had drunk deep into some sake.

"Why'd he give her that cup, and she's drunk already?" Nanami sighed.

Rossweisse hiccupped, looking at the Shinto God of Storms.

"Wow, you're a good drinker!" He chuckled.

"Listen puffy man, you dunno a thing about real drinking till you work for that haggard beard called Odin, who just throws you away like bag of garbage." Rossweisse glared, getting in his face.

"Whoa, you're mean when you're drunk..." Susanoo replied, sweating a bit.

The Valkyrie Rook slammed her hand down.

"Barkeep, another 10 sake orders!" She demanded.

"W-wait, that's on my tab!" He exclaimed.

At that moment, Nanami pulled Hina away as they looked at the others.

"Everyone, evacuate the premises before she drags us in!" She screamed.

It didn't take long for them to listen to the Telos Karma wielder, with Susanoo starting to cry at how much he had to pay... and then he fell asleep out of nowhere.

'Uh oh, looks like he's really in trouble now.' The Barkeep thought, placing Rossweisse's sake orders out.

As Issei's group came down, Nanami quickly motioned to his group to follow them outside, which after seeing Rossweisse's current state... they quickly did without any form of hesitation.

Susanoo would later wake up to find Rossweisse left him broke.

* * *

Once everyone was in the clear, they all let out a sigh of relief.

"Man, who knew Rossweisse couldn't hold her liquor? Odd karma for a god like Susanoo to get caught in that." Matsuda remarked.

"Yeah, no joke." Matsuda agreed.

Kiryuu gave a slight chuckle, making everyone look at her.

"You should see the Asmodeus Clan, they can't get intoxicated if their life depended on it. Be glad that supernatural beings don't get alcohol poisoning." She remarked.

Clearing his throat, everyone looked at Issei.

"Well, since we're out and about, let's do some sightseeing until we get any leads on the Ancestral Faction's movements." He suggested.

"Good point, we are still on a field trip, and I know Xenovia's wanted to see a few locations." Rias agreed.

The blue-haired Knight shouted in reply, making everyone give her an awkward look. It took a few minutes before Xenovia turned her head to give a silent whistle.

"You don't hear that every day." Sae chuckled.

"Or see it for that matter." Sairaorg remarked.

* * *

Their first stop was Kiyomizu-dera, where they came to the sight of the Three-Year slope.

"Here's a little trivia I've heard about this spot related to Youkai, they say that if fall off this slope... then you fall to your death! Either that, or your lifespan becomes only three more years." Kiryuu stated.

"W-what!?" Xenovia panicked, grabbing Irina's arm.

Kunou put her hand on the Gremory Knight's arm, looking her in the eyes.

"That's not true, it's just a superstition that formed because Kappa often slipped while walking up this place, and that really affected them due how their dishes work." Kunou reassured her.

Xenovia sighed in relief, letting go of Issei's arm.

"You are way too gullible, you know that?" Jeanne remarked.

"How so?" Xenovia asked.

For obvious reasons, the Maiden of Orleans chose not to answer that question.

"You know, they have love compatibility predictions here, how about the couples here try it just for fun." Tadami suggested.

Issei and Vali blushed, fairly sure that was mostly aimed at them.

"W-well... guess it couldn't hurt." Sona replied.

"I already know mine..." Kelsey sighed, sitting in a corner.

The Perverted duo looked at her confused.

"I... think you're better off not hearing that story." Hina warned them, a sweat drop on her face.

Eventually getting to the box, Issei and Vali gulped as they took their turn.

Issei got ticket No. 205, which said he had Great Luck on it, while Vali got ticket No. 7, and it said... Good Luck as well!

"Alright, we're super compatible!" Issei cheered.

"I knew we were!" Vali cheered, hugging him with happy years in her eyes.

* * *

Xenovia ran up to Ginkaku-ji, only to gasp as she saw it was only painted silver.

"It isn't real silver!?" Xenovia screamed in disappointment.

"Well, it was planned to be, and various reasons were said to be related behind why it wasn't, but regardless... it isn't real silver, so they had to point it that way." Kunou explained.

Everyone saw Xenovia fall to her knees.

"Oh God, why have you forsaken me so?" She cried, sobbing a bit.

"Now that's just being dramatic." Rias remarked.

Kunou pat her back.

"If it makes you feel better, Kinkaku-ji actually _is_ made of gold." She stated.

Hearing that, Xenovia immediately rushed ahead.

"Uh..." Kunou blinked in surprise.

"Oh boy, we better go after her before she breaks something." Issei said with worry.

When they arrived, Xenovia's voice was filled with elation.

"It's good, it really is gold!" She cheered.

"Guess that ended well." Issei smiled.

Before anyone knew it, a familiar pair of screams was heard, making everyone turn as people began mentioning the strange adrenaline/lethargy epidemic pair.

"Aw man, that weird phenomenon again." Katase gulped, worried it would get them next.

"Uh... about that." Vali replied, sweating nervously.

Taking a moment to explain it, the two duos both shouted in shock.

"That's because of you!?" They all shouted.

"It wasn't intentional, we met one of our predecessors, got this box with our potential and..." Issei explained.

Sairaorg suddenly began laughing at that, making the couple blush in embarrassment.

"When's it even supposed to stop?" Kiryuu inquired.

"We have no idea, and that's what worries us the most." Vali confessed, hoping it would end soon.

* * *

Deep within a certain section of Kyoto, some of the usual Youkai were doing their usual duty of looking for anything suspicious, and once they passed... Georg dispelled the Dimension Lost mist that was covering the group.

"We've managed to avoid being spotted, which means we're right on schedule." Georg stated, adjusting his glasses.

"Finally, that game of hide and seek was annoying." Liu Bei sighed in relief, stretching her arms out.

Cao Cao quickly turns at Georg.

"Do we still have Yasaka in our possession?" He inquired.

"We do." Georg replied.

Snapping his fingers, the sight of a prism was seen encompassing a voluptuous Kyuubi that resembled an adult Kunou. She had golden-blonde hair tied in a ponytail with matching eyes, and her main attire was the traditional miko outfit and tall geta with white tabi, with the sleeves of her haori feature a giant golden star-shape heptagram, surrounded by seven smaller hexagrams in between the points.

"Still can't believe you managed to keep her in there all this time, impressive." Hercules noted.

"Alright, then I believe it's time to begin our ambush." Cao Cao stated.

Everyone looked at him as he and Liu Bei explained some last details, unaware of Jingu giving a dark smirk as she looked at a magic circle on her hands.

'Just a bit longer.' She thought, giving a silent cackle.

* * *

Eventually, the group arrived at Togetsu Bridge, where Sona admired all the water.

"This place also has a weird rumor about knowledge being lost if you looked behind you, that one's clearly fake." Kiryuu mentioned.

"Since no one in the supernatural can erase memories, I believe that." Dulio replied, seeing a koi fish.

At that moment, a sudden energy flew past everyone, making the entire group raise their guards are the land went grayscale, causing everyone aside from those unaware of the supernatural and any Youkai that weren't among Issei's group to vanish.

Looking around, feeling some familiarity... Kunou started to have a panic attack, recognizing some purple smoke that came into view.

"Kunou, what's wrong!?" Vali asked.

"This fog... this is the fog that me and mother were dragged into when we got attacked!" She panicked, her breathing getting unsteady.

Jeanne sweated as she recognized it.

"This is the Dimension Lost, crap... that means Georg's pulled us into a dimensional space." She warned.

"Does anyone sense or see anyone here?" Kiba inquired.

Shirone and Kuroka tried to sense for anyone, but it felt like something was blocking their ability to sense anything within this space.

"I think our Chi networks are being blocked off, we can't sense anyone." Kunou realized.

As this was happening, Issei saw a silhouette he recognized, right as they raised up their weapon for an attack.

"Nanami, get in front of me and form a shield!" Issei shouted.

"Right!" She replied.

Forming a powerful shield before her, an energy thrust smashed into it, successfully blocking the attack.

"That was a powerful attack, my shields don't normally struggle like that. I don't think it was an ordinary attack." Nanami remarked, panting a bit.

"You're right Nanami, it wasn't..." Jeanne replied.

At that moment, a familiar chuckle was heard, with the first silhouette coming into full view, revealing a familiar man with a unique spear. It didn't take long to realize it was Cao Cao that was standing before them.

"Well, it's been a long time since we last saw each other Sekiryuutei, no... I'm pretty sure Great Red gave you the new title of Red Dragon Emperor." He greeted.

Issei immediately called out his Scale Mail, with Vali doing the same.

"I'd say it was a pleasure, but I haven't liked you since that first time we met. Bet you'll say some crap like that we've yet to break our curse, am I right?" Issei glared at him.

"Oh no, unlike the Anti-Maou Faction, we actually recognize strength and achievements. You and Vali are easily within the Top 200 to 100 in the world rankings of strength by this point." Cao Cao replied, giving praise where it was due.

That surprised Issei.

"Don't be too shocked, he's still an ordinary Human unlike most of us. That means he's had to train himself to be ready and alert to every possibility." Jeanne warned him.

"Yeah, guess it makes sense when you put it like that." He admitted.

Kunou shook a bit, and soon pointed at the True Longinus wielder.

"Give me back my mother, just what do you want with her!?" Kunou demanded, tears in her eyes.

"Calm down, it isn't like we're going to kill her. We just need her to do a little experiment with Kyoto's Leylines, and then you can have her back." He replied.

"She's not some guinea pig for you!" She screamed.

Issei and Vali gritted their teeth upon hearing that, readying themselves.

"But if you want, then you're more than welcome to try and take her. Just know you'll have to fight with all of us." The True Longinus wielder declared.

The smoke cleared a bit, revealing more of his allies, but not all of them.

Upon seeing some of them, a look of shock appeared across the faces of Jeanne, Tosca, and Kiba, because they were people they never expected to see again. Even Jeanne hadn't expected it despite her acting as the intermediary between the Alliance and Cao Cao.

"What's wrong?" Rias asked.

"It... can't be..." Tosca breathed, tearing up.

"I thought they all died." Kiba said with a shaky voice.

Jeanne shook her head.

"Cao Cao, why are our friends from the Holy Sword Project with you!?" Jeanne demanded.

That surprised everyone, while those on Cao Cao's side widened their eyes as they heard Jeanne reference she was part of that nightmare.

"Wait, that girl is... Mary!?" Someone remarked.

"Oh, are they? I remember finding all of them in an abandoned facility where they were in a near death state. We were lucky that Georg managed to save them all. I really don't get what the Church was doing, trying to kill so many gifted Sacred Gear wielders." He answered.

Jeanne was surprised by that, her eyes shaking.

'Wait, all of us? That doesn't make sense... why would a single church only have Sacred Gear wielders?' She thought, wondering if Cao Cao was hinting something to her.

"Hmm, this is an interesting twist. Guess I can switch up my strategy in response." He decided.

Cao Cao looking at someone among the visible that had a cloak over them, who noticed his gaze was aimed towards them.

"Leo, how about you and Echidna create some friends for our guests to play with?" He suggested.

Nodding his head, Leonardo removed his cloak to reveal himself, and then shouted as he swung his hands down to create a dark aura.

 **«"Let's see... ah, these monsters should be fitting!"»** Echidna laughed.

**«"CREATE!"»**

Suddenly, a bunch of magic circles of the same color appeared from the rippling aura, showing a bunch of black humanoids that resembled Dullahans with a more organic look, and a red gem in their chest/head area.

"Be careful everyone, the monsters that Leo makes best through his Annihilation Maker just happen to be Anti-Monsters!" Jeanne warned.

"Uh... what are those?" Katase asked worriedly.

"Monsters that specifically target your weakness when they're created." Sairaorg explained.

Issei sweated a bit, seeing their gems light up.

"Don't guard or defend, just evade!" Issei warned.

Everyone did just that, sliding across the narrow bridge area as the whole army of monsters began to fire at them. Nanami jumped ahead, forming a barrier the Anti-Monsters couldn't penetrate.

"Don't worry, I think my shields can handle them because they're being made by a Longinus!" Nanami reassured everyone.

"Alright, then keep it up! Jeanne and Kiba, start cutting them down!" Issei ordered.

Both Knights nodded, and summoned their Knight Armors to rush in and cut down the Anti-Monsters.

The Red Dragon Emperor took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves.

'OK, we're outnumbered with a huge disadvantage, so how do we play this? Come on Issei, think!' He told himself, sweating a bit.

"Issei..." Vali quietly said in worry.

At that moment, Issei suddenly got an idea, and smiled.

"Jeanne, Kiba! Make swords that can devour light! The beams are made of Holy Light!" He shouted.

"Alright!" They replied.

Both of them sent out such swords, making everyone catch them.

"All healers, get behind Nanami!"

Valerie, Asia, and Hina all moved behind her, with Hina readying to attack from a distance.

"Alright, all Pawns prepare to promote! All Bishops attack from a distance! All Knights circle around for a hit and run! All Rooks go in for close combat!"

Everyone Pawn nodded, feeling their Evil Pieces promote.

"Dulio, Irina, Yuuma, and Ravel! You take the front lines due to being Angels, and because of Ravel's ability to regenerate!"

They all took to their skies, flying ahead.

"Lavinia, summon your Sacred Gear on the water and freeze it, we need more room! Tobio and Sae, I need you two to attack from the left and right flanks!"

"Got it!" Lavinia smiled.

She jumped over, and her eyes glowed as the entire area froze, with Tobio and Sae taking their respective sides.

"Sairaorg, get ready to activate your Balance Breaker!"

Regulus and Sairaorg nodded at that, with the former changing into his axe form.

" **Purpure!** "

The ID card glowed, making the Regulus Nemea glow.

" **Balance Breaker: Regulus Rey Leather Rex!** "

Sairaorg's Scale Mail formed, and he smashed his fists together, rushing ahead as he shrugged off the beam attacks. Everyone began following their positions, with Leo acting indifferent to his monsters' destruction.

"Alright, guess we'll change things up again. Everyone not among the Elites gathered here? Retreat until further notice, this is our fight now." Cao Cao ordered.

They all did as he asked, fleeing across the fog. Following that, a trio of girls with black hair, all wearing revealing armor that you'd see normally see in a series with heavy fan-service.

The first girl's hair was styled into twin tails, with her armor being red and having a few details resembling a phoenix. The second girl's hair was styled into a lush waterfall, with her armor being blue and having a few details resembling a dragon, and third girl's hair was styled into a ponytail with her armor being green and having a few details resembling a lioness.

"Look out, that Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Jian Yong! They're some of the strongest members of the Ancestry Faction!" Jeanne warned, revealing them in the same order they were lined up in.

All three of them rushed forward, manifesting their Sacred Gears.

"Prepare yourself, Red Dragon Emperor!" They all shouted.

"Sairaorg, deal with Guan Yu! Lavinia, face off against Zhang Fei! And, uh..." Issei tried to figure out who should fight Jian Yong.

"Allow me, Issei!" Yuuma shouted.

Issei looked up to see the Pawn of Lucifer pull out the Down Fall Dragon Spear, making him gasp.

"When did you get that!?" Issei asked.

"My father thought it would be a good idea since we'd be in Kyoto, so he lent it to me!" Yuuma explained.

The Artificial Gear began glowing, covering Yuuma in a green glow.

" **Balance Breaker: Down Fall Dragon Another Armor!** "

To Yuuma's surprise, instead of her father's Scale Mail armor, she got something else. Her casual wear transformed into something with green armor plating in a few places that had a crystalline scale look to it.

In her hands, she saw a spear that resembled the tip of Yu-Long's tail, with her golden arm spikes extended and angled to give a look that resembled a less oriental version of the True Longinus's blade, and the crests on her head sides as the handle area.

"Yu-Long, what happened?" She asked in confusion.

 **«"Well, since I've been in here, I've never had a girl try to use me, so... maybe it's a small bug your father doesn't know about."»** Yu-Long theorized.

The Fallen Princess shrugged, flying forward.

"At least I've got armor, so I'll take what I've been given." Yuuma decided.

Both armored trios began fighting each other, clashing with all their might. Guan Yu was seen wielding two bansho fans, Zhang Fei was using two spiked tonfa, and Jian Yong had a four-sectioned staff.

"Since they're occupied, how about you come and fight me?" A familiar voice challenged.

The Knights all saw Sieg walk into view, and taking the change, Kiba went after him from behind. Seeing this coming, Sieg drew out Gram, and parried his blow.

"Nice try, but it's not enough!" Sieg chuckled.

"Don't forget about us!" Jeanne shouted.

Jeanne, Xenovia, Irina, Arthur, and Tomoe all rushed at him, hoping to overwhelm him.

" **Asura Assault!** "

Out of nowhere, Sieg suddenly grew four more arms as wrist bands formed across each of them, and drew five more swords out from his cloak, allowing him to parry all six swordsmen! As they were all pushed back, Irina recognized the blades he was holding.

"Gram, Balmung, Dainsleif, Nothung, Tyrfing, and even Clarent... he's got every one of the remaining true Cursed Swords left from the Great War!" She stated.

"I was given all of them when it was discovered I was Sigurd's true descendant, as only I can safely wield them without their cost. Even better, my Sacred Gear just happened to be special gauntlets worn by an Asura during the Great War, so I was given the gift to simultaneously wield all six of them together." Sieg smirked.

Realizing it would be bad if Cao Cao gave any more orders, he rushed at the Ancestral Faction's leader.

The True Longinus wielder was caught off guard by Issei's sudden charge, though managed to block his attack in time to avoid taking damage, and then began to race across the ice without slipping.

"I'm impressed, now let's see how you do when I actually begin attacking you!" Cao Cao shouted.

He thrust his spear forward, sending a beam of light out.

Issei dived to evade the attack, and then spun in midair before releasing the fire of his Blazing Dawn at the Ancestral Faction's leader. He slashed down on the ethereal flames, cutting them apart without any effort.

"Vali, now!" Issei shouted.

"Hmm?" Cao Cao turned.

Unfortunately, he looked in the wrong place, as Vali was above him.

" **Twilight Tempest!** "

Cao Cao was immediately hit by a storm of twilight energies, though he thrust his spear, limiting the damage as he was pushed back.

"I'm impressed, for someone who's not a King leading their own peerage just yet, it seems you're doing well against my tactical strategies." He admitted, brushing his shoulder.

"Who said I was done with that move?" Issei smirked.

At that moment, the sound of something rising from the water was seen, causing all of the Elites to gasp as they heard Gogmagog rise from the ice.

"Alright Gogmagog, show them what you're made of!" Le Fay cheered.

『"Gogmagog will do best!"』 Gogmagog exclaimed.

The mighty Golem swung his fists down, forcing all of the Elites to jump away to dodge the attack. Hina shouted in response, forming vines to catch all their friends.

"That's unexpected, when did they get a Gogmagog?" Cao Cao questioned.

"Not just any, that's the superior prototype they could only make a single unit of. It's much more powerful." Leonardo added.

Right as Gogmagog prepared to strike again... the Dimension Lost's mist hit it, causing it to suddenly shake before it slumped, and began falling over.

『"Gogmagog, go... night now..."』 He said tiredly.

Falling onto his back, the high-tech Golem disappeared, making Le Fay gasp.

"Oh no, my precious Gogzy!" She exclaimed.

Georg soon appeared from the mist, making Jeanne sweat.

"I should have realized he was hiding in plain sight, he is the Dimension Lost's wielder." She sighed.

Looking at the group, Issei sweated a bit.

 **«"It looks like we've caught them off guard, the advantage is now ours."»** Nuada stated.

"Yes, I believe this is the time to admit you've lost. Fighting us any further will only get you hurt." Georg warned, adjusting his glasses.

Issei gritted his teeth, unsure of what to do.

'Is this really it for us, have we actually lost?' He thought, looking at everyone.

Had this not been a Promotion Exam, they'd have acted on their own, so he knew his choices were limiting them, and they could only act if he accepted defeat.

Was there anything more that he could do?

"Oh... my poor head, it feels like it'll split open! Who the hell's making all that noise!?"

Everyone on both sides turned to see a hung over Rossweisse stumbled into the area.

"She was here all along!?" Vali exclaimed.

The moment she saw Cao Cao and his group, the Valkyrie's face immediately became one of anger, and she gave a toothy scowl.

"I'm trying to take a freaking nap, but do you care!? No, you don't give a damn!" She screamed.

" **Ragnarok Storm!** "

Everyone saw Rossweisse start forming a field of magic circles... only for them to stretch so far that _everyone_ on the battlefield suddenly had their eyes go white in fear.

 **«"Oh crap, this could be a bad..."»** Nuada stated.

"SHADDUP!" The hungover Valkyrie screamed.

A rain of multiple types of magic go off, and Issei's group immediately scattered as the terrifying number of spells fired. Georg held out Dimension Lost's mist to try defending everyone... only for the Dimension Lost's space to start cracking.

"While we beat them, it seems luck did not fall in our favor. We'll need to retreat for now." Sieg realized.

"It seems so, we'll retreat for now." Cao Cao decided.

Issei turned his head as he saw the True Longinus' wielder looking at him.

"Red Dragon Emperor, tonight we'll be using all Kyoto has to offer. If you truly want to stop what we plan... then you'll have to fight us there." Cao Cao announced.

With that, they disappeared, and a wave of fog rolled at them.

 **("Quick, return to what you were like before we got dragged in here! We're about to be sent back!")** Albion warned.

Everyone did, right as they found themselves back on the unbroken bridge.

"They were so strong..." Issei said softly.

"And most of them weren't even at their full strength, not to mention you were only facing about half of their Elite members." Jeanne mentioned.

Everyone's eyes widened, making Issei sweat as he looked at where Cao Cao was moments ago.

* * *

Issei was seen in his hotel room, holding bottles of some kind of drink, and taking a deep breath as he took another drink, making a puckering face after. Vali knocked on the door, and soon walked in... before she had a look of concern.

"Oh god, uh... Issei, please tell me those aren't bottles of alcohol." The Lucifer Heiress asked.

"They aren't, I just spiked some bottles of soda with sour strawberry extract. It's so sour I'm only focusing on my thoughts and not getting into a funk over them." Issei reassured her.

"Can't be that sour, can it?" Vali replied.

He offered her a sip, and she took it... and then immediately felt his mouth sink in from the resulting puckering.

"Nope, it's even worse!" She mumbled loudly.

"Told ya." He smirked.

Issei let out another sight, getting Vali's attention.

"What's wrong?" She asked, her speech becoming mostly normal again.

"That battle, it seemed like things were going OK, and I'm not saying I was horrible, but... that situation at the end. It just felt like everything suddenly went wrong. Cao Cao didn't even order Sieg or Georg to act, they just did on their own, and yet I was expected to give everyone commands, it feels like I didn't get something. That situation just could have gone so much better if it wasn't for my stupid Promotion Exam... maybe I was right to think that it was out of my league." Issei answered, looking sad.

Vali gave him a concerned look, but knew she was limited in how she could help him because there was something he needed to realize on his own to be able to pass this exam. If she gave that away, then he'd fail by default because it'd count as cheating.

"Hey, don't give up on yourself. I'm sure you'll find a way to save Yasaka from the Ancestral Faction, so don't let this get you down, especially since they didn't outright defeat us. Remember why you're doing this, and everyone you're doing it for." Vali encouraged him.

Issei sighed, smiling a bit.

"I know, the thing is... it feels like that had I not been giving orders, a lot of us could have acted the way we know best. Why am I the one that's forced to give them? I mean, Ravel's shown me she's a good tactician with her managing skills, and there have been times I've others make the decisions, not the King-"

At that moment, the Red Dragon Emperor suddenly froze a plan, and felt his eyes widen.

"Oh my god, that was it! That's what I was missing!" He exclaimed, getting on his feet.

Issei kissed Vali on the lips, surprising her by how sudden it was... causing both of them really pucker as they still had the sour taste of Issei's sour spiked sodas in his mouth.

"Yeah, let's rinse our mouths before we kiss again." Issei mumbled.

"Agreed." Vali nodded, holding her mouth.

* * *

Sometime after everyone else had gone to sleep, everyone was gathered in a certain room, with the Shinto Gods all gathered with them. Issei stood by their side, as he was the one who'd be giving the plan of attack.

"Alright, listen up everyone, because this is important. I've had some time to plan through the advice of my Aunts and Uncles, so we have our strategy in tandem with the information of the recent movements the Youkai managed to get on the Ancestral Clan... though before that? I need to say this." Issei began.

"We're all listening." Vali replied with a nod.

The Red Dragon took a deep breath, and then gave a focused look at everyone.

"In the coming battle, I won't be giving any more orders, because I want everyone to trust themselves and what they can do in the coming fight." He stated.

This surprised everyone.

"When we fought Cao Cao, it became clear to me. I saw how I led compared to Cao Cao during that fight. I realize now that I can't control everything, because this isn't like real Chess. Every piece in the game has its purpose, but we all have our own strengths and skills, and our own of using them. We're not just the game pieces, but also the players, and I need to believe in the strength of my team, not just my own."

"For what's coming in the battle ahead, we need to give it everything we've got, so while I'll assign us to where we'll go and fight? From there, everyone will fight on their terms, and not the ones I've set for you. Kunou and Nainen's mother is out there, and we need to save her, so that's more important than anything else... if that's too much for anyone? Tell me now, and I won't force you into this."

After a moment, it was Kiba that replied for everyone who simply smiled.

"I don't think there's anyone here that doubts your choices. When we were on Togetsu Bridge, regardless of how, you kept calm and managed to stay at bay against Cao Cao's group. However you think we should do this, we'll all trust you on this." He stated.

Hearing that, Issei smiled, with Ddraig giving a slight chuckle.

 **["All of you don't know the meaning of standing down. That's exactly what kind of people make up the Ancestral Faction, so let's go out there and give them a taste of their own medicine!"]** He exclaimed.

"Alright then, everyone ready? Here's what I planned with Ravel and the Shinto Gods' aid." Issei continued.

He unfolded a map of Kyoto that looked like it was fused with a flag of Japan, as a red circle represented the area their plans were contained in.

"See this red area? We talked to every Youkai about the situation, and we've had everyone we can mobilize around Nijo Castle, while we'll have our initial focus around the station area. No signs of any movement have been detected just yet, but Nainen has begun noticing the Leylines are slowly being influenced." Issei explained.

"In other words, they're starting to begin." Arthur realized.

Issei nodded his head.

"Yes, and guess where it's all going?" He confirmed, pointing at Nijo Castle.

With that, it was clear the Ancestral Faction chose that as their designated area for the ritual they were planning for.

"Alright, time for everyone to know where they've been stationed. Everyone from the Sitri Team, you'll be guarding the residential areas, make sure no stragglers or anyone from that unknown third party that attacked my cousins shows up and/or gets through." Issei stated, looking at Sona.

"Right!" Sona's Peerage replied.

Turning his head, he moved his view to Rias' peerage.

"Excluding Rossweisse, who'll come with my group? I want everyone from the Gremory Team to positioned at the temple area. Sairaorg? Because Rossweisse is with me, you and Regulus will go with them, and I've already given Regulus another Purpure command, just remember to use it wisely." Issei continued.

"Right!" Rias' Peerage and Sairaorg replied.

Then he looked at Sae, Lavinia and Tobio.

"I want the three of you to return to Togetsu Bridge, as you had a huge advantage due to the water. It'll give you the perfect change for a surprise attack if you need it." He kept going.

"Understood." They all replied.

And then he looked at Dulio, Hina, and Nanami, the former of the three having one of his rare moments where he was serious.

"For you three? You'll be staying here at the hotel, protecting some of the bigger names among the Youkai, such as Nainen, with the Shinto Gods at your side. If anything goes wrong, you'll head over to Nijo Castle immediately." He continued once more.

"Got it." They all replied.

Ravel soon took out a few Phoenix Tears, showing enough that each group got one.

"These were all the vials I could make, they may not be enough, but it's the best we were able to manage." She warned, knowing their opponents were dangerous.

"For my group, we'll be going for Cao Cao's group directly. We'll finish preparations before we head out." Issei announced.

And with those words, the battle against the Ancestral Faction was set.

* * *

In another area, the sight of Jingu came into view, walking into view of the Daeva that had attacked the Kendo duo the day before.

"I need to speak with Indra." She said.

The Daeva nodded, surrounding her as they readied their weapons. Once her cover was set, the traitor of the Ancestral Faction looked around, and then opened up a magic circle to show Indra standing on it.

〖"Oh? I take it you have good news for me?"〗 Indra smirked.

"They'll be starting soon enough, just wait another hour and then you'll have your chance to destroy the Dragon Emperors, and the best part? I've managed to have some of our moles patch into the news networks. The moment you show, the moment the entire Supernatural World gets live footage of their so-called heroes being killed by your hands." Jingu answered, giving a dark smirk.

Indra laughed at that, giving a toothy grin.

〖"Make sure to give a good warm up act for when I get there."〗 He requested.

Jingu nodded, and dispelled the magic circle.

Knowing she couldn't afford to be gone any longer, she immediately rushed back to where Cao Cao had gathered with the other Hero Faction elites.

* * *

Rossweisse went a bit blue in the face, before breathing in and just becoming a bit green.

"Aw man, how much did you drink?" Bikou asked.

"I... don't want to know... but I'm never touching alcohol again... for the rest of my life." Rossweisse replied, still quite nauseated.

Feeling a sudden feeling in her throat, she immediately rushed to the bathroom.

"How does she still have anything left to vomit? It's been almost 12 hours!" Kelsey questioned, not sure if she should be impressed or concerned.

Someone cleared their throat, causing everyone to see a man with red skin and a horn on his head, though he also had black wings on his back.

"Grand Elder Tenguu?" Kunou said in surprise.

"Is he some important bigshot in the Youkai world?" Issei asked.

"He was the aide to Tamamo herself, one of the oldest Youkai that's still living." She explained.

Issei's eyes expression widened a bit after hearing that.

"Uh... excuse me, but do you need something?" The Red Dragon Emperor asked, looking at him.

"Yes, we had another incident of a pair dealing with your potential outside just now, but this time the end result was different." He explained, reaching for his pockets.

Issei looked as he saw a red and white orb, making him gasp. Vali immediately rushed over ourselves.

 **["There we go, it seems both of your potentials have finally returned from whatever task they were doing."]** Ddraig remarked.

 **("Glad it only required two days, and nothing longer than that.")** Albion sighed in relief.

Both of them took their respective orbs... only for Ddraig to make a strange hum as he felt it, getting Issei's attention.

"Ddraig?" Issei blinked.

 **["This is quite peculiar... it seems like your potential has changed a bit. I sense the energies of 99 different people inside of it."]** Ddraig stated.

Issei's eyes widened at that number.

"99... that's one person for every predecessor of the Boosted Gear." He realized.

Ddraig nodded his head, and began piecing things together.

 **["Belzard gave you this box, so it seems whatever your potential will achieve, all of my previous hosts are connected to it. Perhaps it was flying around to find what was missing from them due to the part of them they lost when the Juggernaut Drive's curse had been destroyed... yes, I think I get it. The hope you represent must pull them out of the despair they've been drowning in."]** Ddraig suggested.

"Give hope to those swallowed by some of the deepest despair... how do I achieve something like that?" Issei wondered.

Realizing that he couldn't focus on that right now, he put the orb into his Longinus, and looked at Vali.

"I guess that's something I'll need to think about latter. For right now, we need to focus on the current situation." Issei decided.

"Yeah, how you'll create hope in such deep despair, and how I'll form courage in the furthest fears? That's something we'll deal with after we save Yasaka from the Ancestral Faction's clutches." Vali agreed.

Rossweisse soon walked out of the bathroom, looking fairly normal again.

"Alright, think I flushed out the last of that sake out of my system... did I miss anything?" She asked.

"Not really." Issei answered.

Before anyone realized it, Rassei flied into the hotel, getting everyone's attention.

"It looks like its time, let's go!" Issei stated.

* * *

**And with that, the final battle against the Hero Faction is on the horizon, which means we're 50% done with this arc. Considering the one scene above, I think you can tell who the real villain of the arc will be, as well as who the final fight will be against. Issei's got a heavy burden to carry in seeing this through, but thanks to Vali, it looks like he figured out what to do.**

**For anyone who asks about the scene where Issei couldn't handle spice? Too many characters with fire powers seem to be able to handle spicy foods without issue, and it would be boring to make Issei the same, leading me to make Vali the spice lover, while Issei can't handle it. Ddraig being inside him actually works against handling spice, hence why he literally breathed fire after he swallowed that block of wasabi.**

**The actual fight was fun, and as you can see, just like I had created an OC descendant of Liu Bei, three of the Elites that I had yet to reveal were descendants of his three most infamous generals. Just like with him, to switch things up, they're all females rather than the same gender. I know we have the original Guan Yu with Cao Cao's team in canon, I really wanted to see a descendant of his because of how they could have interacted with Cao Cao.**

**Something that I'd like to clarify is when Rossweisse showed up and saved everyone, Issei's group was going to lose that fight. They've often won, so I felt this was a good opportunity to give them a loss. Also, just like Issei himself mentioned in this chapter, everyone may have seemed weaker than normal because of the rules for his exam.**

**His own orders held them back, mostly since he doesn't know the full strength of those like Lavinia, who he hasn't met very often. Good news is that means when we get the brief cuts of everyone else's fights, that means due to Issei saying to trust themselves, we'll see them fight in the way we're all more familiar with, something they'll need since the Hero Faction's going full throttle for this next fight.**

**Issei and Vali's potential has finally come back, having visit an exact number of 99 people across Kyoto, which is the same number of predecessors they both have. This has left them with something in those past possessors that our twin Dragons need to use in order to activate their potential, and when they do... just what will their potential bring?**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

**A/N: Because the HERO season didn't start airing until after she had already appeared in this story, Yasaka's canon appearance is instead used for her ancestor, which is my depiction on a DxD version of Tamamo-no-Mae.**

* * *

** Bust Size of New Female Characters ** **:**

**Guan Yu - 98 cm**

**Zhang Fei - 103 cm**

**Jian Yong - 94 cm**

* * *

** Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter ** **:**

**None**

* * *

** Pairings List ** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating  
Ddraig/Albion - Married  
Tiamat/Fafnir - Married  
Ophis/Great Red - Married  
Saji/Sona - Dating  
Gasper/Valerie - Dating  
Kiba/Tosca - Dating  
Hina/Nanami - Dating  
Sairaorg/Kuisha - Dating  
Rossweisse/Vidar - Chemistry is clearing forming between them  
Jeanne/Cao Cao - Chemistry seems to exist, but the form of it is unknown**


	45. Chapter 45

**Get ready everyone, we're about to begin the serious battles with the Ancestral Faction, and this time we'll be having all the Elites join the fray! It won't just be them, as the other groups will also be facing the other members, which include Jeanne's friends in the Holy Sword Project, and the minor members from Volume 7, meaning this is almost like a small war zone :3**

**The battles will be a mixture of solo fights, team ups, and group battles, considering the Ancestral Faction's likely got a little bit of every battle style through all of the members they have as the second largest group in the Khaos Brigade. Also, something important that I'd like to say now is most of their members are like Jeanne, as in their Sub-Species (with the exception of Leonardo's) have been made into their genuine Balance Breakers.**

**I did this because of a reason the chapter will imply, but it won't make sense until you see everyone pull theirs out, because there's an odd one out among them that you might notice. That, and I feel that some genuine Balance Breakers (like the True Longinus') sound much more powerful than the Sub-Species, with the Triaina and Crimson Cardinal Promotion being the only ones that are canonically stronger.**

**With all of that cleared up, the only things that I have left to say are that we'll finally see a true one on one fight with Issei and Cao Cao in this story, which is something that I'm sure most of you have been wanting to see since he made his debut 30 chapters ago. Back then, such a fight couldn't happen because I said that Cao Cao was too powerful for our heroes, and would completely crush them at the time.**

**However, that's not the case anymore, especially since last chapter showed that despite he withheld using his Balance Breaker, our Red Dragon Emperor managed to tango with him on an even level. To be fair, since Issei is learning to no longer use the Murakumo in battle, both of them had handicaps in the fight, which means they were technically on an even level.**

**Alright, enough of me talking! Let's get this chapter started to get all of these battles started!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

 **[]** \- Ddraig Talking

 **«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

 **「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

 **【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

 **⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

** Prana **

**One of the three primordial energies that gave life to everything on Earth, and the one tied most to the Hindu Pantheon, due to God using it to create Brahma, and then the remaining two members of the Trimurti for the sake of balancing their powers. Among the three, Prana is the strongest, but the hardest to use, as it uses the life energy tied to the nature of stardust. They are considered the only faction notable for using it.**

**Prana's most common forms tend to come in the power of natural defenses, or overwhelming strength on a level near the divine, which often makes those who use it said to be the closest to using the powers that Gods or Half-Gods use. This is believed to be the main reason why the ability to reincarnate into a Buddha was ever created, especially since Prana users have the strength to survive quite a bit.**

**Another notable thing about Prana is various forms of it exist (leading to the power being called Vayu by some), or more specifically, there are various styles that can be focused on that let it manifest in other ways. These forms are Apana, Udana, Samana, and Vyana, which respectively focus on channeling it at the lower body, upper body, the central axis of its core, and fully circulating throughout the body.**

**Usually, those who do best in Prana are Power-types, due to the focus on manipulating the incredibly yet difficult potential that's tied to life energy, or Technique-types, due to the experience and years of training that a Buddha often goes through before they earn the honor of becoming one. Bikou is an example of the former, while Sun Wukong is an example of the latter.**

**Potential wise, Bikou is an example of someone with great potential, as a result of his ancestry to Sun Wukong, who had to work his butt off the master it, and become more than a simple monkey. For the reverse, Liu Bei is someone with horrible potential, requiring the end of her Sacred Gear and her incredible tactician skills to help her make up for the fact she can only use it at the weaker levels.**

**Like with all of the primordial energies, those who use Prana best tend to have little skill with Magic or Chi.**

* * *

**_ Season 5, Kyoto Arc: Chapter 3 - Yasaka Rescue Operation _ **

Everyone gathered around their designated areas, with Jeanne connected to everyone by a magic circle to give any last-minute info that would be vital to helping the group fight against the Ancestral Faction members they might encounter.

〖"That's all for the members I'm aware of, as a lot of them, including those among the Elites, didn't join until after I left the Ancestral Faction's ranks."〗 She finished.

"Alright, thanks for what you could share." Issei replied.

Jeanne gave a smile, nodding her head.

〖"One last thing I should warn everyone about. Georg will likely activate Dimension Lost in advance, and that'll scatter us around the areas we've been assigned. He can't send us too far, so we'll still have general areas to meet up in, but I'd advice dropping all magical contact in favor of phones as a safety precaution."〗 Jeanne warned.

Hearing that, everyone gave a nod before they cut the link between their magic circles.

"Alright everyone, let's-" Issei prepared to declare.

"Hold it!"

Everyone turned to see Nainen drop into view, surprising them.

"Lady Nainen?" Kuroka said in surprise.

It was only moments after that Kunou suddenly jumped onto Yumina's back, nearly making her tip over.

"What the? Kunou, why are the two of you here?" She asked

"Because we're fighting with you, and don't say otherwise. This is our mother they have under their selfish hands!" Kunou exclaimed.

"That's right, none of you won't stand down if your families were at risk, and I'm currently the stand-in for my mother, so as the temporary Youkai Leader? I'm forcing you to bring us, or I will withdraw the Youkai support." Nainen stated, denying them any chance to say now.

Issei suddenly began to laugh, confusing the older Kyuubi.

"You just blackmailed into joining a rescue operation for your mother. I think your mom doesn't have to worry about either of you becoming good leaders one day." He smiled.

Nainen and Kunou both blush at that, feeling embarrassed.

However, before anyone could properly react, the sight of Dimension Lost's fog spread out, enveloping the entire group. Yumina and Kunou stumbled a bit, soon finding themselves within the sub way station.

"Hey, where'd everyone go?" Kunou asked.

"Unlike last time, Georg separated us, but we should still be within a certain distance of them. Only person I'm worried about being unable to contact is your sister." Yumina clarified.

Yumina hit all the contacts for her group on her phone, and immediately got a reply.

"I got sent into the subway area. Kunou's with me as well, likely because she was holding me when the fog hit." Yumina alerted the other.

『"Most of us seem to be outside right now, but the darkness and lack of color's making it hard to tell our specific locations."』 Issei answered.

『"Then we'll use Nijo Castle as our meeting spot."』 Vali suggested.

Nodding her head, Yumina agreed to the idea.

"We'll head over there right-" She replied.

At that moment, she suddenly felt something nearby, making her and Kunou turn as they felt it.

"I'll call you all back, looks like someone's preparing to ambush me." Yumina apologized.

Putting her phone away, she held up her hand.

" **Astral Darkness: Shadow-Yumina!** "

Yumina's shadow stretched out, soon gaining its glowing red eyes and shadowy claws.

"That's so cool!" Kunou smiled.

" _I'll be here so Yumina won't have to worry about fighting and watching you at the same time. Just make sure you don't stray too far from us._ " Shadow-Yumina requested.

"Promise." Kunou agreed.

At that moment, shadows that weren't Yumina's began to course into the area.

"Hey, aren't those from..." The Kyuubi Princess realized.

"Yeah, and if I'm right... they belong to someone I never wanted to fight." Yumina confirmed, a solemn look on her face.

She turned as they gathered at the pillar, opening an entrance for their creator.

"So, is it really you, or am I mistaken you for another Night Reflection wielder... Connla?" Yumina asked.

The shadows faded as the Elite known for his sunglasses walked through.

"Figured you'd recognize Yumina, they always say the student recognizes their teacher's work." Connla greeted, adjusting his sunglasses in response.

"Wait, you know him?" Kunou asked in surprise.

"Before I met Vali, he trained me because his Sacred Gear matched my abilities to a degree... I can't believe you're actually a member of the Ancestral Faction!" She answered, then growled angrily at her old friend.

He walked away from the pillar, turning to face the Lucifuge Heiress.

"I wouldn't expect you to understand, our worlds are just too different for you to see why I made the choices I have." Connla replied, frowning a bit.

Yumina growled even more.

"Doesn't matter how you define it, you still know my powers are advantageous over yours!" Yumina retorted.

"That was back then, but this time I have a new trick even you can't use!" Connla countered.

His shadows went inside him.

" **Balance Breaker: Night Reflection Death Cross!** "

Yumina and Kunou both watched as his body gained a shadowy armor that was mostly black, but had some green markings. His sunglasses even adapted to the armor like a visor of sorts.

"No way, a shadow-based armor!?" The Lucifuge Heiress gasped.

"What do you think? After we parted ways, I managed to unlock my Balance Breaker, and you won't believe what kind of advantages it has. I doubt even the Canis Lykaon got to keep these after its Night Reflection fused to become its current form." Connla chuckled, feeling confident.

The silver-haired Devil gritted her teeth.

" _I've got him!_ " Shadow-Yumina shouted, dashing at him at high speed.

Right as the shadow was within her claws' striking distance, Connla's body suddenly bent like it was living silly putty. He used that moment to turn his arm into a spike, and pierced through Shadow-Yumina's shoulder.

Yumina suddenly scream as she felt pain hit her, making Kunou worried as she looked at shoulder in confusion.

"What happened? Attacking my shadow isn't supposed to transfer damage to my real body!" Yumina questioned with shaking eyes.

"Not with my Balance Breaker's powers! Not only can I move like a shadow, but I can spread my attacks through it, which is a perfect counter against your little shadow avatar!" Connla revealed.

Gasping a bit, she realized her main defense had been compromised. Worse, even though she knew Connla's weaknesses, his ability to evade would be a problem.

"Looks like you're stuck, Yumina Lucifuge!" He cackled.

His shadows spread out, suddenly binding her against a pillar wall, and leaving her to sweat as he neared her with two arm spikes.

Kunou watched, unsure of how to help.

'I really hope the others are doing better than me, or I'm screwed here!' She thought.

* * *

Le Fay was hovering over the ground on her broomstick, looking for any sign of the others, or potential enemies that might attack her. After a few minutes, the time since everyone's call was disconnected finally got to her.

"I hope everyone's alright, Yumina sounded like she had already been cornered..." She remarked, a troubled expression on her face.

"Alright, looks like Cao Cao and Leonardo are in position." Georg stated.

Hearing the voice of the Dimension Lost leader, she quickly covered her mouth to avoid letting a possible gasp escape.

She slowly floated to see him standing on a platform. A red magic circle appeared under him, while a multitude of magic circles for _every_ other type of Magic surrounding his front, back, and two sides. More layers of them stretched out, right as a light blue Kyuubi appeared.

'Wait, that appearance... that's the original form Tamamo-no-Mae possessed before she found the Leylines of the city! Leonardo must be making it, and Cao Cao must be linking their Longinus with the True Longinus in some manner!' Le Fay thought, piecing a possible answer from what she saw.

Seeing his work was done, and the howling of the false Kyuubi before him, Georg turned around.

"You aren't very good at concealing yourself when you stay on that broom, which I assume you didn't know." He stated, looking at where she was.

"Y-you knew I was here!?" Le Fay gasped, sliding into view from the shock.

Motioning his hand, the false Kyuubi turned towards her, making the Pendragon Magician gasp a bit.

"Looks like I'll need my little Gogmagog's aid." Le Fay realized.

Holding out her summon circle, the now awakened Gogmagog rose from it, making a flex motion as he gave a loud roar.

『"Gogmagog no fall asleep this time, will get victory in fight!"』 The Golem exclaimed.

"I was hoping you'd bring him out, glad you were the one that managed to find me here. Let's see if my magic's greater or weaker than yours." Georg replied.

The Kyuubi rushed ahead, and Gogmagog did the same as his hands grabbed onto its head.

"That's cute, but not enough." Georg stated.

Gogmagog grunted a bit, soon feeling himself pushed into the ground as the Kyuubi bit into his shoulder, using its tails to pin him down.

"Gogmagog!" She cried out.

"And you really need to learn how to watch your back." He warned.

Le Fay turned as a barrage of spells flew at her, leaving her barely any time to react as an explosion went off, showing nothing but smoke in the spoke where she was standing.

* * *

Back in the area with Rias' group, they had already managed to regroup after the Dimension Lost's fog had separated them only minutes ago.

"Everyone alright?" Rias asked.

"Yeah, we didn't get attacked on the way here, but I'm not sure if that was intentional or not." Jeanne answered.

Regulus suddenly noticed something.

 **«"Looks like it was, because I'm smelling a ton of Human scents moving towards us."»** Regulus warned.

Everyone got into battle positions, though the Holy Project Trio froze when they saw it was their fellow friends they had learned joined Cao Cao earlier today that had been sent to their current location.

"Damn it, did he do this on purpose?" Tosca growled, feeling sweat drip down her face.

"Rias, give me a moment. I'd like to see if we can make them stand down." Jeanne begged, struggling to keep her act.

"Go ahead, I can tell how you feel right now." Rias permitted.

Jeanne briefly put Hauteclere away, while her friends briefly stood down themselves.

"How did you all survive? More than that... why? You should have heard about us by now, so why still fight for Cao Cao in the first place!?" Jeanne questioned, hoping she could secretly learn things without blowing her cover.

"Mary... you don't even know what really happened beyond the Holy Sword Project, do you?" A boy asked.

"Huh? W-what do you mean? Valper just used us like materials he could discard whenever he felt like it, and all for his sick research... what more could he have done!?" Jeanne questioned.

Kiba and Tosca looked at each other worriedly, already having a bad feeling.

"That was just a stage in the real goal, because that entire Orphanage we lived at? The one we thought gave us a home? We never questioned our lack of names, but... after Cao Cao's group saved our lives, we learned that orphanage's whole purpose was tied to a dark sect in Heaven that I doubt even the Great Seraph know about!" A girl answered.

Jeanne's eyes widened, also catching the attention of her twin brother. Tosca began shaking as she questioned wanting to hear what's next.

"D-dark sect... she can't be serious, right?" Tosca thought aloud.

"Most of us orphans were only there before our families were killed when we were children, all for the Sacred Gears we didn't know we had! Valper and others weren't just looking for fodder to waste on experiments, but looking for certain Sacred Gears for some purpose. Hell, even Cao Cao himself saw his parents being murdered by an Angel, just because they found out he had the True Longinus!" She revealed.

"What!?" Kiba exclaimed in disbelief.

Continuing the act like Jeanne, they pretended to look like reluctant as they readied their Sacred Gears.

"It was clear how the owners of Sacred Gears would be treated. We're seen as different no matter what, and people use our ignorance for their selfishness, using the fact most didn't know of God's death to their advantage! We joined Cao Cao because he promised we'd be able to tear down the lies, and expose the Angels who are betraying Heaven by sheer fact the Lord's not here to make them fall!" A second boy exclaimed.

Hearing this, Jeanne's eyes widened in horror.

There was something even deeper in the darkness that Valper had created, and that meant only one thing... her, Kiba, and Tosca's battle hadn't ended with the Excalibur Incident.

'I'll have to ask Cao Cao about this after we're done, because something feels very wrong to me after hearing that.' She thought.

Drawing her sword, she sighed at them.

"I'm sorry everyone, but I can't let you do that if you'll be risking the entire world in the process! The only mercy that I can give you is sparing you all to be arrested!" She declared.

"Same here, and maybe you'll be able to atone for your crimes." Kiba agreed, holding out Chrysaor.

"Last chance for you to just surrender her, and get off lightly!" Tosca warned.

Realizing their old friends weren't willing to stand down as a result of their morals, all of them readied their Sacred Gears to fight.

"You leave us no choice, I just hope you hold nothing against us." A third boy apologized.

" **Sterling Green/Blue/Red/Yellow/Purple/Brown/White/Black/Orange/Pink!** "

Many bows of light were made, releasing arrows similar to Tosca's, and forcing everyone to dodge, while Sairaorg moved into the path of attack.

 **«"I'm ready when you are, Lord Sairaorg!"»** Regulus confirmed.

" **Balance Breaker: Regulus Rey Leather Rex!** "

Regulus lunged at Sairaorg, soon equipping his Scale Mail armor, and deflecting all of the projectiles that hit him.

"Looks like we'll need to take the stage! Let me a hand Kyuji, Mai, Ryuji!" The first boy stated.

"We're on it, Masato!" Kyuji replied.

They all manifested their Sacred Gears, which Shirone realized were more powerful.

"Careful, these aren't like the ones they just attacked us with." She warned.

Kyuji held his hand out first.

" **Invasion Flame!** "

Balls of magma suddenly shot out, making Tosca hold her hand out to make a barrier... only for it to melt!

"Regulus can't deflect an attack if it sticks to me, we need to be careful." Sairaorg stated.

"If you can even evade them." Mai replied.

She spun around in midair, causing her braided hair to wing around as she did.

" **Dancing Princess of the Gale!** "

A powerful whirlwind went off, blinding the group as they were caught inside, with Ryuuji and Masato using the chance to surround them on the sides.

" **Earth Dragon Champion!** "

" **Water Spirit Commander!** "

The ground suddenly cracked as a water snake began slithering through the cracks, getting everyone on guard as it lunged at them.

* * *

Around the area of Togetsu Bridge, a male member of the Ancestral Faction began to breath heavily.

" **Balance Breaker: Eternal Absolution of Zero!** "

The boy's eyes widened as the already icy area exploded with icicles, only for a trio of females to swing their weapons across it, leaving another male to get him to safety.

"Take them out, Jin!" Tobio ordered.

"Don't let them escape, Hibiki!" Sae shouted.

Both of the living Sacred Gears rushed across the field, with Hibiki dealing with the female trio, and Jin the male duo. Their light and darkness soon spread out, connecting with each other to form chains, and bind the group of five in place.

"Damn it!" The second boy screamed.

Wiping her forehead, Lavinia turned to the leader and second-in-command of the Slash/Dog Team.

"They didn't send too many our way." Lavinia remarked.

"Considering how the Dimension Lost moved us, my bet is Georg knew it was safer to avoid sending a larger group when we have two of the Longinus among us. We just have to hope Issei can handle the situation without us needing to help him." Tobio replied.

Lavinia nodded her head, worriedly looking towards Nijo Castle.

"Please be safe..." She wished.

* * *

Millarca was seen manipulating some smoke to grab a few Ancestral Faction members, and then swing them around onto the ground.

" **Dragon Pulse!** "

Ouryuu stepped the ground, altering the landscape to the surprise of many, and those who jumped away would soon be smashed by spheres of draconic energy. Upon hitting the ground, he turned to Tadami.

"We've got another dozen down." He called out.

"Got it!" Tadami answered.

Taking out some talismans, she threw them towards their foreheads, which kept them all asleep from the power of the spell that had been placed on them.

Seeing most of his teammates in trouble, one male screamed loudly.

" **Gigantic Stronghold!** "

The boy's body became gigantic, soon releasing a loud moan he took up most of the battlefield, with a gem pulsing on his upper chest area.

"Hey Vritra, ready for some exercise?" Saji asked.

 **«"Such a large opponent is enough to gain my attention."»** Vritra answered.

"Allow me to give you a hand." Sona smiled.

Saji shouted, making Vritra wrap around him as Sona created a serpent of water, making it lunge at the humongous Sacred Gear user as she bought her Pawn the moment he needed.

" **Balance Breaker: Malebolge Vritra Promotion!** "

Equipping his Scale Mail, he unleashed his dark flames against the mammoth man before him, who continued moaning as his skin began to steam up.

Unsheathing Muramasa, everyone watched Tomoe pierce the gem, causing energy to escape from it.

"Nice one!" Millarca praised.

The boy immediately reverted to normal, and fainted on the spot.

* * *

Sieg looked around, trying to find the two sent to his location... prompting his Sacred Gear to activate as Homura and Arthur dashed at him, slashing across three of his blades each. After they were knocked back, he took a moment to regain his ground.

"Impressive, it seems revealing all my Demonic Swords has made you more capable of fighting them all at once." Sieg realized.

"You've got two swords that match Gram fighting you right now, I wouldn't take us lightly." Homura warned.

The former Exorcist nodded his head.

"That's unfortunately too true, so it seems I'll need to reveal my Balance Breaker if I hope to have any advantage." He answered.

Both swordsman got ready as he held his arms out.

" **Balance Breaker: Chaos Edge Asura Ravage!** "

Suddenly, twelve metallic arms grew out of his body due to his Sacred Gear, while two metallic heads appeared behind his shoulders. Quickly reaching into his coat to draw out a sword of light for each of them to hold.

"Oh great, he's even more like an Asura now!" Homura remarked.

"Not just any Asura, this is... Vairochana, the former Asura King." The Lucifer Knight replied, gripping his sword closer.

"That's correct. While my speed is a mere fraction of what is normally is while I use this, having more arms to attack and defend with is useful, as is the benefit of being able to see in every direction." Sieg answered.

Readying her sword, Homura swung Murakumo down, unleashing a powerful storm of energy at him.

Sieg immediately spun around, cutting through the attacks as Arthur charged at him, trying to get through his defenses while he could. Sieg simply shifted a few of his blades, parrying against Caliburn's strength.

"Take this!" Homura shouted.

She smashed against the Cursed and Light swords he held, and the two began pushing through to a degree.

" **Dainsleif!** "

Pillars of ice knocked them back, showing the power of the purple/black Cursed Sword.

" **Balmung!** "

A spiraling whirlwind drilled across the area, sending the two flying through some buildings. Chuckling a bit, Sieg walked towards the area they had collided with.

* * *

Back near the hotel, a boy with a sword began to shake as Nanami aimed a smirk at him.

"S-stay back! I can hurt you, really badly!" Yukihiko warned.

"Go ahead then, because your threats don't scare me." Nanami permitted.

He whimpered at that, but soon rose his sword, giving a loud scream before he swung it down. The attack struck Nanami... only for her Longinus to absorb the attack.

"Huh!?" He screamed in disbelief.

"Let me guess, didn't know I'm the Telos Karma wielder?" Nanami inquired.

"EH!?" He screamed in horror.

Whistling a bit, a bunch of vines suddenly constricted everyone, making him turn around to see his allies getting incapacitated.

"Dulio, you're free to finish here." Hina smiled.

"Right, time for my Sub-Species to get to work." Dulio answered, holding his hands out to make a circle shape.

" **Speranza Bolla di Sapone!** "

A bunch of bubbles suddenly released themselves from the opening his hands, causing everyone they popped near to suddenly lose any will to fight as warm and good memories pacified them.

"What did you..." Yukihiko questioned.

"Do you surrender?" Hina asked.

Seeing his current status, he dropped his sword before holding his hands up in defeat.

* * *

Irina flew around the area, though immediately stopped as a three-pronged dagger nearly hits her, and then spins back to its thrower. Looking down below, she saw the face of Jingu giving her a dark chuckle, holding another copy of the dagger in her other hand.

"Let me guess, your one of the Ancestral Faction's Elite members, aren't you?" Irina realized, turning her attention her.

"Define it like that if you want to! The name's Jingu, and I'm about to make you fall from Heaven in the deadlier sense!" Jingu answered, giving a dark smile on her face.

Irina sweated at that reply, feeling nervous.

'Why'd I get the bloodthirsty member?' She asked herself, drawing Excalibur into view.

Putting her daggers onto wrist slots in her arm, she slapped the ground.

" **Freezing Archaeopteryx!** "

Ice formed behind her, transforming into a large-scale version of the very creature it was named after.

"A dinosaur made of ice? This is a first, but I should have an advantage against it." Irina remarked.

"You sure, well then... check out my Sub-Species!" Jingu chuckled darkly.

Her eyes glowed in a way that Irina felt was too inhumane.

" **Extinction Age of the Frozen Cocytus!** "

The dinosaur suddenly screamed in pain, with the ice turning purple as it somehow began to rot, becoming a skeleton in appearance as it grew an additional pair of eyes.

"Crap, why'd I say that out loud?" Irina said, realizing her error.

Diving down at the living Sacred Gear, it gave a loud roar before spewing a toxic venom, forcing her to twirl around it. After a bit, she swung Excalibur across it, and did some damage...

Unfortunately, she gasped as it regenerated from the damage.

"Oh no, she made it an undead!" The golden-orange haired Angel realized.

Jingu laughed as she charged at her, readying her daggers to stab her, while the Freezing Archaeopteryx mimicked her movements.

"Get ready to die!" The Ancestral Faction's mole screamed.

* * *

Asia walked around nervously, and before she knew it... a hand suddenly grabbed her shoulder, making her turn as a hooded Leonardo appeared before her.

"How annoying that I got the weak link, especially when she's a cutie." Leonardo sighed.

The moment he said that, the Holy Sister immediately gave off a strong blush, feeling her face heat up from his words. Rassei summoned himself, giving a defensive growl towards the Annihilation Maker's wielder.

" **Balance Breaker: Annihilation Monster Mayhem!** "

Leonardo forced a mass of power into one spot, creating a massive 50-meter creature that looked like a giant knight with Dragon-like armor, with Rassei shaking as he saw it.

"W-what is this?" Asia asked.

"Normally, the monsters I make are around the same size as most species, and double at in certain instances. Using my Balance Breaker allows me to create my biggest threats. This one in particular is meant to counter your nature as a Dragon Tamer." He explained.

Asia gasped at that, realizing why Rassei was suddenly afraid... this monster was a living Dragon Slayer that could really hurt him.

"I'm scared too Rassei, but please... I need your strength right now. I can't fight it on my own." Asia begged.

Seeing her owner was truly terrified, Rassei took one more look at the powerful creature made by the Annihilation Maker, then made a decision... focusing his face as he gave a sound of approval.

"Thank you." The Lucifer Bishop smiled, sniffling a bit.

Watching things for a moment, Leonardo turned his head, trying not to show his slight jealousy at the scene.

"Little Dragon, with my strength, spread your true wings if even for a brief moment." Asia chanted.

"Hmm?" Leonardo blinked at that.

Rassei jumped into the air, transforming into Regulus-sized teenage body.

"Uh... OK, no one told me about that." Leonardo mumbled, giving a worried look.

Asia jumped on her familiar's back, which prompted Rassei to take flight, and blast lightning at Leonardo's monster.

" **Storm Breath!** "

A huge surge of blue lightning fired out of the Sprite Dragon's mouth, flinging the monster across the air. Upon being launched into the air, it slammed its feet down, stabilizing itself before it fell over.

The monster took a deep breath, then released a powerful energy blast form it, and the Annihilation Maker gem on its breastplate.

* * *

Rossweisse hovered across the skies, trying to spot anyone she could.

"So, you're the one that I'm facing!"

Turning her head, she spotted Heracles on the ground, who gave a toothy grin at the sight of her arrival. Rossweisse soon landed on the ground.

"Based on your muscles, I'm assuming you would be Heracles?" She asked.

"And you're that cousin of Sieg's, an interesting match up to be sure!" He answered.

Flexing his muscles, and aura formed around him.

" **Variant Detonation!** "

'So, his Balance Breaker really is an aura... need to remember what Jeanne said about making direct contact with him.' Rossweisse recalled.

She immediately flew into the sky, making Heracles realize what she knew.

"Guess I should have figured Jeanne told you that my Sacred Gear makes anything I come into contact with explode. Well, if that's the case, then I guess I'll need to bring out something she doesn't know!" He stated.

" **Balance Breaker: Detonation Mighty Comet!** "

He screamed as spiked armor attached to his shoulders, wrists, and ankles. In place of his hands grew giant missiles of sorts, making Rossweisse pale a bit.

"And there goes the aerial advantage..." She realized.

"Get a load of these!" He shouted.

He fired both of the shots, forcing Rossweisse to use her magic to teleport away, however... the missile itself just happened to release a targeting reticle, which was red until it locked onto her. The moment it went green, the Valkyrie Rook gasped as they both struck her.

"Oh yeah, and that's a bulls-eye!" Heracles exclaimed, the missiles reforming on his arms.

The smoke cleared, showing Rossweisse covered by an aura that reduced the damage she took, leaving only a few scratches on her body.

"Didn't think you'd be able to take that and keep standing, I'm impressed." Heracles praised.

Rossweisse didn't respond, still feeling the blow that her aura barely defended against, and knowing she had to rethink her current strategy with the new knowledge that fighting him from any distance would be considered dangerous.

* * *

Kelsey scratched her head, trying to find any signs of her friends, and watching out for any signs of her enemies.

"Ah, so here you are!"

The Demon Princess froze up, turning to see the sight of Perseus standing before her, with the sword and shield that made his Sacred Gear in hand. Looking at said shield, Kelsey recognized the symbol of Medusa on it.

"Wait, is that you Bikou?" Kelsey asked.

"Huh?" Perseus blinked.

Looking at himself, he quickly checked an image of everyone, and paled when he saw Bikou.

"Oh god, I do look like him!" He exclaimed.

Kelsey suddenly jumped back, realizing that this was just a similar face that was likely on the Ancestral Faction's side.

"I am known as Perseus, and you won't be getting any further while I'm here!" He exclaimed.

"WAAAAAH!"

The two looked up, with Perseus feeling a huge pain on his head as Yuuma fell from the sky, making Kelsey's eyes widen at the sight. The Fallen Angel Princess soon got on her feet, somehow not injured at all, compared to the swelling on Perseus' head.

"Oh, hey there Kelsey." She waved, noticing her fellow Pawn.

"Considering who your father is, don't tell me how you just fell out of the sky. I beg you." Kelsey stated.

Hearing a groan, Yuuma stood up to see Perseus.

"Uh oh, did I just land on Bikou?" Yuuma asked worriedly.

"No, that's an identical stranger calling himself Perseus... meaning he's an enemy you should move away from ASAP." Kelsey answered.

The Fallen Angel moved out of the way, with Perseus getting on his feet.

"Ow... that was painful." He groaned.

Yuuma took out the Down Fall Dragon Spear, while Kelsey readied the orbs of her Crystal Flurry.

"I don't think so!" Perseus shouted.

" **Aegis Mineralization!** "

Both of them suddenly felt themselves suddenly held in place, with blotches of their skin becoming stone.

"Y-Yuuma, what's this Sacred Gear doing!?" Kelsey asked.

"Aegis Mineralization is the shield of Athena that had the eye of Medusa inside of it! The real thing doesn't turn people into stone, but has venom that makes one nearly petrified! The only downside is you have to be stronger than whoever you use the effect on for it to work!" Yuuma explained.

Both of them fell to their knees.

"Which unfortunately, both of you seem to be." Perseus smirked.

Yuuma grunted a bit, looking at her spear.

"Yu-Long, can you force the activation of the Balance Breaker for me?" She asked.

 **«"Watch and learn baby!"»** Yu-Long replied.

Both her and Kelsey stared at her, making the Jade Dragoness go quiet. Even Perseus looked at the scene oddly.

 **«"Uh... yeah, I'll avoid saying that again."»** Yu-Long promised.

**«"Balance Breaker: Down Fall Dragon Another Armament!"»**

Yuuma regained her movement as Yu-Long's armaments form on her body, and she immediately rushed ahead to strike Perseus' shield. Nearly falling on his butt, Kelsey started moving again, and finally unleashed her attack.

" **Crystal Flurry!** "

Perseus was flung back by the crystalline orbs, and back flipped a bit.

"Alright, time for the big guns!" He shouted.

" **Balance Breaker: Medusa's Festival of the Lamia!** "

The Aegis Mineralization suddenly broke apart, and Perseus' sword split in half before they gathered to give Perseus a snake-like torso with two blades attached to his wrists. Upon finishing the transformation, both of them felt their movements slowed down by a strong mist.

"I don't have any info on this Balance Breaker!" Yuuma warned.

"Thanks for telling me before I asked you about it, that gives me less reason to worry!" Kelsey replied, grunting from the pressure she felt.

Perseus rushed ahead, readying his blades as the duo readied themselves for his incoming attack.

"Here I come!" He announced.

* * *

Issei and Vali soon found the spot where Cao Cao was expecting them, and they both landed before him.

"Ah, so the Dragon Emperors have finally arrived." He greeted.

"Spill it Cao Cao, what are you trying to do here? What do you need Kunou's mother and her connection to the Leylines for anyways!?" Issei demanded.

The True Longinus wielder chuckled a bit.

"I guess there's no harm in telling you. We're using her power because I want to bring someone out of hiding." He lied.

Both of them gasped.

"You really are trying to free Trihexa, aren't you!?" Vali exclaimed.

"What, are you stupid? Why would I wanna bring that monster out of its seal?" He questioned like they had grown extra heads.

Both of them sighed in relief.

"Oh god, you're not as crazy as my ex-grandpa." The Lucifer Heiress said in relief.

"Yeah, glad he's not... wait, who's he bringing out of hiding that needs this much power for it?" Issei questioned, realizing something was off.

"I'm pretty sure you're already well acquainted with them, one Great Red and Ophis." Cao Cao revealed.

The two widened their eyes in surprise.

"You're trying to summon the two of them here? You really are crazy!" Issei shouted.

"Say what you want, but with the True Longinus in my hand, I'll challenge the two into battle, and prove there's not a single God that Humanity can't overcome." He answered.

Both Dragon Emperors sweated at that.

"Well, at least he isn't trying to kill them, but he's still a battle crazy idiot." Vali stated.

Jumping closer into view, he held out his Longinus.

 **«"However, to be worth of such a goal... it makes defeating the wielders of their respective children in battle. So, come at us Red Dragon Emperor and White Dragon Empress!"»** The Will of Longinus challenged.

Issei felt worried the spirit of the original Longinus was siding with this, but sighed as he assumed his DxD G form.

"Alright, if that's how you want it, then I'll have to a Boosted Gear empower punch across the face!" Issei declared.

"Ophis is a good friend of mine, so I'm not going to let you fight her to satiate your battle mania. Get ready to feel the power of the Heavenly Dragons!" Vali shouted, activating her DxD L form.

Cao Cao smirked at the sight.

"Alright, if you two are going full out from the start, then its time you see the full power of my holy spear!" He announced.

The spear glowed brightly, releasing a huge surge of power that that pushed the two to their knees. It was at this moment that both of them had no doubts to what was coming... the power that founded the Longinus.

" **Balance Breaker: Polar Night Longinus Chakravartin Gotterdammerung!** "

The helix formation of the True Longinus glowed a bright golden light, while the spear's blade also began to shimmer into from silver into a shiny platinum.

Seven orbs suddenly manifested, with one setting themselves within the lower four links, and the last three in the main link. While neither had any idea what they were for, the True Longinus nature meant they each held a dangerous amount of power within them.

" **Atsusa Ratana!** "

He suddenly disappeared from view, surprising the duo... though Issei quickly pulled Vali away, narrowly missing Cao Cao striking his spear from behind.

"What the hell!?" He shouted.

"Don't know if you didn't hear or just forgot about it, but the True Longinus' strength is mostly known for the fact it has power of _seven_ Balance Breakers in one. This is one of them, which is the ability to teleport whatever I touch, myself included." Cao Cao revealed.

"Oh crap, so that rumor's actually reality, and I bet those orbs are why all seven can be used simultaneously." Vali realized.

Realizing he needed to attack, Issei immediately rushed at Cao Cao.

" **Crimson Striker!** "

" **Chatsuka Ratana!** "

Issei's gauntlet grew larger as he prepared to slam it against Cao Cao, who thrust his spear against it... and completely shattered the armor! Ddraig screamed in pain as he felt the backlash strike him.

"And that was the power to destroy weapons, or unleash destructive force." The Ancestral Faction's leader stated.

Vali's wings formed their blasters, which she aimed at Cao Cao.

" **Dragon Booster!** "

" **Itsutei Ratana!** "

A slight ripple fired off the spear's tip, which caused Vali's blasters to short circuit before they dispelled themselves.

"The third Balance Breaker ability, which is the power to negate certain abilities for a temporary period. For the fourth one that I'll reveal..." Cao Cao smirked, looking Vali's surprised reaction.

" **Hatsutei Ratana!** "

Cao Cao suddenly took flight, and moved at speeds faster than either could react to.

"Damn it!" Issei growled.

" **Flame Wave!** "

Issei released flames from the chest gem of his Scale Mail, which blazed within the area that Cao Cao was currently flying in, making the duo smile.

Just when it seemed like they'd land a blow...

" **Mala Ratana!** "

He swung the spear, redirecting it back at the duo, and smashing them across some of the landscape.

"Then I have the ability to fly at supersonic speeds, which helps since I don't have the power to fly due to using Prana in place of magic. Then my fifth Balance Breaker ability gives me the power to redirect attacks." The True Longinus user chuckled.

Not able to tolerate his mockery, Issei screamed loudly, unleashing the overwhelming strength of his willpower to push Cao Cao to his knees.

"You're about to see what happens when you push with the Red Dragon Emperor too far!" He screamed.

" **Etheric Flare!** "

As the overwhelming wave of willpower threatened to wash over him, Cao Cao activated his sixth Balance Breaker ability.

" **Kahabatei Ratana!** "

Right at that moment, the attack was blocked as what looked to be armored soldiers that resembled the ones made by the Kiba and Jeanne's third Balance Breakers, but with designs that were inspired by the True Longinus itself.

All of the soldiers tanked the attack, then exploded apart entirely, leaving Cao Cao to completely evade the attack.

"You had enough yet!?" Issei panted, though still feeling confident.

"Yeah, for as much power as the original Longinus has, it still hasn't been able to take us down!" Vali panted, also feeling confident in her chances.

"I'll admit it, what you've managed to achieve is impressive. Be honored to be the first I've ever been forced to unleash my last Balance Breaker ability against!" Cao Cao answered, readying his spear as it began to slightly shake from the power it charged.

The two of them widened their eyes.

" **Balinayaka Ratana!** "

All of the orbs unleashed power through the True Longinus' tip, including the spears own power. After fully charging, it unleashed a rainbow sphere overhead, then burst into multiple rainbow beams that were like miniature fusion explosions across the ground, but powered by divine energy.

Issei and Vali immediately put their hands out.

**("REFLECT!")**   
**["PENETRATE!"]**

The remaining hosts all focused at the two, as Issei tried to break them apart, and Vali tried to send it back, the latter struggling to defend against it with all the willpower she could muster into her Force Crystallization.

**«"OVERDRIVE!"»**

Unfortunately, their magic circles both shattered, making the duo gasp before the attacks completely overwhelmed them.

* * *

Nainen rushed around the area near Nijo Castle's outskirts, trying to find any signs of her mother.

"Don't worry mother, I'll find you." She promised.

"I didn't expect you to be here, looks like the Fallen Angel ended up in a different location."

Screeching to a stop, the older Kyuubi Princess turned to see Liu Bei looking at her, riding on a large Qilin with armor that matched her own.

"Who are you?" Nainen demanded.

The Qilin lunged ahead, landing closer to the temporary Youkai leader.

"My name is Liu Bei of the Ancestral Faction, and you'll now see the power of someone who's strength comes from the forces they command, rather than themselves!" She announced.

Throwing out a few stones towards the ground, the Ancestral Faction tactician held her hand out.

" **Dreamlike Curse!** "

Nainen gasped as the shards suddenly turned into a small army of horse riding soldiers who were covered in ancient samurai armor from Oda Nobunaga's time.

"That's impressive, but not enough." Nainen replied, forming fox fire in her hands and the tips of all her tails.

"Who said I was done?" Liu Bei asked.

Clapping her hands together, rings rippled off of her eyes before the area began to ripple as well.

" **Balance Breaker: Palaselene Utopia!** "

Before Nainen realized it, the area turned into a valley with vast hills, which was advantageous to those on horses, but a problem for someone like herself.

"My Sacred Gear's power normally changes any non-living objects that I've touched into something realistic, as long as they're in a certain range. My balance breaker affects the land in the same radius, meaning you're currently fighting in a small realm favoring myself." Liu Bei exclaimed.

"OK, that's impressive, though my mom's faced worse." Nainen replied, accepting the challenge.

Liu Bei held her katana into the air.

"Everyone, charge!' She shouted.

Her small army charged at Nainen, who prepared her fire for an attack.

* * *

Bikou looked around while he sat on his staff, the Flying Nimbus circling around him.

"Looks like you can't find anything either." He sighed.

"Oh, but I found you, heir to the Monkey King name!"

Hearing that voice, the sight of Jian Yong jumping into view was seen, brandishing her staff in hand as she gave a toothy grin towards the monkey man.

"Well, if it isn't the monkey of that girl trio." Bikou remarked.

Flinging himself before her, Jian Yong gave a slight chuckle as she aimed her Sacred Gear at him.

" **Quaking Simian!** "

She launched ahead, swinging her weapon against Bikou's copy of the Ruyi Jingu Bang, and surprising the Lucifer Rook as the ground around him suddenly rose up.

"That staff can shift the ground below us!?" He exclaimed in surprise.

"Not much you can do if you can barely move around!" Jian Yong smirked, pushing more force on him.

Bikou formed his tail to push himself out of the way.

He swung around the altered land, with Jian Yong easily following despite the lack of any monkey appendages of her own.

"Alright, of you wanna be a crazy monkey, then let's show you my own craze!" She announced.

" **Balance Breaker: Roaring Mountain of the Apes!** "

She split her weapon in two, causing drill bits to appear at the ends, and swung them like actual nunchakus. With one strong swing, Bikou gasped as they extended towards him, causing a sandstorm as they did.

The Rook of Lucifer was soon covered by the sandy veil, shouting as the attack struck the area he was at.

* * *

Ravel looked around, a slight feeling of nervousness filled her at the vast unknown she was walking through.

"So, the one I fight has a name resembling the very creature my armor's themed after? I'll need to give thanks to Georg for allowing this encounter when we finish things here." Guan Yu stated.

Ravel turned to see the said Elite jump from high up, pulling out the bansho fans that were her Sacred Gear.

"If I remember right, you're the one known as Guan Yu?" Ravel recalled.

"That's correct, and now you and I will battle, learning just how much greater my flames are compared to yours!" She confirmed, holding out her weapon.

She dashed faster than Ravel could properly react to.

" **Phoenix Battlefire!** "

Ravel was struck by the two bansho fans, which unleashed a powerful mixture of wind and flames at her, smashing her across some buildings. Ravel got back up, feeling her regenerative flames burn across her wounded areas.

"Just as your powers were derived by the fire bird that inspired your name, the soul of a Phoenix sleeps within my Sacred Gear's form. Even if I myself can't heal like you, they say you should fight fire with fire." Guan Yu stated.

'She's got more strength and speed in exchange for being unable to heal... hope that I can last enough to fight her.' Ravel thought.

Getting on her feet, Ravel immediately took to skies, and then flew around to dive at Guan Yu in the form of flames shaped as a small Phoenix.

"Hmm... it seems that I'll need to adapt to the skies myself." The red-armored girl realized.

" **Balance Breaker: Hurricane of the Erupting Volcano!** "

Her bansho flames split down the middle, stretching out to become like four flaming wings that Guan Yu flapped, allowing her to take flight. Ravel turned to see her flying after her, and turned around in response.

"Alright, looks like we're fighting up here." Ravel decided.

" **Burning Wing!** "

Ravel's flaming aura dispelled as it shot out as two whipping flames in the shape of phoenix wings. Guan Yu spun around the attack before rotating even faster.

" **Magma Twister!** "

Ravel was suddenly hit by super-heated air, which flung her across a few building tops, followed by a rain of magma striking down in something resembling a shower of fireballs.

She tried to get up after the onslaught, but slumped onto her stomach as she began breathing heavily.

* * *

Kuroka didn't move from the spot she ended up with, causing Zhang Fei to sweat from where she was watching.

'Does she know where I am?' She thought.

"Are you just going to stay there, or actually fight me?" Kuroka inquired.

She fell from her hiding spot at that.

"How long did you know I was there!?" She asked.

Kuroka didn't answer, making Zhang Fei worried that she was falling for psychological warfare.

" **Maelstrom Fang!** "

Drawing her Sacred Gear into view, Kuroka readied herself for battle.

"Alright kitty cat, time for you to deal with me!" Zhang Fei shouted.

"Bring it." She challenged.

Kuroka immediately began drawing Youjutsu symbols, only for Zang Fei to slam her daggers into the ground. Water burst out to dispel Kuroka's world at the very moment it formed.

"Impossible!" The Black Nekoshou gasped.

The Lucifer Rook raised her hand to block a swing of the Ancestral Faction Elite's attack, soon back flipping a bit.

"Alright, time to level up!" Zhang Fei declared.

" **Balance Breaker: Tidal Rage of the Ocean's Dragon!** "

The entire area was suddenly swallowed in a surge of water, making Kuroka cough as she was dragged into the water. Being a Nekomata in general, being submerged made her go into a panic, as cats had a natural dislike of being underwater.

"Your strength means nothing if you can't use it..." Zhang Fei said in a chilling tone.

The shadow of the girl wearing dragon-themed armor could be seen in the water, two flashes showing her eyes as a small swirl began to form.

* * *

In another location, the sight of Indra holding a glass of wine was seen, and he downed the entire thing in an instant.

"Well, it looks like the time for me to show is now." He smirked.

Tossing the glass to the ground, an audible shatter resounded through the area was heard.

Rushing into the room, the sight of a panicked Varuna could be heard, having heard the sudden crash that had just sounded it. Indra was no longer in the room, and it took him a moment before he noticed the glass.

"Lord Indra?" He said in confusion.

Finding no trace of him, he wondered what he should do, and slowly left the room.

* * *

Yumina grunted, struggling to get free of her binds, and just when it looked like she was done for...

" **For Fire!** "

The entire ground suddenly set aflame, making Connla suddenly stop as flames got in his way, and turned towards Kunou, who was unleashing the flames.

"Take this!" She shouted.

"Damn it, I should have made sure she didn't use that!" He stated, struggling to avoid the flames.

Yumina motioned her hand, using the moment to go intangible, and free herself from the pillar she had been strapped to.

'Her flames won't be enough, so how do we-' She thought.

Looking at the ceiling, she saw a bunch of fire extinguishers spread across it, making her smile.

"Kunou, aim at the ceiling!" Yumina shouted.

"Huh?" She blinked.

"Just do it, trust me!" The Lucifuge Heiress shouted.

She didn't get it, but the younger Fox Princess aimed at the ceiling, setting off all the extinguishers. Upon realizing this, Connla screamed as the shadowy motions of his armor stopped, making it look like he was just wearing thin armor.

"What happened?" Kunou asked.

"Formless things like shadow are weak to energies like fire, and other things without form, things like wind... or water." Yumina explained.

"Now I get it, the water's making his armor useless!" Kunou cheered.

Connla tried to move his shadows, but they were too slow and small to do much, making Yumina stare at him.

"You've lost Connla, that new strength makes your weakness even greater, while I could just punch you and win at this point. Don't kill yourself over this." She begged, not wanting to hurt her old friend.

"No way, I won't stop fighting... fore Cao Cao's sake!" Connla grunted, struggling to push his shadows further.

Yumina showed surprise at that.

"Why? Why do you fight so hard for someone like him?" She questioned.

Connla didn't reply for a moment, only letting the raining waters make any noise, and then he answered.

"You know how it is, especially considering your Lucifer's story... possessors of Sacred Gears are treated like freak shows wherever they go in the Human world, the very race that just so happens to be lucky enough to use them! If you don't find others like you? Then tough, your life will be treated like the dirt everyone's shoes walk over. I was like that myself, but then Cao Cao found me, and destroyed all that by giving me a purpose!"

"He changed my life for the better! Everyone was horrible before I met him, and as much as the time with you helped me, it wasn't enough until he finally broke the mold that had been sticking to me all my life. If he asks me to do shed blood? If he wants me to risk or sacrifice my life? I don't care, because before him, I didn't even have a proper life to live, it's because of him I ever got to actually live!"

Yumina showed surprise at that, it didn't sound like Cao Cao was truly evil, if even at all.

"He's fighting for... we were... mom told me to..." Kunou suddenly mumbled, holding her head.

"What's wrong Kunou?" She asked.

"Something is... why do I feel mom and I knew we'd be attack? That it... was OK?" Kunou questioned, feeling her eyes shake.

Connla noticed this.

"Hold up, what do you mean you don't remember? You and your mother should have both been among those that knew the truth of what was happening!" Connla questioned.

Yumina looked at him in surprise.

"I... don't understand..." Kunou grunted, holding her head more.

"Wait a minute, are you finally regaining the memories you lost after that one woman attacked you?" Yumina gasped.

"Woman? What are you talking about?" Connla questioned, noticing something was fishy.

"Kunou said she got attacked by Cao Cao in the Youkai Realm, yet we found her in Alfheim. The only thing she remembers was a woman attacking her, saying she needed to die, and then we found her in a comatose state." The Heiress of Lucifuge answered.

Hearing that, the Night Reflection wielder gasped.

"Jingu said she couldn't find her... because she didn't intend on bringing her back! She's the traitor among us!" Connla realized.

"Wait, what are you talking about?" Yumina questioned, feeling confused.

Connla growled, realizing he had to blab the truth, because now there was a genuine threat in this exam.

"This whole incident was a sham! We've been moles for the Alliance all along, with Jeanne and your little fox friend there being aware of it all, but now... one of us is going to mess up everything we've done to try and fix the seal on Trihexa!" He answered.

Yumina's eyes widened at that, while Kunou suddenly gasped as something in her mind cleared up, and Connla ran off.

"Wait, this has all been..." The Lucifuge Heiress muttered.

Looking at Kunou, she looked back at her.

"I remember now... and he's not lying. Mom and I knew we'd be attacked, Lady Amaterasu asked us to play along so they could sneak in, and use my mom to hopefully make the seal on Trihexa become permanent." She confirmed, her eyes shaking as her remaining memories returned.

"Oh no, then that means Issei's examine has been compromised by a real threat! I've gotta warn the others!" Yumina realized.

She grabbed her phone, only to see it wouldn't turn on, and not because of the rain soaking its circuits.

"Uh oh..." She gulped, realizing she might be too late.

Looking at Kunou.

"No choice, we've gotta search for them directly." She realized.

"Let's head to Nijo Castle, if Connla's looking for the traitor, we should alert Cao Cao directly of what's happening here." Kunou suggested.

"Yeah, that's probably the best option we have... let's just hope we're fast enough." Yumina agreed.

Both of them began rushing out of the subway, hoping they'd be able to prevent what Jingu was planning for everyone.

* * *

Irina screamed as she tumbled across the ground, using Excalibur to support herself.

"Wow, you haven't actually died yet? Not sure if that should impress me, or just annoy me, because this is not the kind of thing I want to see in a fight." Jingu said, focusing a glare at her.

Freezing Archaeopteryx roared at the Angel Knight, and charged at her.

"That's right, kill that weak Angel and then-" Jingu cackled.

Suddenly, a magic circle appeared by her ear, making her grit her teeth at the unfortunate timing of the call. Raising a hand up, her Sacred Gear ceased all movement.

"Huh?" Irina blinked.

"Fine, I'll head over right now, just wish you'd have been a minute longer... hey, shut up! You enjoy violence as much as I do!" She said to someone.

Dispelling the magic circle, she glared at Irina.

"You're lucky, you know that?" She said angrily.

Jingu jumped away, making her Sacred Gear shatter as she ran off somewhere, and leaving a confused Irina behind.

* * *

Sieg smirked as a tired Homura and Arthur knelt on their legs, using their swords to support themselves.

"It seems you two have reached your limits, don't feel too bad." He stated.

"No way, if you think that this is all we have, then... you're dead wrong!" Homura screamed, her hair blowing a as her voice grew louder.

At that moment, the power of the redheaded heroine's Etheric Flare went off, pushing Sieg back.

"W-what is this!?" He questioned.

Arthur got on his feet, realizing this was their chance.

"This is something you didn't see coming!" Arthur shouted.

Swinging Caliburn down, the former Exorcist parried the blow... only with the Etheric Flare limiting his strength, and allowing Arthur to shatter all of the Light Swords he had.

"Impossible!" Sieg gasped.

"And that's game over!" Homura shouted, rushing ahead.

With a mighty swung, all of the Cursed Swords went flying, landing around Sieg as Murakumo slashed them out of his hand. Sieg himself fell onto his back, feeling shock with what just occurred, and then looking at them.

"You... actually overcame all of my swords." He stated, still in disbelief.

Homura panted a bit, and then rose her hands up as she gave a loud scream as her victory cheer.

"We did it!" She exclaimed.

"Yes, that we did." Arthur smiled in agreement.

* * *

Gogmagog roared before firing beams from his eyes, sending the false Kyuubi across the battlefield in a loud tumble.

"Huh, I'll admit that was impressive." Georg remarked.

"This fight's barely hit its starting point." Le Fay replied.

Upon hearing her voice, the Dimension Lost user saw Le Fay holding a small barrier like the one Rossweisse used in the Gremory VS Sitri game at the start of the Tournament, which allowed her to avoid taking any damage.

"You actually put up a defense that quickly?" He stated in surprise.

"The King and Queen of my peerage are both Longinus wielders, it helps to be prepared for anything that could happen." Le Fay giggled.

Holding her wand out, she gave Gogmagog some power, and the Golem began hitting its chest like a Gorilla.

『"Ready now Gogmagog is, fight at beyond 100%"』 Gogmagog declared.

The false Kyuubi unleashed its fox fire, but Gogmagog roared as he simply charged through it unharmed. Realizing the situation, Georg tried the same spell that knocked it out during their previous battle, however... the spell circle broke upon touching it.

『"Le Fay not dumb, she made sure you couldn't make Gogmagog nap twice!"』 The Golem shouted.

"Crap!" Georg sweated.

Throwing his arm in the fake Youkai's mouth, Gogmagog fired a barrage of missiles, soon making the false Kyuubi swell like a balloon, followed by a loud popping sound.

"She beat the fabrication of Tamamo-no-Mae?" He said in surprise.

Le Fay soon placed a binding spell around him while he wasn't looking at her, making him look at himself in surprise.

"Got you!" She giggled.

"Well... this is embarrassing." Georg sighed, realizing what he let happen.

* * *

Heracles continued firing off the missiles of his Balance Breaker, with Rossweisse firing at them at him simultaneously, where he dodged every attack he made during his barrage against the Valkyrie of the Gremory Team.

'I'll never be able to win at this rate!' She thought.

"Feeling tired yet? I could go on all day if I wanted to!" Heracles exclaimed.

Rossweisse grunted, but then widened her eyes.

"Guess if his attacks are risky enough, then being crazy enough to leave myself at risk is the best thing I can do at this point." She realized.

At that moment, Heracles suddenly noticed a bunch of magic circles appearing like a large wall.

"Wait a minute, isn't this..." Heracles realized, having heard about this from Cao Cao's ambush.

" **Ragnarok Storm!** "

He suddenly screamed as Rossweisse pushed beyond her limits to rain down a storm of spells, grunting as she did her best to hold on as they rained down. After another minute, Heracles felt his legs crash on the ground, and his Sacred Gear dispelling itself.

"Looks like the risk was worth..." Rossweisse smiled, panting a bit.

She suddenly went green, making it clear that the stress caused the lingering bits of her hangover to come back. Heracles raised an eyebrow as she began dry heaving behind some nearby bushes.

* * *

Nainen screamed as she swung her hand down, releasing a powerful blaze of her fox fire through the soldiers charging at her. A few of the soldiers thrust spears or swung swords at her, forcing her to transform into her Kyuubi form, and scurry around them.

Transforming back, she darted her eyes as she tried to find where Liu Bei's current location, who's Qilin was galloping across the altered landscape to avoid a direct fight.

"I applaud your tenacity, but you won't be able to win against an army if you can't defeat the general!" Liu Bei shouted.

The older Kyuubi Princess sweated a bit, knowing she was right. Liu Bei was making sure she could just grab more debris to form more soldiers with, leaving her with an endless army to face unless she reached her.

"No choice, it looks like I have to risk it." She sighed.

"Hmm?" Liu Bei looked at her suspiciously.

Motioning her hands a certain way, Nainen slapped her hand on the ground, creating a slight marking that began to glow. The moment she did, slight energy from the Leylines formed, making the Palaselene Utopia's realm ripple a bit.

"Wait, what are you doing!?" Liu Bei questioned.

"Mother, forgive me... I know you told me not to physically draw from it before I was ready, but if I don't save you, there may not be a day where I am!" Nainen apologized.

" **Leyline Link: Activate!** "

At that moment, Nainen suddenly began holding her head, feeling pain as the Leylines power shot into her body. She transformed into her Kyuubi form once again, but this time, the energy had temporarily grown it to the size of her mother's true form.

'This is too dangerous! If I don't make this stop soon, then the backlash of the power she's using might kill her! I've gotta let myself lose to save her life!' Liu Bei thought, gritting her teeth.

She motioned her hands forward, forcing all the soldiers to charge at her, only for Nainen to immediately take them all out with a powerful rain of flames.

Giving a pained howl, Nainen unleashed a powerful fireball at Liu Bei, who made it look like fear had frozen her. Her Qilin vanished as a magic circle made it teleport to safety, and she was hit back.

"Yasaka, forgive me for anything that may happen next... I didn't mean to push your daughter to this." Liu Bei apologized.

Her Balance Breaker faded, and after it was over... Nainen immediately collapsed onto her side, immediately forcing her opponent to rush over.

"Come on, stay with us! Get up!" Liu Bei shouted.

* * *

While all the battles were happening, the Perverted and Kendo duos were playing a game of poker with each other, with Kiryuu looking out of the window as she thought about how everyone else was doing.

Grabbing her next card, Murayama smirked at the hand she had.

"Sorry everyone, but victory's mine... Royal Straight Flush!" She exclaimed, slamming her current hand down.

The other three gasped as Murayama took the chips that had been bet, then looked at the Agrat Heiress by the window.

"Hey Kiryuu, you doing alright over there?" She asked.

"Afraid not, this third faction that's lurking around while the Ancestral Faction's planning something worries me. If only my King was here to get more information." Kiryuu admitted.

Katase tried to remember who that was, still having trouble identifying everyone she now knew was a Supernatural being, especially since Lilith didn't allow some of them to join the exam because of the risk of revealing the facade, making things too easy for Issei's test, and/or other reasons.

"Why is her King important again?" Matsuda asked.

"Because its Shuriliu, the Asmodeus Heiress, and her powers give her eyes a variety of powers, like analyzing information." Motohama answered.

Right at that moment, the Heiress of the Agrat Clan felt a chill.

"I don't know why, but something doesn't feel right..." She muttered, too quiet for anyone else to hear.

* * *

As the additional Ancestral Faction members were gathered up by the Hotel, the sight of Nanami and Hina getting everyone tied up as a precaution could be seen.

"How well do you think Issei's group is doing?" Nanami wondered.

"I believe in them, we've seen Issei destroy the Juggernaut Drive, so this shouldn't be impossible for him." Hina replied.

The Telos Karma wielder chuckled at that, right as Hina suddenly felt something off.

"Hina, is something wrong?" Nanami inquired, noticing her face.

The Innovate Clear's wielder put her hand out, trying to sense the off feeling she was detecting.

"Something feels off in the air." She mentioned.

"Perhaps another change happened in the Leylines?" Dulio suggested.

At that moment, the Shinto Siblings rushed out, scaring the three.

"That was Nainen's doing! Damn it, we need to find her before it's too late!" Tsukuyomi screamed.

"OK, breathe for a moment so we know what's wrong... please?" Dulio asked.

She did just that.

"Nainen is only strong enough to keep the Leylines stable during Yasaka's absence, since having a Kyuubi influence them is a requirement for keeping them stable, but not to actually use it to enhance her power. She ignored that rule for someone reason, and as a consequence, her life's now in danger!" Kagutsuchi explained.

They all gasped, with Hina nearly stumbling in surprise.

"Our parents can stay here to defend everyone, but we need to go help her, otherwise she could die!" Amaterasu warned.

"Quick, lead the way!" Nanami replied.

The Shinto Siblings did just that, and the three Longinus wielders quickly followed.

* * *

Jeanne and Kiba dashed around, swinging their respective swords out.

" **Sword Birth!** "  
" **Blade Blacksmith!** "

A field of shiny white and shiny purple swords swung out, crashing through the wind and water that Masato and Mai sent towards the ground, while forcing Ryuji out of the ground.

"Looks like this won't be as easy as we expected it." Kyuji panted.

As Tosca readied to fire her bow, Connla's shadowy minions suddenly appeared, standing before each side with their arms held out.

"Huh?" Masato blinked.

"Wait, this is..." Jeanne noticed, lowering Hauteclere for a brief moment.

Yumina and Kunou rushed into view right then.

"Wait, Yumina?" Rias said in surprise.

"Stop fighting everyone, holding this facade isn't good anymore, because everything's been compromised by the traitor in your ranks! Jeanne, you know what I'm talking about, right?" Yumina shouted.

Everyone looked at Jeanne in surprise, with her eyes widening,

"You found out who it was?" She asked.

"I finally regained my last few memories, and after I mentioned what they were, Connla says a girl named Jingu was the one that attacked me. She left me in Alfheim on purpose!" Kunou revealed.

Widening her eyes, the Maiden of Orleans sheathed her sword.

"Damn it, so this is the real threat swimming in the exam! They're trying to make sure Cao Cao can't keep Trihexa trapped in his seal!" She realized.

Taking a moment, Rias held up a finger before slapping her senses back in.

"Jeanne, what the hell is going on here!?" Rias demanded, showing worry rather than the expected anger.

"I'll explain it on the way, but the main point you should know? The Ancestral Faction are moles the Alliance sent in themselves! That's why Issei's exam was here." Jeanne replied, soon running off.

Everyone's eyes widened at that, with Rias falling on her butt.

"Wait, so Cao Cao's group has been..." She said, slowly piecing it together.

"No time for that. I'm not sure what my sister's been doing, though I've learned to trust her by now, and it seems like our real enemy is where she's heading." Kiba replied.

"We'll lead the way, now hurry!" Masato offered, taking the lead.

At that moment, everyone began rushing towards the true threat that was coming, hoping they'd be able to make it in time.

* * *

Bikou crashed through the landscape, but managed to catch himself thanks to the Flying Nimbus rushing in when it did.

"Thanks buddy!" He smiled.

The cloud blushed a bit, right as Jian Yong spun into view with her Balance Breaker, which forced Bikou to hop on his staff, and immediately activate it.

" **Extend!** "

He launched into the air, with the one end of his staff being broken by the attack, and then causing the rest of it to shatter.

"Just one attack!?" Bikou said in shock.

"You can't run forever!" Jian Yong exclaimed.

Jian Yong jumped at Bikou as the latter began falling, forcing the Rook of Lucifer to grit his teeth.

"No choice, we need to try my new trick." He realized.

Bikou pushed out some Prana to defend himself, and jump a small distance away.

" **Wukong's Ancestry!** "

The cloud shot itself into Bikou's body, and before Jian Yong could react, a huge wave of power went off. Bikou's coloration became more like Sun Wukong's, with his muscles getting some more bulk to them.

"Neat trick, but that's not enough to stop me!" Jian Yong replied, swinging her staff again.

Bikou rushed forward, and immediately dashed through the staff-type Balance Breaker, which made her gasp as the Monkey Man swung his fist back.

"This is how you really monkey around!" Bikou exclaimed.

" **Nimbus Strike!** "

The cloud slingshot itself from Bikou's body, and slammed right into Jian Yong's face, which sent her flying into a nearby wall. The impact caused it to briefly shatter a bit, and then leave her on the ground with her eyes swirling as spirals.

"I win!" Bikou announced, followed with a chuckle.

And then he fell onto his back, completely exhausted by the battle he just fought and won.

* * *

Yuuma and Kelsey both rushed to the side, evading the attacks that Perseus swung their way.

"You can't run forever!" Perseus exclaimed.

"Who said we were!?" Kelsey retorted.

Turning around, she slammed down her hands, unleashing her Gravity Force on Perseus, who quickly spun around to shrug off its effects.

" **Gorgon Fang!** "

He dashed forward at a speed that was almost like teleporting, making Kelsey's eyes widen as his swords prepared to stab her.

" **Crystalline Counter!** "

Her Crystal Flurry manifested her orbs into a bunch, tanking the attack before she was knocked into the ground. Seeing Kelsey in danger, Yuuma readied her spear.

"Now, time to take you out!" Perseus declared.

Kelsey screamed as his tail began constricting her movements, limiting her air intact.

" **Fell Jade Strike!** "

"Hmm?" Perseus turned.

He immediately saw his Sacred Gear shatter as Yuuma tossed her spear through it, which made his eyes widen in surprise, watching his Aegis Mineralization shatter across the battlefield.

"No way, so easily?" He gasped in surprise.

Yuuma panted a bit, feeling her Balance Breaker dispel itself.

"Now I get why my dad doesn't use you unless he's forced into a last resort type of situation... using your power via artificial means is taxing." Yuuma panted.

 **«"Sorry about not warning you there, it slipped my mind."»** Yu-Long chuckled in embarrassment.

Kelsey got out of the ground, holding her shoulder a bit.

"Alright, you've been beaten, now tell us what Cao Cao's up to." Kelsey demanded.

Perseus looked at her, gulping at the glare she was giving.

"Uh, well... if I said you wouldn't believe me if I was telling the truth, would you let things go?" He asked nervously.

"No." She answered.

He sighed as he lowered his head, realizing he had no choice.

"If anything, he's trying to save everyone, and you don't even know the truth. Know that we're really..." He began, telling them everything.

The two Pawns of Lucifer gasped at what he revealed, right as Jeanne and the others spotted them.

* * *

Ravel struggled to get back on her feet as Guan Yu approached her current position, though she was unable to get herself back on her feet.

"Looks like this fight is over." She declared, readying her Sacred Gear.

"No, this can't be how... it ends..." Ravel struggled to say, coughing a bit.

As she felt herself to collapse and black out...

_"Don't tell me that's all my little sister has, is it?" Alanira's voice echoed._

Ravel's eyes widened at that.

* * *

_Ravel sat at a table, looking at her tea as Alanira sat across from her, noticing she was spacing out. Upon hearing her sister's words, she lifted her head back up._

_"I'm sorry, what?" She blinked._

_"You really don't get it if you spaced out that easily. Looks like out of you, only Riser's finally risen from his ashes." Alanira sighed._

_Hearing those words, Ravel's eyes widened._

_"In that Rating Game, you were pushed to fight just by words making you see there was something more. Riser clearly figured it out, and I hoped when you fought the Sekiryuutei, you'd have figured out the same answer. Looks like I was wrong." She continued._

_Ravel turned her head, struggling to find her words._

_"Ravel, do you even know why I convinced Riser that he should trade you to mom in the first place?" Alanira questioned._

_Her younger sister stayed silent, only looking confused as she walked to the window._

_"Because he was unable to use your full talent, and that was something he was able to see after the veil covering his eyes was lifted by that battle." She explained._

_"What do you mean? How could not use my full talents." Ravel questioned._

_"Quite simple, a strength I doubt you've realized because of your time under him. I can easily say had you been the one that planned his strategy, even though you'd have still lost, it would have forced Vali to plan further ahead with her tactics." Alanira revealed._

_Ravel showed surprise at that, she had never thought her attention to details was that grand, but Alanira was always right when it came to seeing talent in someone._

_"An unshakable determination, and a spectacular way of executing it, while giving your allies the way to acutely realize it. One day you'll become a Bishop to someone who understands your strengths, or at least trusts you to use them, sees you as an equal to them... is what I'd say if it weren't for the fact you already know who it is. Your eyes alone tell me you want to join Issei Hyoudou when the opportunity reveals itself." Alanira continued._

_Upon hearing her older sister say that, Ravel felt her entire face go red, missing the playful smirk Alanira currently had on her face._

_"That's ridiculous, I have no intention of such a thing!" Ravel denied._

_"Ravel, why are you so afraid to be true to yourself." Alanira questioned, her smirk now a worried frown._

_Hearing her sister say that, the young Phenex froze._

_"You are so much more than you think you are. I understand how I inspire you, and yet when you consider anything moving forward, what you try to do is be me. You're not me Ravel, and you'll never be... and why would you?" Alanira asked._

_"W-what do you mean, you're so great!" Ravel replied, being confused._

_"True, but why do you think you couldn't become someone even greater? That's what I'm asking." She countered._

_Ravel blinked at that, with her sister getting up to leave._

_"Find your own road, and if you can... show that you can surpass that Great Devil Leviathan, because I think you can." Alanira stated._

_"Do you really see that much potential in me?" Ravel asked in surprise._

_Alanira shook her head, turning to her sister._

_"Potential doesn't say what you can or will achieve one day, because it's the actions you use with that potential that matter. I just believe in my little sister just as a big sister should." She answered._

_Ravel watched as she left, and she felt herself completely stunned._

* * *

With those words reigniting her inner fire, she got on her feet, causing red flames to burn off of her.

"Red fire?" Guan Yu said in surprise.

"Alanira, you said you... believe in me surpassing you. I don't know if that will ever happen, but... I don't want to let you down after praise like that!" Ravel exclaimed.

The red fire blazed more, showing a slight trace of a dragon in its shape.

"Wait, is that the power of the Red Dragon Emperor?" The Phoenix Battlefire user gasped.

Ravel focused her eyes at Guan Yu, who readied her bansho fans in response.

"My name is Ravel Phenex, the soon-to-be Bishop of Issei Akane!" Ravel announced, making the flames burst out.

" **Phoenix Dragon Mode!** "

Ravel's blonde traits immediately turned a bright red as her twin tails came undone, with her fiery rings soon becoming twelve, and making Guan Yu jump back as a blaze nearly struck her.

'She merged the power of a Dragon and Phoenix together... even more, she somehow had some of the Red Dragon's power embedded into her. Could she have had it since their one Rating Game without even knowing it?' She questioned.

"Today, this phoenix has risen from her ashes!" Ravel announced.

Guan Yu immediately stabbed her fans into the ground, causing a strong amount of heat to start burning.

" **Volcanic Burst!** "

Lava fired out of the ground, heading right towards Ravel.

"If this really is the power I got from Issei, then I'll make sure you use it at my fullest!" Ravel announced, channeling it together.

" **Welsh Phoenix!** "

She unleashed her red flames out, which took the form of a draconic phoenix that released a loud screech. The living attack dashed forward... and then completely ate the lava Guan Yu had created!

"Her flames are hotter than my lava!" She gasped.

And she had no time to defend against them, sending her flying into the air, followed by a mighty crash onto the ground. Ravel felt her hair revert to normal, taking deep breaths as she tried to regain some of her stamina.

"Were you watching... big sis?" Ravel asked, a small smile on her face.

* * *

Asia held on as Rassei made tight turns to dodge the attacks of Leonardo's monster, which were growing in recklessness for every moment that passed by. The Sprite Dragon's exhaustion only continued to grow as this went on.

"Don't worry, it'll be OK." Asia reassured her familiar.

Seeing another attack coming, Asia unleashed a golden blast from her hands, but the monster just knocked it away with its hand.

"You may have Fafnir's strength, but you still lack the experience to properly use them." Leonardo stated.

'He's right, I haven't had them long enough to properly develop them.' Asia admitted, shaking a bit.

The monster soon gave a loud roar, and jumped overhead, making the duo widen their eyes before its claws scratched Rassei, and the young Dragon tumbled towards the ground, turning back to his original size as Asia landed near him.

"Rassei!" She cried, rushing to him.

She immediately began using the power of Twilight Healing to heal him, removing all his wounds, but not the strength he just lost.

"I'm sorry, you did your best." Asia apologized, crying a bit.

"Let's finish this up." Leonardo sighed, snapping his fingers.

His monster began rushing at the duo, with Rassei weakly looking at Asia, seeing her crying face. At that moment, he moved his head near hers, and licked her cheek.

"No... cry..."

"Huh?" Asia blinked, looking at him.

Rassei opened his mouth again, and while initially he just repeated his usual sound...

"No crying, Asia!" He begged.

Asia and Leonardo's eyes widened at that, hearing the baby Dragon finally speak his first words.

"Rassei, you just..." Asia gasped.

The Sprite Dragon's body glowed again, reacting to the strength Fafnir blessed Asia with, and the young Dragon jumped into the sky. Transforming once more, Rassei soon took the form of what he'd look like as a fully matured Dragon.

"Impossible!" Leonardo gasped.

"This is... amazing!" Asia breathed.

"Asia, we haven't lost yet! Lend me your strength!" Rassei replied, his current giving him perfect speech.

The Holy Maiden was slightly surprised, but soon got on his back.

"Take that Dragon down!" Leonardo ordered.

His monster charged at Rassei once more, but this time? Rassei vanished like a bolt of lightning, and swung its claw across the monster's head.

"So easily..." Leonardo breathed.

" **Azure Storm!** "

Rassei unleashed his blue lightning at its ultimate potential, which shot right through the monster's gem. After a few moments, it completely dissolved, leaving Leonardo shaking as he fell on his butt.

"You... beat me." He gasped.

Rassei soon reverted back to his young form, and nuzzled into Asia's chest.

"Good boy." Asia smiled, shedding happy tears.

'This is still making me jealous...' Leonardo sighed, wondering why he couldn't look away from the scene.

* * *

Zhang Fei charged through the water, pulling Kuroka into her whirlpool.

"You're finished now!" Zhang Fei exclaimed.

" **Sinking Demise!** "

The water pressure began shaping itself before it lunged at the Black Nekoshou, and once it got close enough to her...

"That's it!" Kuroka screamed, her eyes sharpening.

Suddenly, before Zhang Fei could properly react to what she did, the entire body of water was shredded apart, leaving Zhang Fei to spin through the air as a look of surprise showed on her face.

Kuroka used the chance she was given to motion her arms for a powerful palm strike, which launched Zhang Fei into the ground.

"If I wanted to get wet, I'd get in the shower to make a seductive pose to a man clothes or not... not take a dip in a fake ocean!" Kuroka huffed, clearly in a bad mood from her recent experience.

"How'd you break my mini-ocean apart!?" Zhang Fei questioned.

"You obviously don't know my powers, as I disrupted the area with my Space-Time magic." Kuroka replied, still looking incredibly pissed off.

Zhang Fei flinched at that, sweating right after.

"Uh oh..." She realized.

The Black Nekoshou immediately appeared before Zhang Fei, and slammed a Kasha onto her, making her fall onto the ground unconscious. Kuroka smiled as she saw her opponent's eyes were now a pair of X's, and her tongue was sticking out.

"Meow." She smirked like a cat, making a paw motion with her right hand.

* * *

Cao Cao looked at the smoke his last Balance Breaker ability left on the battlefield, and let out a sigh.

"Looks like I took down both down." He said in disappointment.

 **["It looks like someone's overconfident, thinking the battle's over without seeing what lies in the unseen!"]** Ddraig chuckled.

The True Longinus leader's eyes widened at that.

After a minute, the smoke cleared away to show Issei and Vali were on their knees, and their DxD armors were heavily damaged, but they were anything but defeated at this point. The effects of a Phoenix Tear were seen working on both as well.

"Don't misunderstand, that attack hit us bad! The upside is we're sturdier than you think!" Issei grunted, pulling himself and Vali back on their feet.

"Of course, the True Longinus never did work the same on God or Lucifer, so it makes sense you can tank a few blows." Cao Cao replied, looking impressed they were still able to stand and fight.

Both of them got back into fighting position.

"Alright, if you're still able to go, then I'll keep throwing down with you." He smirked.

Right as he said that, the sight of Great Red and Ophis magic circles began appearing on the altars Georg and Leonardo had been on prior, with a third that they all failed to notice appearing on the one he was previously on.

"It looks like the preparations are nearly ready. If you're planning to stop this, then you might want to hurry before you run out of time." Cao Cao warned.

"No worries, because we haven't been going full out." Vali chuckled.

Cao Cao was confused by that.

"You didn't notice? Ever since this battle again, hasn't something been missing? Something you'd expect me and Vali to be using?" Issei hinted.

The True Longinus wielder didn't get it for a moment, then gasped as he finally noticed the one thing their Sacred Gear had _not_ done this entire battle... call out a Boost or Divide!

He had been fighting them at the base level of their DxD forms since the very start!

"I can't believe I didn't even notice that!" He exclaimed.

"And now, time for us to go to the max!" Issei announced.

Their Sacred Gears both flashed, making Cao Cao grit his teeth as he was forced onto his left knee.

**["DOUBLE ESCALATION!"]**   
**("HALF DIMENSION!")**

**["BOOSTING BREAKER!"]**   
**("COMPRESSION DIVIDER!")**

Right at that moment, the two Dragon Emperors felt their power enhance, while the True Longinus wielder had his reduced.

"Alright, time for to see what happens when you mess with the Red and White Dragons!" Vali declared.

"Here we go!" Issei agreed.

Feeling the negation on her blasters disappearing, she immediately called them out again.

" **Dragon Booster!** "

Cao Cao prepared to cast the Itsutei Ratana, only for Issei to dash right at him.

" **Crimson Striker!** "

Before the Ancestral Faction's leader could do it, he was hit by Issei, forcing him to use his Longinus to defend, but still being sent flying by the combination of speed and power.

Seeing her opening, Vali fired her charged blasts.

"Take this!" She screamed.

He screamed as he was struck by it, and was flung across the battlefield like someone kicking a Soccer Ball with a steel boot. He immediately teleported himself back into view, and then swung the True Longinus into the ground to catch his breath.

"Looks like we've got you on the ropes." Issei stated.

"You'd be right, but I unfortunately still have another level of power beyond this one. I think you'd be able to classify in the same region as your former Juggernaut Drives, and the Bael Heir's technique he calls Breakdown the Beast." Cao Cao replied, standing up again.

The twin Dragons gasped at that, and saw the spear tip glow blue as he unleashed his trump card.

"Spear, or Holy Spear that can even pierce the Gods!" Cao Cao chanted.

 **«"The ideals of the King of Domination and Supremacy that have been inherited by my will, awaken from your slumber and pierce the gap of blessing and destruction with your ambitions!"»** The Will of Longinus chanted.

"Flowing will that destroyed the child of God, announce your ideals and become the truth with your miraculous power!" Cao Cao continued.

 **«"Shatter the end of the Gods, and begin the dawn of humanity's age! Become the powerful Twilight of the Gods that smashes through the chains of destiny and fate, becoming the new masters for the Light of Longinus!"»** The Will of Longinus continued.

" **Our united strength as one, now heed my call... O dying will of Elohim!** " They chanted together.

" **Truth Idea!** "

Cao Cao's entire body was given the same glow that was covering the True Longinus' spear.

"Uh... Albion, should we worry about that?" Vali questioned.

 **("It looks like whatever Cao Cao did, he's temporarily made himself a deity, so you can't fight him like you're fighting a normal Human anymore.")** Albion warned, her response based on what she could sense.

Both her and Issei sweated at that.

"Get ready Red Dragon Emperor, and White Dragon Empress... I'm about to show you the real power of my Longinus!" He announced, pointing the Holy Spear at them.

* * *

As everyone else slowly began gathering together, the sight of Nainen laying on the ground, with Liu Bei looking nervous as she tried to think of some way of helping her.

"Hey, what's wrong with Nainen?" Sae asked.

Jeanne rushed near Liu Bei, who noticed her kneeling by the older Kyuubi Princess.

"What happened, and why's she at her mother's size?" She questioned.

"It's how she tried beating me, and as you can tell, it was something she shouldn't have done. I don't know how to undo what she did!" Liu Bei explained.

The Maiden of Orleans sweated at that, just as clueless.

"Stand back everyone!" Amaterasu shouted.

Everyone turned as the Shinto Goddess of the Sun ran up with her siblings, and she tapped a few specific pressure points on her giant fox body.

"Nainen, you idiot... if I knew you'd do this, I'd have told you the truth!" She grunted, closing her eyes in guilt.

In a few moments, the Kyuubi reverted to her normal size in her Human form, but she didn't wake up. This made the Shinto Siblings worried if they may have been too late to truly help her.

"Will she... be alright?" Valerie asked.

"I doubt we'll know for a while, and while I'd rather not assume the worst... this may just be the start to showing we've either lost her, or more likely? Tapping into the Leylines to empower herself when she wasn't ready for it may have left permanent damage to her, be it her powers or body." Tsukuyomi confessed.

This made everyone give a worried look, and caused Liu Bei to punch the ground in anger.

"Nainen, please wake up!"

Everyone turned to see Kunou shaking her sister's body, trying to wake her in in a vain attempt.

"Please, not you too... I beg of you! I'll never ask you for anything again, I promise!" She begged, shedding tears over how powerless she was right now.

"Poor Kunou..." Gasper replied sadly.

At that moment, Liu Bei walked up to Amaterasu, getting her attention.

"Let me take her back to the hotel... I wouldn't be able to help much with whatever's going on, so I'll try aiding Lord Izanagi and Lady Izanami with helping her." She offered.

"Thank you, and good luck." The Sun Goddess agreed, handing Nainen to her.

Nodding her head, Liu Bei called back her Qilin, and rode it back towards the hotel area with all the speed it could muster.

"Huh? Why's everyone here?"

Everyone turned to see the last few members of Issei's group and the Ancestral Faction gathered together, all of them confused to the entire situation.

"I don't like sign, if no one's fighting right now..." Georg realized.

"Did something happen?" Leonardo asked.

Jeanne sighed, nodding her head.

"We found out who the traitor is, and it turns out that it's been Jingu." She revealed.

The Ancestral Faction members that hadn't learned this yet all gasped in horror, leaving those with the Alliance confused to the whole situation.

"We'll explain later, because we need to find Issei, Vali, and Cao Cao before it's too late." Jeanne warned.

As they all rushed towards the only remaining battle, Jingu gave a dark chuckle from the shadows, watching everyone fall for what she and Indra had planned.

* * *

Issei was struck back as the True Longinus' spear smashed into him, but he managed to hold it back using his Touki.

"Vali, do it now!" Issei shouted.

" **Light of the Morning Star!** "

Cao Cao turned as orbs of light that moved faster than speeding bullets smashed into him, and knocked him across the ground. This gave Issei a chance to channel power into his fist.

**["EXPLOSION!"]**

" **Dragon Shot!** "

The burst of power slammed into Cao Cao, which knocked him back... and caused him to feel one of his legs giving out.

"Oh no!" He gasped as he noticed.

 **["There's his weakness! Even if he has power like a deity, he's still got his original limits!"]** Ddraig exclaimed.

 **("Take this chance before you lose it!")** Albion exclaimed.

They both nodded, and rushed at Cao Cao before he could react, making him stumble back a bit with widened eyes as they held their hands out for a familiar tag team attack.

" **Double Dragon Strike!** "

The dragons that manifested from their Blazing Dawn/Ethereal Twilight attacks shot out, making Cao Cao scream as the glow surrounding him broke, along with the orbs that represented his Balance Breaker was activate.

Crashing on the ground, he tried to get up... only to finally slump on his legs, having hit his limit.

"Looks like that's it..." He smiled, admitting defeat.

At that moment, Issei and Vali's DXD armors dispel, and both felt the taxing effects of their power ups finally hit them.

"Have anything... left to say?" Issei questioned, panting a bit.

"Just the one... congratulations on passing the exam, you're now an Ultimate-Class Devil." He answered.

The two were surprised by that.

"Wait, you just said... huh!?" Issei exclaimed in confusion.

Vali took a few moments to have the right gears link up in her head, and then gasped as she figured it out.

"Oh, my god! Cao Cao... is the entire Ancestral Faction a group of moles the Alliance sent into the Khaos Brigade!?" Vali asked, making Issei stare at her.

"Finally figured it out, and that shows how well our cover was. Didn't it ever strike you as odd how I was just allowed to waltz into Kuoh Town during the time before the Summit?" He confirmed.

Issei paused at that, and then gasped.

'That's right, even if we didn't see it, security was incredibly heavy. For him to show up like he did only makes sense if he was allowed in from the start!' He realized.

Right as that was happening, Jingu began to close in on the trio.

"Wait, then if this whole thing was part of Issei's exam, what's the real reason you have Yasaka, and... did she and Kunou know about this?" Vali asked.

"Simple, this ritual is to strengthen the seal on Trihexa, if not make it permanent. Beating me does nothing to stop it, and I can assure you Yasaka both knew about it, and her life's not at risk." He confirmed.

Hearing that, Issei realized something.

"Wait, then why did you leave Kunou alone in Alfheim? Why didn't you send anyone to help her? She got attacked, and forgot most of the events tied to when you ambushed her and her mother!?" Issei questioned, feeling suspicious.

"Huh? What do you mean? I sent Jingu out to look for..." He questioned, looking confused.

At that moment, he suddenly paused, followed by a look of horror on his face.

"No, the traitor that Jeanne suggested... it can't be!" The True Longinus wielder realized, feeling his hand shake.

"Thank god, I can finally drop this facade!" Jingu cackled.

Hearing her voice, the trio turned to her... only for Cao Cao to suddenly be attacked by a huge burst of Prana!

Issei and Vali looked in horror before turning around, seeing Indra looking at them.

"You two have been left too free to do what you want, and now the consequences must be paid... I have to eliminate you for threatening to take the title of Heaven!" Indra declared.

* * *

**Holy guacamole... this chapter was a whole explosion of action packed greatness of epic proportions. Everyone was fighting at full fury, and there were plenty of surprises, all of which I felt had to be a single chapter! We already had last chapter show some of the Ancestral Faction battling it out as a team, but this is multiple solo fights with every one of their Balance Breakers involved!**

**Best of all? This is my longest chapter to date, both for this story and overall! ^^**

**As you can see, I added some more obscure faces to group through making those like Yukihiko and the four Heavenly Kings of Kuoh Academy as members, who may or may not be among the Holy Sword Project survivors, as I felt they would be good members due to their abilities, and having named characters helped make them feel more involved. That, and I may use them more in the future, so it's better than just giving a few of them random names.**

**The others have also finally learned of the Ancestral Faction's role as moles, with Connla managing to finally pinpoint Jingu for the traitor she is, but the timing was all too late. Because of this, Indra's gotten involved at a time where Issei and Vali are weak, giving them a _huge_ disadvantage against the Hindu God of War that wants them dead... not to mention they may have ruined Cao Cao's efforts to strengthen Trihexa's seal.**

**Not only that, but other problems have arisen, such as Nainen having potentially put her life in danger because unlike her sister (prior to regaining her last few missing memories) and mother, she wasn't told of the bigger scheme of things due to Amaterasu finding it unnecessary... poor Kunou's already had enough to deal with, yet this has to happen. Combine that with the dark origin of Kiba, Jeanne, and Tosca's orphanage... things are about to echo into the story's future arcs.**

**Either way, the battle with Indra is finally here, and with Issei still showing no signs of awakening his potential, anything could happen from here. This will also be one of the harder battles our heroes will have fought, since the Juggernaut Chimera was strong, but limited by factors like Creuserey and Zentiika having no idea how to properly use its power, Great Red and Ophis cutting off its access to some of them, and it was huge.**

**Indra doesn't qualify for any of those problems. He's a God with years of experience, already has some sick powers that have been shown and simply implied in canon, and he just happens to be a deity associated to war, so... yeah, things aren't looking good so far. Let's hope that they can create a miracle next chapter, because they'll need one to obtain victory during the Kyoto arc's epic conclusion!**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

* * *

** Bust Size of New Female Characters ** **:**

**Mai Kazamatsuri - 82 cm**

* * *

** Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter ** **:**

**None**

* * *

** Pairings List ** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Dating  
Ddraig/Albion - Married  
Tiamat/Fafnir - Married  
Ophis/Great Red - Married  
Saji/Sona - Dating  
Gasper/Valerie - Dating  
Kiba/Tosca - Dating  
Hina/Nanami - Dating  
Sairaorg/Kuisha - Dating  
Rossweisse/Vidar - Chemistry is clearing forming between them  
Jeanne/Cao Cao - Chemistry seems to exist, but the form of it is unknown**


	46. Chapter 46

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is as far as the revision goes, so for the closest thing to seeing what happened next, you'll have to read the un-revised version, which has its later chapters (the second half of S6 specifically) apply the revisions somewhat.

**Alright everyone, this is it! We're finally about to have the battle with Indra happen! Best of all? This won't just be a one on one battle like the opening implied, because _everyone_ will be fighting him! I mean it, literally everyone! That means every Longinus wielder, every God (minus Izanagi and Izanami, as they're stronger than he is) of the Shinto Pantheon... I mean it, everyone!**

**When this is all over, the next arc that I've been waiting to do since forever will finally happen, the "Championship Arc" that's focused on the end of the Rating Game Tournament we've built up to for the last three seasons! *begins screaming in excitement* I can't wait to start writing it! Especially since the 12-match format means victory isn't decided by who wins the most matches :3**

**Having said all that, for this chapter itself? The main character that'll be in focus will be Issei, because the one part of the opening that was exact was Issei has the biggest role in fighting the Hindu God of War, and you'll see why that's the case soon enough. Either way, this is his first battle as an Ultimate-Class Devil, since Cao Cao said he's passed the exam near the end of last chapter.**

**From here... this is no longer an exam, because Indra is a real threat.**

**Something else I'll bring up? You may have noticed that girl who appeared in the first chapter of the Kyoto arc hasn't reappeared, and I want you to know I didn't forget her, she just didn't have a reason to reappear until this chapter. You'll find out why this is the case when she finally returns, and it will blow... your... minds! *gives an evil laugh* Trust me, that girl's name will say it all.**

**One last heads up before we begin today's chapter? Even though Issei has become an Ultimate-Class Devil, it'll be a while before he can officially get his peerage, as the King Ceremony won't be happening for a few more chapters. The good news is that in the meantime, there's a lot of opportunities for things such as the development between couples I was unable to squeeze into the previous arc.**

**Well, enough about all of that, because it's time to begin this chapter!**

* * *

**()** \- Albion Talking

 **[]** \- Ddraig Talking

 **«»** \- Consciousness of any other Sacred Gear Talking

〖〗 - Voice Speaking through a Magic Circle

 **「」** \- Insert Song Beginning, or Ending

 **【】** \- Voice made by an Announcement, or through an Announcer

 **⟨⟩** \- Custom Spell's Aria Chant

『』 - Electrical Voice or Machine Speaking

* * *

** Belzard & Elsha **

**The 99th Sekiryuutei and Hakuryuukou respectively (and the last of each, due to Issei and Vali getting new titles), and the wielders who gained the honor of being the strongest hosts. Both of them are noteworthy for their achievements of defeating two Longinus wielders during their time, with Belzard defeating the wielders of the True Longinus and Annihilation Maker, and Elsha defeating the wielders of the Zenith Tempest and Dimension Lost.**

**Not only that, but Belzard was alive long enough that he fought the 97th and 98th Hakuryuukou, managing to defeat them both times. However, when he met Elsha, they eventually fell in love. They were the first among the Heavenly Dragons' hosts to try defying the curse of their respective Longinus, but they were unable to succeed, and the both of them fell to the Juggernaut Drive, forcing Issei's father to stop them, leading to the deaths of both.**

**Since their lives weren't too absorbed in negative emotions, the two of them ended up being among the hosts that were able to roam around without being affected by the curse. They would eventually interact with Issei and Vali, though neither aware at the time, during the instances that lead to them awakening their DxD forms, only properly meeting with them when they directly went into their Longinus.**

**Having been in the same shoes as the two, who managed to succeed where they failed (something they admit is the result of them never wishing to fight, whereas the two of them still let the desire to fight overwhelm them), both of them felt they may be able to use the genuine form of the power that the first Sekiryuutei/Hakuryuukou accidentally created the Juggernaut Drive from.**

**All that's left is to see if their faith in the two works out, and they can fully awaken the hidden potential within them.**

* * *

**_ Season 5, Kyoto Arc: Chapter 4 - The Red Dragon of Hope _ **

At that moment, Cao Cao suddenly paused, followed by a look of horror on his face.

"No, the traitor that Jeanne suggested... it can't be!" The True Longinus wielder realized, feeling his hand shake.

"Thank god, I can finally drop this facade!" Jingu cackled.

Hearing her voice, the trio turned to her... only for Cao Cao to suddenly be attacked by a huge burst of Prana!

Issei and Vali looked in horror before turning around, seeing Indra looking at them.

"You two have been left too free to do what you want, and now the consequences must be paid... I have to eliminate you for threatening to take the title of Heaven!" Indra declared.

Cao Cao quickly jumped back into view, making Indra chuckle as he summoned his signature weapon, the unique club known as Vajra.

"Jingu, you bastard! How dare you betray us!" Cao Cao screamed, his eyes full of rage.

"And what reason did I have to ever be your ally? If you want my personal opinion, family is who loyalty should be tied to. Especially mine!" Jingu answered.

She immediately grabbed her face, and began pulling back, making the trio watch as she ripped off a mask. Issei and Vali soon gasped as they saw the very girl that had attacked the former's cousins on their first day in Kyoto.

"No way, you were that girl who attacked my cousins!?" Issei shouted angrily.

"I only went by Jingu to fit the theme tied to the Ancestral Faction's name. My real name is Melinoe, the daughter of the Greek deities Persephone and Hades!" Melinoe exclaimed, revealing her true identity.

Cao Cao's eyes widened at that, and soon her gritted his teeth.

"Ooh, you look angry! That's perfect! I just had to find a certain Sacred Gear wielder to make a phony copy of the Freezing Archaeopteryx, have the same name as a legendary figure, and you let me right into your Elites without even questioning it!" She laughed, enjoying his suffering and rage.

That was the last straw before Cao Cao rushed at Melinoe with the True Longinus held out, but Indra caught the weapon in his palm, and then flicked him to the ground.

"Sorry Cao Cao, but I'm afraid you're too big of a risk to keep alive." Indra mockingly apologized.

"Oh, and since I like cutting wounds into everyone... feels like a good time to do this!" Melinoe added, forming blades from her sleeves.

She stabbed into the ground, immediately revealing Trihexa's symbol in both palms.

The moment Cao Cao saw this, the Leylines suddenly took a darker color, and caused the entire dimensional space to shake. A crack formed on the ground as something came out, revealing a giant Dragon's head, but it looked terrifying, and something like that of Great Red or Ophis' Dragon forms.

"Oh god, is that Trihexa!?" Vali panicked.

The head stayed for a moment before disappearing, and the Leylines faded from view as the ritual ended.

"Thanks Cao Cao, you just helped me _weaken_ the seal on Trihexa! The sheer irony of my betrayal really has to sting now!" Melinoe cackled, holding her face as she laughed.

The True Longinus wielder slammed the ground, screaming loud enough for everyone to hear.

* * *

From a distance, everyone's eyes widened as they say Trihexa's dragon head reveal itself for a brief moment.

"Holy shit!" Irina exclaimed.

"Wait a minute, was... was that Trihexa?" Asia asked, her body shaking.

Vritra slid form the back of Saji's shirt.

 **«"It was."»** Vritra confirmed, identifying the evil energy that resembled his own.

Georg sweated at that.

"Then does that mean the ritual was reversed, and Trihexa was freed?" He questioned worriedly.

 **«"No, though it seems that it was likely weakened. I fear we're too late to do any more than help protect our friends... which we should make haste to. I smell my mortal enemy in the area."»** Vritra answered, glaring a bit.

"Wait, you mean Indra's here?" Bikou questioned.

 **«"I'm afraid so, and his reasons for showing are anything but good."»** The Evil Dragon King confirmed.

Everyone panicked at that.

"Mother!" Kunou panicked.

"Quick, they need our help!" Yumina exclaimed.

All of them prepared to run... right as a magic screen appeared before them, confusing them all.

* * *

Lilith was humming a bit as she did some work in Hell, smiling as she got Cao Cao's verbal acknowledgement that Issei had passed his Promotion Exam... when she suddenly noticed a magic screen appear before her.

"Huh?" She blinked.

**【** **Indra** **】** **  
Attention to all denizens of the supernatural world, I have an announcement for all of you to hear!**

Hearing his voice, Lilith immediately leaned towards it.

"This is... oh god, no!" She panicked.

Opening a hidden spot on her desk, she slammed a button under it, which set off an alarm. The other Great Devils immediately heard a small blaring go out in their homes as magic circles appeared by them.

〖"Emergency alert! Something's gone wrong, and I need all of you to gather here immediately!"〗 Lilith shouted.

As they headed outside, multiple screens began going off across all of Hell, with everyone seeing them. Some like Lirenkus, Siarea, Millicas, and Cecilia all gave worried looks upon seeing them, while those like the Elders instead showed pleased expressions.

**【** **Indra** **】** **  
Most of you know who I am, but for those who don't? My name is Sakra Indra, leader of the Daeva, and the Hindu God of War, here to tell you all that I have something important that I'd like you to see.**

Ineelana and her peerage all began watching, with the Maou Heirs all pushing their faces against her to see.

"Guys, a little crowded here..." Ineelana said, slightly muffled.

**【** **Indra** **】** **  
As of recent weeks, the Red Dragon Emperor and the White Dragon Empress have become quite the predicament, threatening the name of Heaven that should only belong to one like myself. I can't allow this, and as such, I must now take it in my hands to deal with them in the only manner available... killing them!**

Many gasped in horror at that, soon showing the reactions to those within the other factions tied to the Alliance.

**【** **Indra** **】** **  
Now, sit back as you watch the twin Dragon Emperors fall to me!**

Lilith sweated a bit, taking out her phone as she hurriedly tried to get in touch with Eve.

"I need to get over there, and fast!" She sweated.

She tried to open a magic circle to Kyoto, but nothing happened.

"Why is this familiar...?" She whimpered.

* * *

Ending his announcement, Melinoe chuckled at what Indra had just done.

"Oh, you are a sick bastard, and I love that! I'll leave things to you while I have the Daeva handle the rest." She replied.

"Go ahead, I'd rather not be distracted by anything." Indra smirked before rushed ahead.

The Hindu War God swung Vajra down, creating a huge Prana wave towards the trio, which Cao Cao tried to intercept with his thrust wave. Unfortunately, the attack managed to twist itself around him, and head towards the White Dragon Empress.

**("REFLECT!")**

The barrier came up... only to turn again, and strike Issei's side! He gave a scream as the other two saw his armor crack apart.

"Issei!" Vali screamed worriedly.

"He didn't even have to aim at him!" Cao Cao remarked, shaking and sweating at what just happened.

Indra soon appeared before Vali, and he quickly spun around, smashing Vali and Cao Cao simultaneously, cracking the former's armor in the same manner that Issei's had.

Watching him sweep the field with the three, Melinoe whistled, bringing the Daeva into view.

"Come on everyone, let's gather everything we need." She ordered.

"Understood!" They responded.

They all scattered across the area of the Dimensional Space, some of which escaped to the Human World for whatever Melinoe asked them to do.

* * *

As the two duos and Kiryuu were looking at the pictures that Motohama had taken throughout the trip.

"Oh yeah, this is my favorite picture here!" He cheered.

"Aw snap, that one's the boss!" Matsuda exclaimed.

While they were watching, Kiryuu suddenly felt something was off, making everyone look at her. Glaring towards the window, she removed her glasses, implying something serious just happened.

"Kiryuu?" Murayama asked.

She turned to the others, changing her pajamas into her fighting clothes.

"Get your weapons ready, I feel a disturbance." She warned them.

"And you're right."

Turning to the door, everyone saw Kiyome open it up, shocking the two duos.

"You felt it to, didn't you?" Kiryuu asked.

"I do, it looks like the Daeva have shown up again, and I don't like what that implies after last time. Much less when everyone else is still trapped in the Dimensional Lost's space." She confirmed.

Kiryuu gritted her teeth, looking at the others.

"I know you four aren't ready, but... we need everyone we can to deal with what's happening right now." She pleaded.

"Don't worry, we've got your backs." Katase said for all of them.

"Although, the problem is how me and Matsuda will be able to help when you consider our current situation." Motohama mentioned, looking worried.

Hearing this, the Beast Tamer smiled as she snapped her fingers.

Looking to the side, everyone saw two armors without heads appear, soon bowing as they arrived.

"Eh?" Katase blinked.

"Meet No-Head Honda and Thoughtless Theodore, a pair of Dullahan that I've trained. If you two wear their bodies, then you'll have their strength to help you out." Kiyome explained.

Kiryuu tried not to laugh, realizing one of them was going to be wearing a female armor.

"Hey, we'll take it!" Matsuda exclaimed.

After suiting up, the group headed outside, where Kiyome began whistling. A few magic circles appeared, showing some other beasts, which included Harpies, Lamia, young Cerberus pups, Minotaurs, Unicorns, other Dullahans, and more.

"How many Beasts do you have?" Murayama asked.

"Yeah... better I don't answer that one." Kiyome answered with a nervous chuckle.

Looking at her Beasts, they all waited for her orders.

"We have some stragglers, so look for any Daeva that you can find. If they're seen looking for anything? Send me a message, and I'll tell you if you should take or destroy what they're looking for." She ordered.

"Right!" Those who could speak replied, while the others just gave vocal responses.

They all spread out.

"I'll check the Southern Area, the Kendo duo has the West, the Perverted duo the East, and Kiyome's got the North." Kiryuu decided.

"It's a plan, now let's hope we can stop whatever's going on here." Kiyome agreed.

Everyone spread out towards their respective areas, though once they did, a Daeva was seen sneaking into the Hotel, and began drawing a magic circle in the bathroom. As he watched it glow, an object suddenly manifested from it.

* * *

Issei got to his feet, coughing up a bit of blood as he glared at Indra.

"How pitiful you are right now, the apparent Red Dragon Emperor that actually destroyed his superior Juggernaut Drive is on the ground to an actual God's strength!" Indra mocked.

"Say all you want, doesn't change you attacked us when we were already weakened... bet that says you're actually more of a wimp than you tell people!" Issei countered, smirking as he did.

The War God immediately scowled at that.

"That's right! Do what you want, but I'm not gonna let you have the pleasure of having done it!" Issei continued.

Indra immediately formed right before Issei, making him gasp.

"Then maybe I should break you in a way you will... by killing your little girlfriend first!" He exclaimed.

"You won't even get the chance!" Cao Cao screamed.

Looking to the side, Issei immediately jumped towards Vali, leaving Cao Cao a perfect opening to stab into Indra's arm, unleashing a powerful strike. Indra silently watched as he hit a vital area of his arm, making it slump.

"Yes!" Issei cheered.

Indra smirked before popping open a bottle of Phoenix Tears, surprising all three as his arm was healed up from the damage that it just received.

"He has Phoenix Tears!?" Vali exclaimed.

"How convenient I know someone who has these. Even if this was the only one I could get on such short notice, it makes getting preparations for killing threats like you and Shiva all the easier." The Hindu God replied.

"You bastard!" Issei screamed.

"We couldn't agree more!"

Melinoe turned her head, immediately raising her arm to block a surprise attack by one of Connla's shadow spikes.

Indra immediately noticed a swirl of Dimension Lost mist appear around him, which immediately tried to constrict him. With that, the trio noticed everyone else gathered together, bring everyone in the Ancestral Faction and Alliance together.

"Sorry, I hope we aren't late!" Homura greeted, waving her hand.

"We're here for some payback over the liar hiding in our ranks!" Heracles stated, bashing his fists together.

The daughter of Hades swung Connla back, smirking a bit.

"Ooh, the scary Ancestral Faction's here to get revenge on me. I'm so scared!" She mocked.

Heracles noticed her aura, and growled a bit.

"To think our traitor was really the daughter of Hades in disguise, should have realized the Worst Gods' children are apples that didn't fall too far from the tree!" He said, a noticeable growl in his voice.

Melinoe gave a cruel, toothy smirk in response to that.

"Thank you, that's a nice compliment!" She answered.

Indra looked at the battlefield, realizing everyone that was present to fight him, making him chuckle a bit.

"So, the wielders for 12 of the 13 current Longinus, multiple Sacred Gear wielders ranging between the Low-Tier and High-Tier levels, species of every kind, and a quarter of sibling Gods have all chosen to stand against me. I guess you'll all have to meet your end alongside the Red and White Dragons." He stated.

"That's nothing but big talk you're spouting! If it was just me you'd have a chance, but combined with everyone here, that's more than enough power added alongside my ranking to exceed you!" Amaterasu countered.

"My sister's right! No matter how strong you are, this is more than enough power to kill your sorry ass!" Tsukuyomi agreed.

The Hindu War God laughed at that.

"If you're so confident about your chances, then bring it!" He challenged.

Everyone immediately rushed at the War God, who readied Vajra for an attack against them, when suddenly...

"Now!" Ravel announced.

" **BALANCE BREAKER!** "

A huge flash suddenly blinded Indra as everyone with a Balance Breaker activated it simultaneously, causing a bright flash from the lights each one emitted, causing the King of the Daeva to scream in pain.

While he rubbed his eyes, Nanami used her power to pull Issei, Vali, and Cao Cao to the side, with Hina meeting her there.

"Here, let's help you recover that lost power." Hina reassured them.

She also gave them some of the spare Phoenix Tears that hadn't been used, which all three immediately used to help speed their recovery time. Even then, it was still going slow due to the force of Indra's damage.

 **["Apologies Issei, but it seems the attack is interfering with the recovery process. I'll need some time to fully restore the armor."]** Ddraig warned.

 **("Same with me, it must be something about his weapon.")** Albion replied.

"I know, his attack was just so... savage. Now I can see why he's ranked as the 6th Strongest Being in the world." Issei replied in understanding.

Vali looked at the True Longinus, which flashed briefly.

 **«"It isn't as bad for me, as this is just the side effect of using Truth Idea... looks like Indra knew just when to show up to render it useless. At best, using our Balance Breaker is all we can manage."»** The Will of Longinus answered.

"Good enough, we can't really be picky in this situation." Vali answered.

Right as Indra regained his sight, he immediately felt Amaterasu's hand slam over his mouth. Before he knew it, she unleashed all the power she could down his throat, who made flames explode out of his pours.

He was launched back, and soon stopped as two Dragon tails slammed into his sides, showing the Stake Victim Dragon and Sinful Blood Dragon to be the culprits.

"Attack!" The Yuuto Twins screamed.

And attack they did, unleashing their powerful breaths to smash into the War God's body.

"Is that it!?" He questioned loudly.

However, he saw no one was present... unaware that Tsukuyomi used her illusion powers to make everyone seem invisible to his eyes.

"Come on bros, let it rip!" She shouted.

Susanoo bashed his fists together with a toothy grin, while Kagutsuchi cracked his knuckles.

" **Divine Thunder!** "

" **Volcanic Factory!** "

The clouds of the Dimension Lost changed, working in unison with Georg manipulating it, while pillars of fire surround Indra. The lightning fired out, right as the pillars of fame fell, firing off tons of metallic weapons at him.

Indra screamed as he was heavily zapped by the attack, with the metal only amplifying the effects, and the fire mixing to form plasma as it burned into his veins.

"Bastards!" Indra screamed, swinging the attacks away.

However, that was the same moment the missiles from Heracles' Balance Breaker flew at him, exploding on contact.

"Let's see how you fight with this kind of strength!" Sieg responded.

The smoke cleared, showing Indra (who didn't even seem to have a simple scratch on him) getting back on his feet.

"You think I can't handle your six Cursed-" Indra retorted.

He was instantly silenced as he saw Sieg had been lent Chrysaor, Durandal, Joyeuse, Murakumo, Excalibur, and Hauteclere in his hands, while his remaining six hands had swords created by the Holy Eraser and Shadow Eraser.

"I knew he could use Cursed Swords, but Holy Swords as well?" Rossweisse said in surprise.

"Take this!" He exclaimed.

Nothung's sharpness pierce through, followed by Balmung, Dainsleif, and Clarent smashing him with the power of whirlwinds, ice pillars, and rupturing land. The remaining swords all smashed their full strength onto him.

"Is that... it!" Indra roared, having some scratches on him.

Sieg was knocked back, but he immediately tossed the swords that weren't his to their wielders, giving them the chance to hit an unguarded Indra along with Arthur.

He immediately tried to retaliate... only for the fake swords to embed themselves in him, and briefly freeze him.

"How many battle plans do you brats have!?" He questioned.

"Everyone, do it now!" Homura shouted.

They all slashed across Indra one by one, knocking him back as Arthur was the last to deal a slash.

" **Annihilation Maker!** "

A 100-meter tall slime monster appeared, with a body that began sparking with electricity.

"Le Fay, time for a team up!" Leonardo shouted.

"You heard him Gogzy!" Le Fay replied, waving to her trusty summon.

Gogmagog gave a sound of approval.

The monster immediately lunged at Gogmagog, and soon overlaid itself over its body, charging the Golem up with a high-powered charge.

"Attack!" They both exclaimed.

『"Gogmagog will give much pain!"』 Gogmagog screamed.

All of his weapons immediately opened up, with the slime monster's body glowing as it made its own magical charges to aim at the Hindu God of War. Rossweisse crossed her arms upon seeing this, while everyone with a long-ranged Balance Breaker readied themselves.

"On my mark!" Rossweisse announced.

Indra readied his weapon, then swung it onto the ground, releasing an energy shock wave towards everyone.

"Now!" She shouted.

Everyone unleashed them, right as Hina finished healing the trio, which led to a huge stalemate. Just when it seemed like Indra's attack would overpower them...

" **Aura of Destruction!** "

" **Cataclysm Wave!** "

Rias unleashed her brother's signature technique, then unleashed her signature attack, which evened out the stalemate.

"Come on, let's give them a hand!" Vali shouted.

"You've got it!" Issei agreed.

Both of them charged up their signature abilities.

" **Blazing Dawn!** "  
" **Ethereal Twilight!** "

Their powers' dragon forms manifested, and smashed into the shock wave, soon joined everyone who had long-ranged abilities.

Sairaorg himself soon joined in on the attack, charging at the shock wave with his fist empowered by Touki, making a huge ripple as it struck... and finally overwhelming the attack, which created an explosion that was followed by the Vajra shattering apart!

"Impossible!" He shouted.

Cao Cao immediately reactivated his Balance Breaker, and soon looked at the twin Dragons.

"I think it's time we show this God the consequence of fighting almost every Longinus at once, by hitting him the one ability only they possess." He stated.

"Wait, do you mean..." Valerie gasped.

"You're actually suggesting for all twelve of us to fire our Longinus Smashers on him? That's crazy, yet genius!" Dulio exclaimed.

Indra swung his hands down, unleashing a powerful amount of Prana across the landscape.

"You'll never get the chance!" Indra smirked, immediately amplifying his power even further.

Kunou immediately threw a fire at the War God's head, making him stumble a bit as he looked at her, giving Amaterasu the chance to deck him in the face, and send him back a bit.

"Do it now!" She exclaimed.

All of the Longinus wielders nodded their heads in response, and began charging their respective Longinus Smasher.

**["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"] ["BOOST!"]**

**("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!") ("DIVIDE!")**

Indra suddenly felt his power drain, while Issei held his hands out.

**["TRANSFER!"]**

All of the Longinus wielders felt Issei send all the power he could, and each of their Sacred Gears glowed to show their charges were ready.

"Here we go!" Cao Cao exclaimed.

" **Longinus Smasher!** "

Indra soon regained his bearings, right as the twelve powerful beams fired off, making everyone duck as they all slammed into the Hindu God of War, and released an explosive pillar of energy into the sky.

Nothing but smoke remained, though no signs of a silhouette were left.

"They beat him!" Irina cheered.

"He got the worst kind of invitation to pound town, and it was oh so satisfying to watch." Kuroka smiled.

Shirone looked at her sister, giving her a weird look.

"Eww..." The White Nekoshou replied, showing a look of disgust on her face.

Suddenly, a loud cackle was heard.

"You're kidding me..." Tobio whispered in horror.

Indra swung the smoke away, now showing signs of heavy burns on his body, his clothes torn except for his pants, and now completely bald due to all of his hair being singed away. This time, he took damage... yet it still hadn't been enough!

"That's impossible! He got hit by all of that power, and he's still alive!" Susanoo exclaimed.

"Something's not right... if that had been our parents or the Trimurti then I'd buy that durability, but Indra shouldn't be on that level. Not unless he had the power of a second God within him." Kagutsuchi replied, a worried sweat dripping down his face.

Melinoe suddenly laughed, reminding everyone she was present, and holding up a magic circle. While it was just for show, no one was aware of that fact.

"I am so loving how you keep missing the obvious whenever I'm around! Man, it's like my presence makes anyone not from Tartarus or a close friend of my father become idiots!" She cackled, mocking everyone that wasn't Indra.

Heracles growled at that, wanting nothing more than to strangle the cruel Goddess where she stood.

"To think you'd give me this much trouble while I wasn't going full out? I think it's time that I change that." Indra stated, making everyone gasp.

"You've been what!?" Amaterasu screamed in fear.

Indra suddenly grabbed the skin on his chest, and ripped apart... but instead of blood, his Prana came out, with the skin folding into the power as his body turned into living Prana itself, making everyone look in surprise.

" ** _How do you like me now!? This is a special power only I have due to studying from the Daeva I rule over, and from the old man of the Asura that I killed long ago! Although, one should say that Vritra's curse gave me this since I had to look deep to make sure he couldn't keep it held should I ever need to truly do him in!_** " Indra cackled loudly, his voice echoing.

 **«"You lunatic... as much as people define us evil Dragons, you've gone completely insane with power!"»** Vritra roared at his archenemy, realizing how dangerous things were getting.

Saji unleashed his dark flames, and the moment he did... Indra suddenly roared, and before anyone realized it?

*KABOOM*

A huge explosion went off, shaking the entire dimensional space.

* * *

Katase rushed at a Daeva, swinging her sword down against Indra's henchman.

"Little brat, get out of the way before I have to murder you and your nosy attitude!" The Daeva warned, pushing her away.

"No dice!" Katase replied.

Motioning her sword around, she thrust her palm out, unleashing a few orbs of chi onto some objects.

"What's this, a light show?" He questioned.

A lamp post suddenly wrapped around the Daeva, surprising it.

"The hell!?" He demanded.

"The power of the Akemi Family is called Life Gift, and it allows non-living objects to help me out." Katase answered.

She turned to Murayama, who nodded her head as she charged ahead.

" **Spiritual Raze!** "

The brown-haired swordsman disappeared from view, right as the Daeva screamed in pain, feeling a marking from where Murayama had just struck his astral side.

"Don't worry, that won't kill you. Although you can't treat it like a physical wound." She answered.

"Damn... you..." He coughed.

The Daeva collapsed onto the ground, making the two sigh.

"I think we did pretty well for supernatural newbies, don't you think?" Murayama smiled.

"Yeah, we really slayed it!" Katase agreed.

A few Daeva suddenly charged into view, and noticed the duo.

"Look, that Agrat Heiress' allies, take them out!" A female Daeva shouted, readying her weapon.

The two turned as they charged.

"Oh crap..." Murayama sweated.

"No worries, they're right where I wanted them."

They looked up to see Kiryuu fly to the ground, and release a strange energy area, confusing everyone. Motioning herself into a dance position, the Agrat Heiress spun herself near the group.

" **Sensational Salsa!** "

Motioning her legs in a unique manner, all of the Daeva got kicked, and froze them in place... followed by their clothes shredding somewhat as their pleasure receptor overwhelmed them.

The Kendo duo felt their eyes twitching as they began screaming from the sensory overload.

"Disgusting... I can't believe that's what her powers are..." Katase remarked, her eyes half closed.

"She really does serve the Devil Heiress that's tied to the sin of Lust..." Murayama agreed, sharing her cousin's expression.

Kiryuu gave an embarrassed laugh, rubbing the back of her head.

"Yes, we have a perverted Devil in our midst. Though such a situation means beggars can't be choosers." Kiyome replied.

Everyone turned to see the perverted duo and Kiyome walk into view, her beasts dragging all the Daeva they had managed to capture while looking across Kyoto's borders.

"Looks like we've got everyone, but what were they looking for?" Kiryuu wondered.

"I'm not sure, and that's what worries me." Kiyome confessed, scratching her head.

Everyone looked at the sky, trying to figure out what they were looking for, and how it might relate to their friends in the Dimension Lost's mist.

* * *

As the smoke cleared, Issei and Vali struggled to get back to their feet, and what they saw horrified them.

While no one was dead, the Hindu War God's attack managed to cause almost everyone to lose Consciousness, with broken Sacred Gear shards representing the failed attempts of those who tried to defend against it.

"Oh god, no..." Vali breathed.

Looking around, only the Shinto siblings, Asia, Valerie, and Hina were left conscious and standing, but the latter three didn't stay that way long as they slumped over.

"No good, all that power... I can't move." Hina weakly said.

"Please, everyone needs my help..." Asia begged to herself.

Valerie tried to lift her head, but it crashed right back onto the ground as the energy she had lost finally made her collapse to the ground.

"This can't be..." Issei said, his voice shaking at the sight of their defeated allies.

Indra and Melinoe laughed together, with the few Daeva that did their job reappearing by the latter's side.

" ** _This is how weak you all are! Now do you get it!?_** " Indra cackled loudly.

"We won't... let you do as... you please!" Amaterasu screamed, starting to rush at the War God.

Her siblings followed her, while Indra smirked.

Before anyone of them realized it, Indra smashed his fists into their guts, with all of them collapsing to the ground, while Amaterasu struggled to give him a defiant look.

" ** _I'll save your deaths for after the Red Dragon! Killing him and the White Dragon are so important to most of you, it'll be so much more fun if you die after you learn they have!_** " Indra mocked, reeling back his other fist.

With that strike, Amaterasu finally collapsed onto the ground.

"Auntie!" Issei screamed.

"That bastard, how dare he do this!" Vali growled, her fists shaking with rage at what the Hindu God had done.

Everyone in the screens watched nervously as Indra turned to the two.

" ** _Now the two of you are the only ones left! Just like I swore to do when this began, it's time to destroy you two!_** " He shouted.

**("REFLECT!")**

Vali took the attack, though her defenses shatter before she tumbled across the battlefield, and smashing into the ground a bit.

"VALI!"

Rushing to her side, the Lucifer Heiress was seen without her Scale Mail, her right arm slightly bleeding either from her landing, or the overwhelming damage she took while using her Balance Breaker.

 **("Hang on Vali!")** Albion shouted, trying to make sure she was OK.

"I can't believe this... to think we'd be defeat so easily, and leave only Issei left to battle against this threat..." She said quietly, almost completely drained.

Issei ran to her side, and looking at her down formed... Issei immediately screamed, unleashing a huge flow of power from his rage.

"I'm gonna kill you Indra, you bastard!" He shrieked furiously, charging right at him.

Seeing the open rush that he gave him, Indra laughed as he reeled his arm back, then fired it forward. Issei shot his own punch in response... only for his armor to dent into his arm, and make him scream.

"No!" Issei shouted.

" ** _Time for you to die... Red Dragon of Domination!_** " Indra exclaimed, smiling as he did.

A huge blast of Prana shot out of his other palm.

Freezing in place, Issei's body shook... and then he coughed up some blood, and holding where he was struck before he fell onto his back. Vali gasped in horror as the worst thoughts she could think flowed into her mind, especially as she looked at Issei's motionless form.

"ISSEI!"

As the Red Dragon Emperor laid on the ground, he felt himself slipping into a familiar location.

* * *

Opening his eyes, Issei saw he was back in the Boosted Gear realm, only there was purple instead of white, a color that represented strong negativity...

It was the despair his previous host felt, manifesting due to the current situation.

"This fight is over, if only the Juggernaut Drive was still here to change the tides in our favor..." The 8th Possessor sighed.

"Another talented possessor shall die, it always happens." The 63rd Possessor replied.

Issei gasped, realizing just how bad it was as their words made the thickness of their despair expand, making the realm even darker than it had been the moment he found himself in it.

"So much negativity... it's so cold." He remarked.

Ddraig's silhouette was seen watching, unable to directly intervene like he could before.

"Hey, don't say that! It's not over! There's still a chance, so have faith for once!" Issei shouted.

"You are the naive one!" The 13th Possessor retorted.

"Look at what happened to you. Right now, it's a miracle you're still alive, and it won't be for much longer at the rate things are going!" The 7th Possessor bluntly replied.

Issei flinched at that, but he refused to stand down.

"Don't try to justify beating your Juggernaut Drive as proof you can win. It was stolen by those who couldn't properly use it, not to mention that Ophis and Great Red helped soften it up." The 41st Possessor stated.

"Our hatred and curses may have disappeared, but it means nothing. We still see the same reality before us. You fret over this dream too much, when you need to wake up to reality." The 52nd Possessor glared.

Hearing this, Issei sweated at how much despair kept flowing. Just how was he supposed to give hope to his predecessors who refused to believe in it?

* * *

Back in Hell, everyone was crying at what was happening, either becoming afraid or falling to tears. In fact, these reactions were being spread out to every Supernatural faction the screens were connected to.

"Is this the end of the Dragon Emperors?" A male child cried.

"That scary man's going to come after us next... who'll save us?" A female child said, shaking.

After a moment or two, someone stood up.

"Don't cry you guys!" Lirenkus exclaimed.

All of the nearby Devils turned to face him, surprised by his words, getting Indra's attention as he actually heard him through the screens.

"Issei told me this once that even if you fall down, you need to get back up to protect the people most precious to you!" He shouted, refusing to let his tearing eyes shed a single tear to make sure his point got through.

"He's right... Lirenkus is right!" Cecilia screamed in agreement.

Everyone looked at her.

"When he fought against Rias, he refused to let the Aura of Destruction make him feel his team lost! When the Juggernaut Chimera rampaged across Hell with strength no one ever expected to could be beaten, he and Vali overcame it, and destroyed the curse of the Juggernaut Drive that no one ever thought could be defeated! He hasn't lost yet, I know he hasn't! That's why our Devil Princess manages to keep going forward!" She said with tear eyes, encouraging everyone.

With that, everyone tearing up felt something well in them.

"Yeah, how do you feel about him everyone!?" Siarea asked.

"HE'S AMAZING!" They all answered.

"Then let's keep cheering him on, because he hasn't been defeated yet!" Millicas exclaimed.

Everyone gave a loud shout in agreement.

"Issei! Issei! Issei! Issei!" All of their cheers echoed together, soon making the other Factions of the Alliance do the same.

Indra was confused by this, with Vali managing to reach Issei to hold his hand, praying that he'd get up.

* * *

Inside of the Boosted Gear, the past Possessors heard the cheers, while Issei's eyes began shedding tears at their words.

"Everyone..." He breathed.

_"Issei, don't you hear their voices? All of them believe in you... because as much as they have faith in me, they have faith in the one who gave me the hope to make it this far. These are cheers that only exist when we stand together." Vali's voice echoed._

He gave a warm smile at that.

'Your silvery-white hair, it's the most beautiful color I've ever seen... I remember when I first saw it. When I saw my hair before then, I had only seen my own like a bright sun, but your silver hair gave it meaning. Like a moon reflecting its warm light, and wrapping itself around me.' Issei thought.

The purple began to fade away, showing the despair was beginning to waver.

"I don't get it... why does everyone still believe? This situation is... it's hopeless, it has to be!" The 59th Possessor shouted.

"There can't be any other way, so what's causing this!?" The 8oth Possessor questioned.

A familiar chuckle was heard, making everyone see Belzard had finally showed up, being one of the only possessors that ignored the feelings of despair.

"You really don't get it, because you never had an ending that you could be proud of." Belzard answered to all of them.

"That's right, if only I hadn't made this mistake so long ago." A male voice agreed.

Issei turned to see a man wearing a red outfit, one that was so ancient, that it could have been prior to the Calendar switching from BC to AD.

"Who are you?" Issei asked.

The man smirked, holding a hand up.

"My name is Rhadamistus, one of the major players from the Armenian-Iberian War that Humanity initiated early after the Great War had ended... and the 1st Sekiryuutei that ever existed." He revealed.

"Wait, so you're the one who created the Juggernaut Drive!" Issei gasped.

"Yes, and I bear that sin greatly. My rival was Mithridates, who most don't know was really a woman, and both of us let this happen because we were too fanatical with the strength we gained. In doing so, we created a burden on the lives of the hundred that came after us. However, after seeing what you've achieved, it's clear that Belzard's belief in you has never been more spot on than anything he's other put his faith in." Rhadamistus answered, smiling as he did.

Issei's eyes widened at that.

"I began this road that we all came to, and now... I believe you can find the answer to the true potential behind Ddraig's power, how to make Hope from the despair of Domination." He declared.

Right as he said that, Issei's eyes widened.

"That's it... I've found it out! I've figured out what all of us have to do for our future!" Issei exclaimed.

Hearing that, most of the past possessors gasped.

" _Our_ Future? As in, you want all of us to walk it together? But, you are the current wielder of the Boosted Gear!" The 35th Possessor inquired, feeling confused.

"Yes, because every one of you is a part of this Longinus' legacy! That's why we need to do this together! So, let's show Indra what we can do as one!" Issei declared, smiling with full confident.

The purple shattered, and the despair cracked apart, with the robes of every Sekiryuutei vanishing.

"We can show them... together!" Everyone shouted.

"Yeah, that's right! Let's do this!" Issei exclaimed.

"All of us... are the Sekiryuutei, now the Red Dragon Emperor, the Red Dragon of Hope!" Issei said alongside his predecessors.

* * *

Indra looked confused by how voices were getting through.

" ** _What's going on? This should be one-sided communication!_** " Indra demanded.

"Like I know!" Melinoe answered.

At that moment, Vali felt something move, and gasped as Issei stood up, getting the attention of the two deities.

"How are you still standing!?" Melinoe questioned, her eyes full of disbelief.

The Hindu War God prepared to attack Issei again, only for a strange feeling to suddenly leave him immobile. He suddenly saw what it was when a powerful red glow shined across the field, which left Melinoe just as immobile, while all of Issei's allies regained consciousness.

"I finally know what I need to achieve my potential, what makes me... the Red Dragon Emperor!" Issei replied, smirking at the end.

**「** **My Hero Academia: United States of Smash** **」**

At that moment, a gigantic magic circle formed underneath Issei, stretching out a large distance before 99 spots suddenly formed, with Belzard on the one closest to Issei, and Rhadamistus being at the one that marked the end of the spiral.

For the remaining 97 circles, the previous Sekiryuutei appeared, lining up in the order of what numbered possessor they had been.

"Wait, are those all of my brother's predecessors!?" Homura questioned.

Issei's eyes flashed, and then...

_"Do it, awaken the potential Belzard saw within you!" A female voice echoed._

"This is the power we'll forge together!" Issei screamed, holding the orb up.

At that moment, everyone saw his Scale Mail crack apart, but it didn't seem like it was breaking. Taking a deep breath, the chant for the Juggernaut Drive appeared in his mind, ready to take their true shape.

He immediately let out a passionate shout, and an incredible flare of red energy burst out.

**_["I, who shall awaken..."]_ **

"I, who shall evolve!"

**_["I am the Red Heavenly Dragon who stole the principles of Domination from God..."]_ **

"I'm the Red Dragon Emperor that's abandoned the stolen principles of Domination!"

**_["I mock the infinite, and fret over the dream..."]_ **

"I stand by the infinite, and represent the dream!"

**_["I shall become the Red Dragon of Domination!"]_ **

"I stand to become the Red Dragon of Hope!"

**_["I shall drown you in the depths of crimson purgatory..."]_ **

"And with all of us together, I'll show ups a future that shines with deep crimson!"

The Scale Mail armor completely shattered, leaving Issei's body to shine that very crimson light of hope he just spoke of, right as a translucent copy of Ddraig in his Dragon form stood behind him, making Indra's eyes widened.

All of his past possessors, along with the shards of his scale mail, flew into Issei's body before Ddraig dove right at him.

'We are one, now and forever! Let us move forward to create our future!' The possessors exclaimed, saying their last words before their spirits fully bonded and fused with Issei's.

'Thank you everyone, I'll make you all proud!' He promised.

Ad with that, the sphere showing Issei's potential flew into his chest, and he let out three words that would change everything.

" **Eternal Balance Breaker!** "

Vali's eyes widened as a huge dome of red energy spread out, passing through everyone.

The crimson glow continued for a while until it finally ended... showing Issei without his Scale Mail, but now wearing a new red themed outfit, and his Boosted Gear having gotten somewhat smaller, become more like a fingerless gauntlet for just his hand... only now there was one on _each_ of his hands!

"Your armor..." Vali breathed.

Even those his Scale Mail was nowhere in sight, the power Vali felt from Issei was amazing, actually going beyond his DxD G form.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

" ** _W-what is this!?_** " Indra demanded, shaking a bit.

"Eternal... Balance Breaker?" Cao Cao repeated in surprise, unable to believe what he just heard.

 **«"I've never see this before, all I can tell is Issei's unlocked Ddraig's full power!"»** The Will of Longinus stated, just as shocked as the wielder of the Longinus he was sealed within.

Issei looked at himself, feeling the amazing power he just achieved.

"Ddraig, are you feeling this? It's so incredible!" He exclaimed, a bright smile on his face.

 **["Yes, this is just like when I met Albion for the first time, and finally gained a reason to truly live! You've truly become the great Red Dragon Emperor, Issei Akane!"]** Ddraig answered, a toothy smirk on his face.

Indra gritted his teeth in anger, stomping his foot on the ground.

" ** _You dare mock me here!?_** " Indra roared.

"Mock you? Speak for yourself, because I only achieved this power because of what you did today!" Issei countered.

His aura immediately released itself.

"I am the Red Dragon of Hope, and it's time I erase your evil from this world!" He exclaimed loudly.

**「** **High School DxD HERO: Potential Awakened** **」**

The Hindu God of War screamed angrily at that.

" ** _I will destroy you Red Dragon Emperor, so much that even your Dragon will be killed beyond any ability to resurrect!_** " Indra roared.

"Bring it on!" Issei challenged.

Indra charged forward, only for Issei to speed at him incredible fast, leaving him wide open for a powerful left hook to the face!

The King of the Daeva's eyes widened as his head turned more than it should, and he was shot across the battlefield like a high velocity missile being fired. Everyone gasped as how easily that happened.

" ** _I-impossible!_** " Indra screamed, forcing his head back into place.

From the screens, everyone began cheering louder than before, with the Elders all watching in horror and disbelief at how everything was starting to go opposite to what they were hoping for.

"This is amazing!" Issei remarked, feeling the flow of his new strength.

 **["And like the name implies, the Eternal Balance Breaker is literally just that! Which means he can't force you out of this one, nor do the stamina problems you once had apply! You're nowhere near my level due to various things, but you're definitely capable of threatening this prideful weakling!"]** Ddraig replied.

Issei nodded, seeing Indra screamed angrily as he charged two orbs of Prana in his hands.

" ** _You won't defeat me, I am the great Sakra Indra!_** " He screamed.

Releasing the orbs into the air, the clouds began raining down multiple pillars of Prana to attack Issei, but he managed to tank the attacks by using his Touki to defend himself.

"Alright, time for a new move!" Issei announced.

" **Dragon Breaker!** "

Two of the cannons Issei used to use on his Scale Mail appeared by his arms, and then fired two supercharged versions of his Dragon Shot, which was now a powerful beam attack. It rushed across the field so fast, Indra had no time to dodge, and the rest of his attack was shattered.

He screamed as the twin blasts struck him, shaking the area it passed as the dimensional space warped in that area, leaving a huge crack.

"Did you just see that!?" Leo exclaimed in shock.

"That power's amazing!" Heracles praised.

The blasters disappeared, being swapped out with Issei taking to the sky with his Devil wings, only to dive down with his Scale Mail wings (which weren't attached to his back) replacing them as he charged forward.

" ** _Die!_** " Indra screamed, opening his mouth to unleash a powerful sonic scream made of Prana.

Issei dashed around it, evading every blast as he formed Senjutsu around him, making a mixture of Kasha and Hinotama before he began to burn like a meteorite. The flames soon melded to turn the ones focused at the front into a crimson color.

" **Blazing Meteor!** "

Enhancing the impact with his Touki, the Hindu War God felt Issei's attack smash a powerful blow into him, and then a powerful right hook towards the ground.

" ** _I... I can't believe this is... I am Sakra Indra, how could you do this to me? This is just some nightmare, and I will wake up to give you what you deserve! I am not a weakling that you can kill!_** " Indra screamed with rage.

"You've hurt enough people, so that ends here!" Issei screamed back.

" **Crimson Striker!** "

Issei swung his fist, with an aura resembling a red Dragon's head covering it as he did. Because Indra was in a body made of Prana, the damage that resulted had his body shatter, leaving a huge hole in his stomach.

The hole closed itself, but Indra felt his legs buckle as he began hitting his limit.

"Have some of these!" Issei screamed.

He swung both of his legs at Indra's face, and then swung a left and right hook. The former hit his face, making his mouth briefly shatter, with the other two blows smashed his arms apart.

Like before, his energy body let him recover them bloodlessly... only for him to start getting blurred version as he swayed and stumbled.

"Will anything take this gut out permanently!?" Issei questioned.

 **["Issei, use it! My greatest power!"]** Ddraig replied.

Hearing that, the Red Dragon Emperor's eyes widened, unable to believe _that_ ability of Ddraig's was now accessible to him.

"Alright, here goes!" He agreed.

Issei focused his power, making his aura glow brightly, then moved like the wisps of a raging fire.

"This is the end Indra, victory... is... mine!" Issei exclaimed.

" **Blazing Inferno of Scorching Flames!** "

That one line got everyone's attention as Issei unleashed the ultimate flames, which struck Indra with full force, and made him scream. Issei sweated as the attack heavily drained him, and he couldn't use it as Ddraig's level, but... he kept standing strong.

" ** _No... this isn't... this isn't possible!_** I... I can't be defeated! I can't die, not to... not to the likes of you!"

"I will protect... everyone's hopes and dreams!" He promised.

With one last scream, the almighty blaze blasted forward, and completely burned across Indra's body, making the God of War give a final shriek of horror as the inevitable truth was revealed to the supernatural world...

Indra was finally dead.

**「** **Insert Song End** **」**

"Oh, my god..." Melinoe gasped, shivering in fear.

"Lord Indra, he killed him!" A Daeva panicked, not even seeing ashes that remained of him.

At that moment, Issei wobbled before he collapsed onto the ground.

"Damn it, then at the very least we'll take the Youkai Leader with us! That'll be our true victory for today!" Melinoe shouted, holding a hand out.

The prison that Yasaka was in appeared by her side, getting everyone's attention.

"No, give back my mother!" Kunou cried.

"And what can you do-" Melinoe countered, smirking a bit.

Unfortunately, she'd never get the chance to answer as a rip appeared in the dimensional space, and a staff extended at her. Her eyes widened before she lost all vision in her right one, screaming as she held it, and releasing Yasaka's prison.

Using the little magic she had left, Vali opened a Power of Hole distortion, allowing her to pull Yasaka into their range.

"I've got her!" Vali cheered.

"Lady Melinoe, are you alright!?" A Daeva asked.

Placing a magic circle over the right side of her face, she sealed the eyelid of the eye she just lost.

"Damn it... forget the Kyuubi, we're leaving right now. We'll make them all pay next time we meet!" She ordered, glaring at the Dragon Emperors.

A dark energy shot up, encompassing them all before they disappeared.

"Looks like I made it just in time!" An elderly voice chuckled.

Bikou flinched at that, then turned to see the one who had attacked Melinoe, revealing a Monkey Man similar to Bikou, only more like a monkey, and old enough he was wearing one of those unique visor glasses. He held a staff in one hand, and a smoking pipe with banana leaves in the other.

"Gramps!?" Bikou exclaimed.

"T-that's the actual Sun Wukong?" Saji exclaimed in shock.

He chuckled before jumping closer.

"Lord Shiva asked me to come lend a hand since I was Indra's vanguard, and that let me jump here the instant the Red Dragon Emperor took him out. You little whippersnappers did a fine job in standing against that godly prick." Sun Wukong chuckled.

Looking at Kunou, the aged Monkey Man put a hand on the young Kyuubi's shoulder.

"Now, how about we welcome your mother back to the waking world?" He suggested, smirking a bit.

Kunou's eyes widened with happy tears, nodding her head.

Tapping his staff on the ground, an aura was released, and the prison surrounding Yasaka was dissolved. Upon being free, Yasaka's eyes fluttered open, making her rub her head as she got up.

"Wait, am I... free now?" She questioned, trying to regain her senses.

"Mother!" Kunou cried out.

Turning to the side, she saw Kunou jump into her arms, crying as they were finally reunited.

"Don't worry, mother's here now." Yasaka reassured her, shedding some happy tears as well.

Seeing that, everyone smiled.

At the same time as this, Vali picked the sleeping Issei into her arms, giving him a warm smile at what he managed to achieve.

"You naive idiot... good job." She thanked him.

* * *

The dimensional space soon disappeared, leaving Izanagi and Izanami to realize the battle had ended.

"Looks like it's over." Izanagi smiled.

"And it looks like everything turned out well." She smiled.

The two soon heard groaning, with Nainen getting up as she rubbed her head, blinking a bit as the two and Liu Bei all showed surprise.

"What happened? Why am I here? We won, right?" She asked.

Izanagi sighed in relief, and then flicked her in the forehead, making the young Kyuubi wince in pain.

"Ow! What was that for!?" She asked.

"You need to stop making people worry, seriously." Izanami sighed with a smile.

Nainen blushed at that, and immediately turned her head.

Back outside, the others all noticed the sight of the others reappearing, seeing both sides gathered together.

"Hey, what's going on here?" Matsuda asked, noticing the oddity.

"I'll explain later. Let's just say that there's a specific reason we had Issei's Exam take place here." Kiryuu smiled, able to tell something good happened while in the Dimension Lost's alternate space.

Both duos blinked at that.

* * *

The following day, everyone was gathered by the Train Station, where every non-supernatural was on the train, using the last few moments to talk.

"Issei Akane, Vali Lucifer, and all of you who fought by their side. Words can't express how grateful you are for everything you've done. Had you not come, I shudder to think what could have happened to Kyoto, much less my children." Yasaka smiled.

"We're in your debt, so know if you need anything from the Youkai Faction, just let Lady Izanami know." Nainen agreed.

The Shinto Goddess of Spirit smiled.

"As for my own thanks? Now that Indra's finally no longer a problem, I can finally lay down my staff and retire. Though before I do that..." Sun Wukong added.

He tossed the real Ruyi Jingu Bang to Bikou, who caught it... and almost fell to the ground, grunting from the weight.

"Holy! This thing's like lifting a Blue Whale!" He exclaimed, realizing its weight was genuine.

"Well, guess that's one way to take a load off your ancestor." Kuroka giggled, making her sister grown once more.

Vali chuckled a little, soon holding her hand out to shake Yasaka's.

"Glad that I could finally repay the kindness you gave me so long ago." She smiled.

"Yes, and I wish you luck in winning the Championship Battle, all of us believe that you can do it." Yasaka replied.

Right at that moment, everyone heard the bell warn a few more minutes were left before the train would be leaving.

"Well, I guess we should head back through our own means. Till we meet again on the alliance's side." Cao Cao remarked, waving his hand.

Issei chuckled, flashing a thumb's up, which the Ancestral Faction's leader returned, even though his back was turned.

"Alright, guess it's time to head back ourselves." Issei decided.

"Wait, Issei?" Kunou asked.

He turned, seeing her grabbing onto part of his school uniform.

"Um... is it OK if I come visit every once in a while?" She asked, blushing in embarrassment.

"Sure thing, come by any time. Consider that a big brother's promise." Issei smiled, winking at her.

Kunou smiled at that, nodding her head.

With that, everyone boarded the train, waving goodbye to Kyoto and all of their friends living it. Most of all, waving bye to Kunou, who could finally return home.

"Bye everyone..." Kunou said, looking a bit sad.

Nainen put a hand on her shoulder, looking at her to remind her it wasn't goodbye forever.

"Looks like I've got even more reason to be mom's successor." She chuckled.

Realizing what she meant, Kunou smiled.

Meanwhile, back on the train itself... Issei suddenly screamed to everyone's surprise, noticing him panicking through all his pockets and bags.

"Issei, what's wrong?" Vali asked.

"The substitute acknowledgement card, I can't find it! Where did it go!?" He screamed.

Kiyome's expression suddenly froze as she realized something.

* * *

Back in the depths of Tartarus, the sight of Hades in his throne room could be seen as Melinoe returned, making him gasp as he saw his daughter's face.

"Melinoe, where's your eye!?" He shouted in worry.

"That damn Monkey King stabbed it out with his staff! The only thing we got out of this whole situation was using Cao Cao's ritual and Nainen's connection to awaken the one bit of Trihexa's power!" She answered, gritting her teeth with pure rage.

Hades slammed his scepter into the ground, looking just as angered.

"Lord Hades, calm yourself down! We still managed to obtain... this." A Daeva intervened.

He pulled out the substitute acknowledgement card, making the father and daughter deities look in surprise, with both of them smiling.

"You actually managed to take it!" Melinoe smirked.

"Good, that means we can begin the next step of our preparations. I'm sure Rizevim will be pleased to hear about them." Hades replied, chuckling victoriously.

Orcus nervously sweated at the thought, while Hades held up a new orb showing the silhouettes of Loki and Indra within them, soon swallowing it into his body.

'Thanatos... it looks like we'll be making our stand at the Championship.' He realized, hoping for his daughter's safety.

* * *

Hearing everything that had been reported, Lilith slammed her head on her desk.

"So, after everything that happened, Cao Cao's position as a mole was completely undermined by Hades' daughter of all people? Damn it! I'll make sure his brothers keep an eye on him for the coming days." She groaned, unable to believe Trihexa was possibly closer to returning.

Eve walked to Lilith's side, rubbing her back.

"Don't feel too bad. We may have suffered a lost there, but now it's clear to the Khaos Brigade they only have one Longinus wielder, and we all know the Incinerate Anthem will jump at the chance to leave Walburga once its freed. Not to mention, my little boy unlocked Ddraig's full potential." Eve smiled.

"M-mom, stop!" Issei blushed in embarrassment.

Lilith chuckled a bit, and soon hit a button, causing everyone in Hell to get alerted by a sound that signaled she was making an announcement.

**【** **Lilith** **】**  
**Everyone, listen up! You saw Issei Akane's fight with Indra recently! What you didn't know is he got involved in an exam for his rank to promote, and with such an unexpected event happening in rescuing the Youkai Leader?**

The Elders all gritted their teeth at this, knowing what she was about to declare.

**【** **Lilith** **】** **  
I hereby announce that Issei Akane... has promoted from Low-Class, and become an Ultimate-Class Devil, holding the honor of reaching the top in one go after only being a Devil for 3 months!**

At that moment, the sound of many Devils cheering could be heard, mimicking the sound of an explosion.

"Well, look at that. He really did it." Ineelana smiled.

"And you know what that means, don't you?" Ladora replied, cracking his knuckles.

The Leviathan Heiress nodded, giving an excited smirk.

"Come and take me on with all your strength... Issei and Vali!" She announced.

Right at that moment, Issei cleared his throat.

"Lilith, if you don't mind... I have something that I want to say, while everyone's still listening." Issei

**【** **Lilith** **】** **  
Oh? Everyone, it seems that the Red Dragon Emperor has something he'd like to share with us!**

He smiled before looking at Vali, who tilted her head as he gave her a nervous look.

"Issei, is something wrong?" She asked.

"Vali..." He replied.

Taking a deep breath, he steeled his resolve. He had promised himself he'd say this the moment he was qualified to gain his own peerage. This was his only chance, so he had to do it, no matter how scared he felt.

"I... I want to protect you for the rest of our lives together! Everything I've done to reach this point was for you, so that we could be together, and have no one look down on you for where I ranked. Now that I've made it, I only have this to say." Issei exclaimed, struggling to keep his cool.

The Lucifer Heiress was confused, but kept staring at her boyfriend.

"That's why, I'm asking you this now... will you spend the rest of your life with me!?" He exclaimed.

Vali's eyes widened at that, while everyone in the room, most of the Devils listening gasped in shock. Those words may have not been what one would usually say, but everyone knew immediately what he just asked the silvery-white haired Heiress.

'He... he just proposed!' Eve and Lilith both thought.

Covering her mouth, tears of joy fell from Vali's eyes before she began shedding them, all without closing her eyes once.

"I can't believe it, all this time... you've been trying to reach High-Class just for this moment. I don't think I've ever been this caught off guard before, even back when you confessed your love to me! You're such a naive fool, and yet you're my naive fool! You just keep making me fall in love with you!" She replied, shedding more tears as her emotions betrayed her wishes to hold them back.

"Then, does that mean..." He asked, looking hopeful.

Vali looked at him, uncovering her mouth as she gave a nodding smile towards the Lucifer Queen.

"Do you really need to ask? You should already know my answer." She confirmed.

Everyone cheered once more, fully marking the engagement between the two, right as they prepared to kiss each other. However, right before they could...

*CRASH*

They froze, turning around to see everyone in a pile by the door.

"Hey, were you all listening!?" Issei demanded, blushing in embarrassment.

"Uh... congrats you two." Asia smiled.

"Looks like we can expect some litters of Dragons form you two soon enough." Kuroka giggled.

Vali fumed a bit, making them all flinch.

"GET OUT OF HERE!" Issei demanded.

"DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG I'VE WAITED FOR A MOMENT LIKE THIS!?" Vali screamed.

They looked at Lilith.

"Why didn't you lock the door!?" They loudly asked her.

The Devil Queen made a sound of surprise.

"Wait, how's this my fault!?" She asked, making Eve giggle as she grabbed her arm.

"Just take responsibility, Lilith." Eve said.

She pulled her out of the room, and soon moved everyone away as she closed the door, leaving the two to blush before they looked into each other's eyes.

"Vali..."

"Issei..."

Their kiss finally happened, with tears of joy running down their eyes.

* * *

In another location, the sight of something black rose from the ground, it looked like Trihexa's head at first, but...

Soon enough, it became more like a massive, disgusting blob full of black decay, creatures like maggots, and anything that would make you think of something that was dying or began to decay after death.

" ** _F_** _i **N** a **L** l **Y**... a **F** t **E** r **S** o **L** o **N** g, **I** a **M** f **R** e **E** d **!**_ "

Walking into view, the sight of Melinoe could be seen, her closed eyelid opened up, revealing an eye resembling a snake's behind it.

"It won't be much longer." She smirked.

After she said that, her voice devolved into a loud cackle, echoing across the landscape for miles.

* * *

**That's right, you heard Issei right! He just proposed to Vali... and she said yes! They're now engaged! *cheers* So, when's the wedding you ask? Considering the two are still in High School, that should tell you how long it'll be before they officially tie the knot... or is it? *giggles* Sorry everyone, but this is something that I'm not gonna answer, you'll just have to wait things out for the answer :3**

**Anyways, the ritual failed, though it seems that despite what Melinoe said, that Trihexa wasn't actually affected. Despite that, it looks like something related to it was, and she's met with it. Not only that, but Jingu was simply a disguise of hers she created, enough that she made a fake copy of a real Sacred Gear, and a Sub-Species that fooled _everyone_ to who she really was.**

**I had this planned since Jingu made her first appearance back in Season 3, because if you think about it... why would DxD Hades have a human daughter in the first place? Melinoe immediately wasn't my first choice, as I thought of using Makaria, but decided against it when I learned that Thanatos is considered her consort, and it would be too complicated to factor loyalty to her father when Thanatos is leader of Grim Reapers against Hades' rule.**

**Well, Indra finally met the end he deserved in a fight that I hope did well in showing everyone fighting, and Issei finally unlocked his full potential! He no longer has his Scale Mail, but doesn't actually need it. In a sense, the armor was a limiter to the Balance Breaker, and now he's able to use his full power! Best part? Unlike his usual Balance Breaker, he doesn't have a limit to it, and Vali will eventually have it as well.**

**Other things we had included Nainen managing to recover from her Leyline empowerment backlash (it was tapping into them that mattered, not her health), Sun Wukong has officially retired, giving Bikou the original Ruyi Jingu Bang to replace his replica that was broken during his fight with Jian Yong, and Cao Cao's group has finally returned to the Alliance's side... while Kunou's finally returned home. Until JOHD, she'll be making cameos at best.**

**From here on out, Melinoe will be inheriting all of Cao Cao's antagonist traits, including what happened to his eye. I will say that while that eye is snake-like, it may not necessarily be Medusa's that she has. After all, she is Hades' daughter... he's probably got eyes from a worse creature that he could give her. *gives an evil chuckle* You'll find out eventually.**

**Until next time everyone, and stay awesome! ^^**

* * *

** Bust Size of New Female Characters ** **:**

**Melinoe - 69 cm**

* * *

** Brief Summaries of Abilities/Equipment/Terms in Today's Chapter ** **:**

**【** **Life Gift** **】** **  
The power of the Fujiki bloodline, which lets the user temporarily give life to things that have never been alive, making them like a Youkai (even if there's no equivalent to one) which will fight on their behalf.**

**【** **Spiritual Raze** **】** **  
The power of the Akemi bloodline, which allows the user to strike the astral part of one's body, leaving species that are unable to treat it to feel pain from a wound they can't treat. Murayama states this ability can't leave a fatal blow.**

**【** **Eternal Balance Breaker** **】** **  
A permanent version of the Balance Breaker that unleashes one's full potential. It's currently unknown how the process works, as only Issei has been confirmed to have achieved it, or if it's a power only the Boosted Gear and Divine Dividing possess.**

* * *

** Pairings List ** **:**

**Issei/Vali - Engaged  
Ddraig/Albion - Married  
Tiamat/Fafnir - Married  
Saji/Sona - Dating  
Gasper/Valerie - Dating  
Kiba/Tosca - Dating  
Sairaorg/Kuisha - Dating  
Rossweisse/Vidar - Chemistry is clearing forming between them  
Hina/Nanami - Dating  
Jeanne/Cao Cao - Chemistry seems to exist, but the form of it is unknown**


End file.
